Drake has donated $100,000 (£80,000) to the National Bail Out in response to the ongoing protests in the US sparked by the killing of George Floyd.
The “God’s Plan” rapper posted a receipt confirming his donation on Instagram, after songwriter Mustafa the Poet had called on him to exceed his own donation, of $400 (£320).
The National Bail Out fund provides bail money to people who are arrested for protesting. According to its website, the organisation is ”a Black-led and Black-centred collective of abolitionist organisers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to support our folks and end systems of pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration”.
Mustafa revealed on Twitter that the size of Drake’s donation had triggered a fraud enquiry by his bank, as the pop star told his friend via text: “They just called fraud on my card lol.”
“I donated 100k,” he added. “They were like yeah nah.”
Floyd died while being apprehended by Minneapolis police on 25 May, with one officer kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes.
An independent autopsy conducted by Floyd’s family’s legal team ruled that his death was a homicide due to asphyxia caused by sustained forceful pressure to his neck.
One police officer, Derek Chauvin, has already been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd’s family, and millions of US citizens nationwide, are calling for the other officers involved to also face charges.
