Drake retired Lira, Miracle & Maliah jerseys @ the strip club during HAW weekend …that's sooo Drake lol …gotta love this guy😭 pic.twitter.com/TEFhsUrHRd
— TrevVanzant (@TheTTT333) July 22, 2017
During his Houston Appreciation Weekend, Drake held a tongue-in-cheek “jersey retirement” ceremony for three of his favorite strippers, Lira Mercer, Miracle Watts, and Maliah Michel. Of the three, the latter was not happy.
Drake has had a history of putting his exes in his music — and his label mates’ faces on his arm — and frequenting strip clubs to show off his money, so this latest stunt just displayed his cheeky, cheesy sense of humor, but this particular ex wasn’t laughing, and wasn’t having it.
Michel posted a flyer for one of her recents appearances in Hollywood on Instagram, thoroughly denying that she had retired, and expressing resentment that Drake would hold any sort of retirement for her without consulting her while she was currently active on the dancing scene, writing, “Contrary to ‘social media news’ no man can retire me. I’m shaking this azz into a wheel chair. Maliah will retire Maliah #MaliahMondays.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW349mSFmY4/
She elaborated on her Twitter, saying, “I have to say something and it’s from the bottom of my heart. I will be 34 in December. Do you know how good it feels to be able to walk in The club with girls 10 years plus younger than me and still be that b*tch? Y’all say what you want or think what you want. But I call that blessed. And I was overweight. So this can be a career if you take care of yourself. Pay taxes and save your money.”
I have to say something and it's from the bottom of my heart. I will be 34 in December. Do you know how good it feels to be able to walk in
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
The club with girls 10 years plus younger than me and still be that bitch? Y'all and say what you want or think what you want
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
But I call that blessed. And I was overweight. So this can be a career if you take care of yourself. Pay taxes and save your money
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
She also excoriated Drake for the phony retirement gag: “Y’all don’t know that n*gga been trying to make me stop dancing. Always putting me down about it. Always telling me I’m not better than anyone else in the club selling ass instead of dancing. But n*gga can’t stay out the club. Y’all just don’t know. My only regret is ever trying to explain how much I love dancing. And thinking so highly of him. That I let his opinion of me mold my opinion of myself. F*ck that and f*ck you if you got a problem.”
Y'all don't know that nigga been trying to make me stop dancing. Always putting me down about it.
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
Always telling me I'm not better than anyone else in the club selling ass instead of dancing. But nigga can't stay out the club
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
Y'all just don't know. My only regret is ever trying to explain how much I love dancing. And thinking so highly of him
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
That I let his opinion of me mold my opinion of myself. Fuck that and fuck you if you got a problem
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
She also pointed out that she tried to defend her choices to the More Life rapper, but he wasn’t having it. “I said Beyoncé wears the same kind of stuff I wear. This n*gga got mad and told me not to compare myself to Beyoncé. No matter how light I tried to make things. Just always mean and hurtful. But whatever I’m done.”
I remember pleading with him to understand. I said Beyoncé wears the same kind of stuff I wear
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
This nigga got mad and told me not to compare myself to Beyoncé
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
No matter how light I tried to make things. Just always mean and hurtful. But whatever I'm done
— Wisdom, Strength, Beauty 👑🐉 (@IAmMaliahMichel) July 24, 2017
Drake’s love of the booty club is well-documented in his music, as was his relationship with Maliah Michel, mentioning her on “Miss Me,” his Thank Me Later single featuring Lil Wayne: “Someone tell Maliah I’m on fire, she should work tonight.” It looks like Drake has changed his tune, and Maliah is one person who won’t be singing along.