Rapper Drake hacked to promote a crypto memecoin

Drake, the multi-platinum Canadian rapper, just became the latest victim in the growing list of celebrity social media hacks.

On Saturday night, his X account, followed by over 39 million fans, was hijacked and transformed into a billboard for a shady crypto memecoin scam. The fraudulent posts promoted a Solana-based coin called $ANITA, referencing Drake’s cartoon alter ego, Anita Max Wynn.

The character is a nod to his well-documented love of gambling and the phrase “I need a max win.” The hackers weren’t playing around. They claimed $ANITA was officially launched in partnership with Stake, the crypto gambling platform closely associated with Drake.

The timing couldn’t have been more strategic either, as Drake’s Anita Max Wynn Tour is set to take him back to Australia and New Zealand for the first time since 2017.

The scam raked in $5 million in trading volume before people caught on to the con. DexScreener data showed the cash flow grinding to a halt once buyers realized they’d been duped.

Hackers exploit trust in celebrity brands

This is just the latest in a string of high-profile takeovers targeting celebrities and institutions to lend fake legitimacy to crypto scams. Last week, the Cardano Foundation’s X account was hacked to promote another memecoin.

That scam only pulled in $500,000, a fraction of the $5 million tied to ANITA. Other victims include Cardi B, Doja Cat, and even Metallica.

Damage control came too late for those who’d already bought in, though. It’s unclear if Drake’s team or X were even aware of the hack while the scam was in full swing.

This isn’t Drake’s first crypto controversy. Recently, a 20-year-old influencer accused him and an associate, Top5, of stiffing her on a $2 million crypto investment deal. The allegations, made during a livestream with DJ Akademiks, added fuel to the fire surrounding Drake’s crypto reputation.

Whether this prior drama influenced hackers’ decision to target him is anyone’s guess. Crypto fraud isn’t slowing down. In October, the founder of Truth Terminal, Andy Ayrey, had his X account hacked to promote a scam token called IB.

That one brought in $600 million in profits for the hackers. Meanwhile, the Cardano Foundation hack saw attackers spread lies about an SEC lawsuit to peddle another fake token.

The tactics are the same every time: hijack a trusted account, pump out convincing lies, and count on followers to fall for it. Somehow, they always do.