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It's not often that one comes across an article that shakes you to your very core. But that happened this morning, when I learned from the L.A. Times that there is a yoga class in the Arts District (doi) that exclusively plays the music of Drake, and it is called "Namasdrake."At first, I was simply befuddled: was I dreaming? But as I read more closely, I felt varying degrees of intrigue, desire, arousal, awe, and finally, boundless glee. Just reading about this experience has left my chakras balanced like never before. All these moving parts just clicked into place, and I knew that this is what I need to take my yoga practice to the next level. Not that there's anything wrong with the Pure Moods vibes in most of my yoga classes, but sometimes I need a little extra encouragement, and there is no one I would want to make proud more than Drake.
Created by a couple of L.A. multi-hyphenate Drake-stans, DJ/ promoter T.J. Petracca and DJ/ yoga instructor Paul Schneider, the hour-long, $23 per session vinyasa-flow class is offered at Resident—yes, da club—which is very funny. But who says yoga has to be so serious, anyway? The Times' Agatha French's account of the latest class makes it sound like a blast, and an excellent case for the fusion of a 10,000-year-old practice with a 29-year-old Canadian man.
Namasdrake (tagline: Just Hold On We're Going Om) is not just a gimmick: the rapper's rhyming flow and flow yoga possess an uncanny affinity. "He's so sensitive," explains Schneider, "but at the same time has these really hard hip-hop songs...it's like the yin and yang of yoga."
Just Hold On We're Going Om?? DON DRAPER, THAT YOU? Before we even get into the benefits of Namasdrake, let's just give a nice long slow-clap to whoever coined that. Bra-vo.
Drake + yoga makes sense, though! I can't imagine anything more perfect than "Over My Dead Body" playing during the final shavasana. Or how about feeling the pride and strength in a solid sirsasana headstand as Drake urges you on in "Practice"? And obviously "Started From the Bottom" is a perfect song to segue through chaturanga to down dog.
In this Instagram, Schneider went with "No New Friends" during flying pigeon, which doesn't really make sense thematically, but seems like the right choice, atmospherically.
Unfortunately, Namasdrake just couldn't resist making what sounds like a very emotionally/ spiritually/ physically moving class into an opportunity to post on #socialmedia. French writes that a "geo-located Snapchat filter" was created just for the event, and that participants were urged to Snapchat during breaks in lieu of taking child's pose, which...no thanks. I am all about Namasdrake, but shouldn't the intrinsic satisfaction that comes with holding a strong utkatasana chair pose as "Truffle Butter" pulses around you be enough?
The most recent class was offered July 30, and there are no sessions scheduled in the near future—at least according to their Facebook page. So Namasdrake, I implore you to please offer this class every single day. Thank you in advance and namaste.
