Hostage Survivor Mia Schem Criticizes Rapper Drake Over Gaza Lyrics

Mia Schem, a hostage survivor abducted to Gaza on October 7, has publicly criticized the rapper Drake, whom she previously admired. In an extensive interview with the Daily Mail, Schem recounted her experiences as a Hamas captive and expressed shock over Drake's new song lyrics that mention "praying for Gaza." Schem, who received a sweater and jacket from Drake in the past, stated she was "shocked" by the song, especially given her trauma. The lyrics in question, previewed in Drake's film "FOMO," include the line "We pray for Gaza." While "Gaza" could refer to a Jamaican dancehall movement associated with the musician Vybz Kartel, Drake has previously signed a letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. For Schem, a former fan of the Canadian-Jewish rapper, the statement was particularly difficult in light of her captivity and the perceived silence of many international artists regarding the hostages and the October 7th attack. "I can only tell what I know from my personal experience," she said. "I was kidnapped from my country and taken to Gaza. I know how I was treated there." Schem believes Drake's statement reflects a broader misunderstanding of the October 7th events and the experiences of Israelis and Jews since the attack. "I'll tell you what the problem is. People really don't know the reality," she stated. "They don't know, and we don't have enough people who can explain to the world the truth about October 7th, about what happened in Israel and about the Israeli and Jewish people." She further contrasted the values she was raised with, emphasizing kindness and being a good person, with what she perceived as a glorification of death among some individuals she encountered in Gaza, where families might be proud of a "terrorist" after an attack.