ILoveMakonnen, the rapper who shot to fame with his 2014 hit “Tuesday”, is back in the headlines — but this time, it’s not for new music.
The 36-year-old artist, born Makonnen Kamali Sheran, became the subject of viral social media chatter this week after videos surfaced of him working in a restaurant kitchen. In the clips, which spread quickly across Instagram and TikTok, the former OVO Sound signee can make burgers and carry out other cooking duties in what appears to be a commercial kitchen.
Fans and hip-hop blogs immediately lit up the internet with reactions, with some posts captioned: “Former OVO rapper ILoveMakonnen reveals he’s now working in a kitchen.” The viral moment has sparked both surprise and support, with many weighing in on the realities of life after fame.
ILoveMakonnen’s career took off when his song “Tuesday” caught the attention of Drake, who jumped on the remix and helped propel it to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track even earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Soon after, Makonnen signed with Drake’s OVO Sound label, solidifying his place in the spotlight.
But the partnership was short-lived. By 2016, Makonnen parted ways with OVO, citing creative differences. Around the same time, he announced his first retirement from music, calling the rap game “wack.”
In 2017, Makonnen came out publicly as gay, later sharing that his announcement caused some in the hip-hop world to distance themselves from him. Over the years, he returned to music intermittently, but often spoke about wanting to move on from the industry.
Just last fall, in September 2024, he officially announced on Instagram that he was retiring the “ILoveMakonnen” name. “Thank you all for ur support and interests over the years. It’s time I move on and go live my life,” he wrote, adding that his track “Heavy in the Streets” would be his final release under that moniker.
With the recent viral kitchen videos, fans are again debating his next chapter. While some expressed shock at seeing a former Grammy-nominated artist flipping burgers, others applauded him for embracing a new phase of life away from the spotlight.
[…] En septiembre de 2024, dijo que estaba retirando el nombre de “Ilovemakonnen”, según Hypefresh. “Gracias a todos por su apoyo e intereses a lo largo de los años. Es hora de seguir […]