“Why is he the one holding the knife?”: Netizens react to Drake posing at Adonis’ cowboy-themed birthday party

Drake recently celebrated his son Adonis’s eighth birthday with a cowboy-themed party that quickly caught attention online. During the event, he was filmed standing next to Adonis while holding a knife. After the viral photo surfaced, both fans and critics flooded social media with comments on the party.

Several people felt that the rapper had once again sought the spotlight at a time when his son was supposed to have his moment. One X user asked:

Some of the more negative responses included:

However, as the argument continued, a wave of positive reactions began to emerge, particularly among long-time fans who saw the moment as a genuine display of his softer side. Many praised him for being an active and present father.

Details on Drake’s family life and recent developments

Drake shares his son, Adonis Graham, with French artist Sophie Brussaux. Adonis was born on October 11, 2017. Although there were some initial rumors and speculation about his paternity, Drizzy has since publicly acknowledged the news in 2018, and these days, he is much more open to fatherhood. The rapper has provided a few, though significant, insights into their family life over the years.

Bilingual in French and English, Adonis has already shown signs of creativity and artistic talent. He has often been seen with his father at NBA games and other events.

Rapper Drake plays with his son Adonis during the second half of the NBA game between the Toronto Raptors and the LA Clippers at Scotiabank Arena on December 27, 2022, in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

Besides making public appearances, Adonis has also been featured in the music video for 8 AM in Charlotte. He even gave a freestyle rap in a video released for a previous birthday.

Drake rarely posts updates on social media about Adonis. Notably, the rapper has previously hosted themed birthday events, such as a SpongeBob SquarePants party for Adonis's seventh birthday, where both father and son were seen in matching outfits.

The Toronto native posted a handwritten note by Adonis on November 7, 2024, addressed to him, in which he thanked the rapper for “such a good life and good family,” a moment that drew much attention from fans.

"Thank you for giving me such a good life and a good family. I love you dad." Adonis also finished the letter with some clear delivery instructions: "Adonis to Dad."

As the Canadian artist hosted a cowboy-themed party to celebrate his son's eighth birthday, his name also made headlines due to a significant legal development.

On October 9, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by Drake against Universal Music Group (UMG) over a diss track by Kendrick Lamar called Not Like Us. Drake claimed that the lyrics, which contained allegations of pedophilia, were defamatory and had been spread by UMG to damage his reputation.

The judge ruled that the lyrics were a "non-actionable opinion" in the context of a heated rap battle and were not defamatory. This legal development coincided with Adonis's birthday party, which drew additional attention to Drizzy.

Stay tuned for more updates.

About the author

Tanishqa Patil is a Pop Culture writer at Sportskeeda, bringing two years of content creation experience from various platforms, including Thesportslite [TSL], Fusion World, and Exotic India Art. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in English. Currently, she is expanding her expertise through a Master's in English Literature.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Tanishqa enjoys painting, reading, and immersing herself in the art world. If she could attend any concert in history, it would be a performance by the iconic Indian singer K.K. (Krishnakumar Kunnath).

Know More

Edited by Shreya Das