Drake Celebrates Mom’s 75th Birthday With Sizzla’s ‘Thank U Mamma’
Canadian rapper Drake celebrated his mother’s diamond jubilee with words from Sizzla Kalonji’s Thank U Mamma.
On Saturday (January 28), the God’s Plan rapper shared several photos of what appeared to be a formal dinner party to celebrate the milestone.
“75 Years Thank you mama for the 9 months you carried me through…all the pain and suffering. No one knows the pressure you bear just only you…give you all my love,” he wrote, before signing off as “Kalonji.”
The photo slide begins with Drake’s five-year-old son Adonis blowing the candles out with grandma, before concluding with a family photo that included his father, Dennis.
Thank U Mamma was released in 2002, and still remains one of the most sonically appealing tributes to matriarchs, hands down. A must-have on many Mother’s Day playlists, Sizzla’s honest songwriting and expressive, emotional lines map the entire incredible journey — “9 months” through to “manhood” — heaping praise on moms for strength and support.
The song appeared on his iconic Da Real Thing album, along with other career-defining tracks, including Solid As a Rock, Just One Of Those Days (Dry Cry), Woman I Need You, Bless Up, and Why Should I?
In 2016, Sizzla spoke on Drake’s love for Dancehall and Reggae, telling VIBE that: “if Drake is going to take up any dancehall music and remix it, then that’s something good.”
“It’s a part of the promotion. It’s just that we must just get together to have an understanding to administer the royalties and publishing for the artists so that you don’t have any discrepancies between the either artists,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sizzla spent his Saturday at a family fun day spearheaded by the Charlemont Housing Scheme Youth Foundation in Linstead, St. Catherine.
Based on highlights posted by the Give Me A Try singer, there was a talent competition for amateur artists, as well as a fire-lighting ritual.
“We ah light di fire fi di Nyabinghi family all over di worl’…wi haffi light di fire fi celebrate all di freedom fighters an’ all di life being lost in the Arab slave trade and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade,” Sizzla explained in a clip, adding that the ritual is complemented by the recital of psalms.
In a subsequent clip, onlookers chanted, while Sizzla added more sticks, and other flammable objects to the sizable bonfire.
“More Love to all the people in the World, be motivated, be inspired, be forgiven, and show more love,” he wrote.
Sizzla, whose given name is Miguel Collins, is in preparation mode for a new album and a 13-show tour of Japan of the same name.
The tour, which is set to commence on April 25, will see Sizzla performing on 13 consecutive nights, the last of which will be on May 7.
He is also billed to perform at the Lovers and Friends event, which has been dubbed “The Ultimate Valentines Concert” set for Plantation Cove at Priory in St Ann, on Saturday, February 18.