MUMBAI: Following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ crushing 6-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers in Game 7, Canadian rapper Drake lightheartedly shifted blame for the loss from himself to fellow pop star Justin Bieber. Drake, who bet $1 million on the Leafs to advance, took to Instagram with a tongue-in-cheek reference to Bieber’s presence at the game, posting: “Bieber curse…” alongside a photo of the singer and his wife, Hailey, attending the match at Scotiabank Arena on May 18.

Had the Leafs won, Drake stood to earn over $2.1 million from his wager. Instead, the team’s elimination added to the rapper’s growing reputation for seemingly “jinxing” athletes and teams — a long-running superstition dubbed the “Drake Curse.” This phenomenon has followed the rapper through high-profile losses involving teams and athletes he’s backed, including Alabama football in 2019, Conor McGregor in 2018, and Serena Williams during the 2015 U.S. Open.

The Biebers, dressed in stylish attire rather than team jerseys, were spotted cheering in the arena but couldn’t help the Leafs avoid defeat, giving Drake a new scapegoat for his betting misfortunes.

In a more serious turn, Drake has also drawn attention by expressing public support for fellow Canadian artist Tory Lanez, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for the 2020 shooting of rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Drake recently shared a Change.org petition on Instagram, urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Lanez. “@torylanez come home soon,” he wrote.

The petition, which has garnered over 250,000 signatures, claims Lanez — born Daystar Peterson — was wrongfully convicted based on insufficient physical evidence, and alleges that political factors influenced the outcome of the case. The campaign also highlights Lanez’s recent stabbing in prison, calling for broader criminal justice reform.

Though Newsom has the legal power to issue a pardon, legal experts note that such action remains highly unlikely given the nature of Lanez’s conviction. He was found guilty of three felony charges stemming from the shooting incident in July 2020. Despite the verdict, new claims have surfaced suggesting Lanez may not have been the shooter.

As Drake balances public humor with serious advocacy, his influence — both on and off the stage — continues to stir headlines.