It was the mirror selfie heard ‘round the world—or at least across every corner of the rap internet. Drake, standing shirtless, flexing a set of abdominals so sharp they looked like they were carved out of granite. Within minutes, the comments weren't just about his fitness; they were a battlefield. People were throwing around terms like "ab etching" and "lipo sculpting" like they were medical professionals.
So, does drake have fake abs, or is he just hitting the gym harder than the rest of us?
This isn’t a new debate. The rumors have been haunting the 6 God for nearly a decade. It’s a mix of genuine curiosity, hater energy, and a growing obsession with how male celebrities are "cheating" their way to the perfect physique. To get to the bottom of it, you have to look at the receipts, the photo edits, and the actual science of what a surgical six-pack looks like compared to a natural one.
The Viral Selfie and the Facetune Confession
In June 2025, Drake dropped a photo that reignited the entire firestorm. His midsection looked unnaturally defined. It wasn't just that he had a six-pack; it was the way the shadows fell and how the muscles looked almost detached from the rest of his torso. Social media users immediately began mocking him, with one viral comment suggesting he "ordered abs from Temu."
Surprisingly, Drake didn't just ignore it. In September 2025, during an appearance on Bobbi Althoff’s Not This Again podcast, he actually addressed the "fake abs" allegations.
"I think it was just like I came from the gym. I was sweaty in that pic," he told Althoff. But then came the kicker. He admitted to hitting the "details" tool on Facetune a bit too hard. "I think I hit it too hard. They don't look like that."
Basically, he admitted to digital surgery, even if he denied the physical kind. He confessed that he heightened the saturation and clarity to make the muscle pop. It’s a move many influencers make, but when you're one of the biggest stars on the planet, people aren't going to let a "detail" slider slide.
A Decade of "Dr. Miami" Rumors
If you think this started with a selfie, you’re missing the history. The question of does drake have fake abs goes back to 2016. That was the year Joe Budden—Drake’s long-time critic and fellow rapper—famously alleged that Drake had visited the celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Miami.
Budden didn't just hint at it; he went on a tear. He claimed Drake had "lipo" to define his stomach because he couldn't get the results in the gym. This was during the height of their tension, so many dismissed it as rap beef posturing. But the seed was planted.
Then came the rappers who followed suit.
- Pusha T: Referenced the "surgical summer" in his diss tracks.
- Megan Thee Stallion: In her 2024 track "HISS," she rapped about men hating on BBLs while walking around with "the same scars," which fans immediately tied to Drake.
- Rick Ross: Perhaps the most aggressive of all, Ross coined the nickname "BBL Drizzy" during their 2024 feud.
Ross’s claims were mostly about a Brazilian Butt Lift, which Drake laughed off on the Althoff podcast, joking, "I don't know if my wagon looked crazy when I walked in here, but did it?" While the BBL talk feels more like a comedic insult, the abdominal etching rumors have a bit more "smoke" to them according to fitness experts.
What the Experts Say About Ab Etching
When you look at someone who has had abdominal etching, there are specific "telltale" signs. Dr. Jason Emer, a body sculpting expert, has reacted to Drake’s physique on several occasions. He notes that surgical abs often look "blocky" or have "static shadowing"—meaning the shadows stay exactly the same whether the person is breathing, twisting, or relaxed.
In a natural six-pack, the definition changes based on your lighting and your pose. In a "sculpted" six-pack, the surgeon uses high-definition liposuction to remove fat specifically along the lines of the muscle, "etching" the appearance of a permanent flex.
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Why People Are Skeptical
- Symmetry: Drake’s abs often appear perfectly symmetrical. In nature, most people have slightly staggered abdominal muscles.
- Lack of Peripheral Definition: Critics often point out that while Drake’s stomach is shredded in certain photos, his shoulders and arms don't always show the same level of "dryness" or low body fat. Usually, to get abs that clear, you have to be at a body fat percentage where your whole body looks "veiny."
- The "Lumpiness" Factor: Some eagle-eyed fans point to what they call "fibrosis" or uneven texture on his midsection in unedited paparazzi shots, which can be a side effect of liposuction.
The Case for the Gym: Jonny Roxx and 100 Burpees
On the flip side, Drake’s trainer, Jonny Roxx, has been vocal about the rapper's work ethic. Roxx has stated in interviews that they’ve been working together consistently for years. He’s shared stories of making Drake do 100 burpees in a row and sticking to a "clean" diet.
"We have goals," Roxx told ELLE. "It'll take sometimes six months for us to get to a goal... we've been working consistently for three or four years to get to where he is."
If Drake is truly training like an athlete, then his physique could just be the result of a very expensive personal trainer, a private chef, and a lot of discipline. However, in the world of the ultra-rich, it’s rarely just one thing. Many celebrities use a "hybrid" approach: they work out hard, but they use treatments like Emsculpt (which uses electromagnetic energy to contract muscles) or minor lipo to get that final "finish" that the gym can't quite provide.
The "BBL Drizzy" Cultural Phenomenon
The obsession with Drake’s body reached its peak with the "BBL Drizzy" meme. Metro Boomin even released a free beat titled "BBL Drizzy" for people to rap over. It became a cultural moment that shifted the conversation from "did he get surgery?" to "it's funny to say he got surgery."
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Drake, to his credit, leaned into it. He eventually sampled the "BBL Drizzy" track in his song "It’s Up" with Sexy Redd. By turning the accusation into a joke, he effectively neutralized the "sting" of the rumor. It’s a classic PR move: if you can’t stop the rumor, make it a meme.
So, What’s the Verdict?
The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle of the "Facetune" slider. Drake himself admitted to editing his photos to make his abs look more prominent than they are in real life. Whether he had a surgeon help him out in 2016 or 2025 remains unconfirmed by the man himself, but the visual evidence of his "blocky" midsection compared to his overall body composition keeps the debate alive.
The reality is that "male plastic surgery" is booming. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 21,000 men opted for liposuction in 2024 alone. Drake, as a man whose brand is built on being a "sex symbol," is under immense pressure to look a certain way.
How to Tell if Someone Has "Fake" Abs
- The "Pinch" Test: Natural abs have a layer of skin and some fat you can pinch. Etched abs often look like the skin is glued directly to the muscle.
- Vascularity: If the abs are popping but there are zero veins in the arms or legs, it’s a red flag for a "localized" procedure.
- Consistency: If the six-pack is visible even when they are bloated or sitting down, that’s usually a sign of etching.
Whether he’s a gym rat or a surgical success story, the fascination with his midsection isn't going away. If you're looking to get "Drake abs," the best path is still the boring one: high-protein diet, heavy compound lifts, and maybe—if you’re feeling honest—a little bit of the "details" tool on your favorite editing app.
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Actionable Tips for Your Own Fitness Journey
If you're chasing that sculpted look without the surgery or the Facetune:
- Focus on Body Fat Percentage: You can do 1,000 crunches a day, but if your body fat is over 15%, those abs won't show.
- Don't Ignore the Obliques: Exercises like Russian twists and woodchoppers create the "frame" for the six-pack.
- Watch the Lighting: Most "viral" fitness photos are taken with "downward" lighting to create artificial shadows. It’s all about the angles.