A recent viral video on TikTok has reignited an age-old satanic panic, this time surrounding a seemingly innocent child’s artwork. The artwork in question is a drawing by Adonis, the 6-year-old son of Grammy-winning rapper Drake, used as cover art for the album For All the Dogs.
A TikTok user treading heavily in religion-based notions of conspiracy, Aja (@ajunie_bee), with over 2.4 million views on her video, passionately scrutinized the artwork. She remarked, “…if you listen to how Adonis speaks, it’s scary… I’mma just go ahead and say it’s demonic…”. Drawing connections between Adonis’ description of his artwork and verses from the Bible, Aja implies a sinister undertone.
Aja’s analysis on the art of a 6-year-old
She begins by highlighting the imagery of a goat fleeing from monsters, which Adonis mentioned. Drawing parallels to the Bible, she cites verses that speak of creatures in the desert encountering jackals and hairy goat. Furthermore, she mentions Lilith, the night demon, referencing the Bible, saying she will find a place to rest. The narrative shifts when Adonis speaks about “jail stairs” leading to a trap at the top, which kills anyone who reaches it.
Aja equates this with the biblical depiction of the stairway to hell. She then references the temptation of Jesus, wherein the devil takes him to the top of God’s temple, challenging him to jump. The devil’s attempt to deceive Jesus using scripture is pointed out, with Aja emphasizing the verse from Deuteronomy where the Lord rebukes Satan—though there isn’t a directly identifiable verse within the book. Finally, the artwork’s depiction of someone being killed by a stick or “trap” is likened to the biblical narrative where Satan tempts Jesus. Throughout, Aja suggests that Adonis’ artwork and descriptions eerily echo these biblical narratives, leading her to question the influences and more profound meanings behind them.
@ajunie_bee Im so fr #drake #adonis #forallthedogs ♬ original sound – Aja
There were interesting and comical comments to Aja’s conspiratorial concerns. “My kid draws pictures of sonic and hulk. What is Adonis going thru???,” said one person. One tried to add onto the conspiracy tinge: “There was a time Adonis was speaking to his dad in French and sum 1 translated as his dad is dark and lifeless.” But a person replied, “I’m french and no he wasn’t saying that. He said when ppl die they are transformed in a star.”
Some were taking it to the farthest reaches: “For some reason. That little boy always gave me such end times vibes. Lol.”
Other weren’t convinced. with one noting, “y’all be so quick to say something is demonic let’s be so fr.” “This is a deep analysis on the kids picture,” said another commenter.
What is “satanic panic”?
Satanic panic emerged prominently in the 1980s and consisted of thousands of unsubstantiated Satanic ritual abuse (SRA) cases that started in the U.S. and spread globally by the late 1990s. This hysteria stemmed from the book Michelle Remembers, co-written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder and his patient Michelle Smith. The book painted a disturbing picture of satanic ritual abuse, triggering numerous allegations of similar abuse nationwide.
While most of these accusations were later debunked, the panic had already seeped into society. This conspiratorial idea of global Satanic cults participating in human sacrifices and other nefarious activities gripped the nation.
Today, this panic has resurfaced through new-age conspiracy theories like QAnon. For instance, David Leavitt, a prosecuting attorney in Utah, had to publicly address bizarre claims of participating in the murder and cannibalism of young children. These allegations, spread online and in the community, adversely impacted his re-election bid.
These modern-day iterations of the satanic panic have taken a digital turn. With the advent of the internet, allegations spread rapidly, bypassing traditional media and investigation methods. Whitney Phillips, an assistant professor at the University of Oregon, highlights the digital age’s constraints, noting to NBC News, “The ’80s and ’90s were terrifying, and they ruined people’s lives, but they were constrained in certain ways by network technologies.”
Drake and his son Adonis are the latest to be caught in this web of conspiracies and fear. However, it’s essential to approach such claims skeptically and remember past moral panics’ damaging impact on innocent lives.
In conclusion, as the satanic panic evolves in the digital age, it is crucial to remain grounded in facts and not be swayed by baseless claims. The story of Adonis’s artwork is a reminder of the pervasive nature of conspiracy theories and the importance of critical thinking in today’s interconnected world.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Aja (@ajunie_bee) for comment.