Noah ’40’ Shebib on How ‘Simple’ It Was to Get Drake to Sign Gaza Ceasefire Letter
Noah “40” Shebib is using his platform and privilege to stand up for Palestine, and he has asked Drake to do the same.
The OVO Sound producer was among the early signatories of Artists4Ceasefire, a collective of entertainment leaders demanding immediate de-escalation and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
As of the time of writing, the open letter had garnered more than 500 signatures, including from Ariana Grande, Boots Riley, Ryan Coogler, ASAP Nast, Pedro Pascal, and OVO boss Drake.
Shebib addressed his and Drake’s support for Gaza in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, saying they didn’t hesitate to sign the open letter to then-President Joe Biden.
“A friend came to me and asked me if I want to sign and I said, of course,” the hitmaker revealed. “He asked if Drake would, and I went to talk to him and the team. That simple really.”
Artists4Cease was launched in the wake of the Hamas-led 2023 attack in Israel and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the last 22 months. Experts have attributed many of those fatalities to malnutrition, as Israel has been accused of carrying out a widespread starvation campaign.
“We urge your administration, Congress, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay—an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages,” the Artists4Ceasefire letter reads.
“Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them. We believe that the United States can play a vital diplomatic role in ending the suffering… Since Oct 7th, more than 86,000* tons of bombs and missiles have been dropped on Gaza – resulting in one child being killed or injured* every 30 minutes*.”
Shebib acknowledged that calling for a ceasefire was a risky move within the entertainment industry, as many high-profile figures have tried to suppress Palestine advocacy with false accusations of antisemitism.
Shebib said his support for Gaza hasn’t resulted in any friction within his personal or work life.
“I protect myself in all spaces very well,” he told Rolling Stone. “That was a lifelong journey to learn how. I was mindful of that. I’m also mindful that other people take great risks standing up against the occupation, and that is so inspiring to witness. I only work with one person, really. There is no one who can come in and tell us what to think and do. That is my privilege, to be vocal. I am proud of that and will do that to the death.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Shebib was asked about the monumental rap “beef” between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Although the hitmaker didn’t mention any names, he alluded to the fact that K.Dot has yet to publicly address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“What do you want me to say about that?” he asked. “None of those artists said shit about the state of the world. At a time like this, everything else is just noise.”
