Duolingo, the world's best way to learn a language, joins others trolling Drake since he began his feud with Kendrick Lamar in April 2024. The app took jabs at the 6 God after other brands like Heinz, NBA, and Apple Music . On February 11, Duolingo unexpectedly posted a mock announcement on Instagram, declaring the death of its beloved mascot, Duo the Owl. Between Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy sweep and his Super Bowl Halftime Show, Drake has had a rough few weeks.
"It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formerly known as The Duolingo Owl, is dead,” the statement read. “Authorities are investigating the cause, and we are cooperating fully. To be honest, he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know?” When followers asked if there was a suspect, Duolingo replied, “Authorities are looking into a Canadian rapper.” The joke quickly gained traction, fueling speculation that this was a direct shot at Drake. The OVO founder has been a target of online banter since Kendrick Lamar smashed a piñata of his owl logo in the "Not Like Us" video last summer. Now, Duolingo has joined the fun, and social media is eating it up.
Duolingo Trolls Drake
The app continued the bit across platforms. In a follow-up post on X, it teased, “We’re currently investigating Jimmy.” The reference could be a possible nod to Drake’s Degrassi character, Jimmy Brooks. On TikTok, animated Duolingo characters Lily and Zari solemnly carried Duo’s coffin to a pickup truck before driving off. While the internet revels in Duolingo’s antics, Drake probably isn’t laughing. After back-to-back public blows, this latest dig adds to what has been a challenging stretch for the Toronto rapper.
For years, Duolingo’s mischievous mascot has been a relentless reminder to keep up with language lessons. The company even urged users to share their credit card details to “honor Duo’s memory” with a premium subscription. A spokesperson quickly clarified that it was a joke and warned people not to take it seriously.
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