Leonardo DiCaprio may have just turned 49, but he’s still partying like it’s 1994. Over the weekend, the actor celebrated his birthday with a star-studded party—and a karaoke moment that will go down in infamy. TMZ obtained footage of DiCaprio rapping Gang Starr and Nice & Smooth's “DWYCK,” which promptly made its way to Reddit. Let’s just say the reviews are… mixed.
Many found this video of DiCaprio—bouncing around, wearing a tiny gold chain—incredibly cringe. Me? Well, I think it’s fine. Now that he's of a certain age, DiCaprio is simply engaging in oldie activities. They play golf, sing too loud, and sometimes date women half their age. It’s what they do! All my life, I’ve heard that as you get older, you care less about people's opinions. That must be true if DiCaprio had the gall to rap in front of Beyoncé, JAY-Z, and Lady Gaga. He is simply in his I don’t give a f*ck era, and that’s something I can get behind.
Also, it was the man's birthday—let him live! DiCaprio is always in his bizarre boy bag. This is the same man who once climbed inside a dead animal for an Oscar. He is an “environmentalist” with a yacht. Did you really expect him to behave with decorum? On his birthday?! I’ve seen people act worse on a weeknight with nothing to celebrate. His little Kendall Roy impression was tame, if not entirely expected for a middle-aged millionaire.
Please, I beg, let this be the last time I’m tasked with defending DiCaprio first thing in the morning. Let us not forget that he is a celebrity. A massive, wildly rich, oftentimes inappropriate, middle-aged, celebrity. He is going to make you cringe. He will probably sing on his 50th birthday, too.
Bria McNeal is a Manhattan based journalist who is patiently awaiting B5's revival. When she's not writing about all things entertainment, she can be found watching TV or trying to DIY something (likely, at the same time). Her work has appeared in NYLON, Refinery29, InStyle, and her personal newsletter, StirCrazy.
