Duolingo has declared its beloved owl mascot, Duo, dead—and the internet is running with the wild conspiracy theory that rapper Drake is responsible. After the language-learning app referenced Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” against Drake in a series of social media posts, fans began joking that the rapper had something to do with Duo’s demise.
Now, Duolingo is leaning into the bit, fueling speculation with cryptic responses and playful accusations aimed at the Canadian artist.
What happened to the Duolingo Owl?
On Feb. 9, 2025, Duolingo released a 5-second commercial during Superbowl LIX. The commercial was titled, “Do your lesson, no buts,” and featured Duo’s growing butt that transformed into a smaller version of Duo. Within seconds of the ad airing on television, over 4 million learners received a push notification on their phones to complete their lesson.
After the Superbowl’s record-breaking halftime show starring rapper Kendrick Lamar, Duolingo’s social media posted a short video referencing a line in Lamar’s Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.” Fans wasted no time in theorizing that Duolingo’s use of the line meant that the company held allegiances with Kendrick Lamar.
On Feb. 11, Duolingo shared another controversial post, this time of Duo in an animated pose on a black background. The caption read, “SAY DRAKE,” referencing another Lamar lyric meant to insult the Canadian rapper.
Fans are blaming Drake for killing the Duolingo Owl
Later that day, Duolingo’s socials revealed a surprising update on the green owl: that he had died. The company’s accounts also changed their profile photos from Duo to a “dead” Duo, with crossed-out eyes.
“It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally known as The Duolingo Owl, is dead,” the post read. “Authorities are currently investigating his cause of death and we are cooperating fully.”
The post garnered over 71 million views on X and 1.2 million views on Instagram with comments in the tens of thousands, mostly from people responding humorously or sharing memes reflecting on the news. “I will never recover from this,” said one commenter. “RIP Duo,” said another.
“Duolingo marketing team last week,” wrote @JamesonZaballos above a Mad Men screenshot of Don Draper “selling” the idea of killing off Duo.
Duolingo fans immediately began making connections between Duolingo’s online references to Kendrick and Drake’s feud, humorously voicing that they believed Drake was to blame for the owl’s death.
And Duolingo fueled these rumors. On X, the company shared, “We’re currently investigating Jimmy,” a reference to Drake’s character Jimmy Brooks on the teen drama Degrassi Junior High. After one Instagram account exclaimed “I did my lesson…wasn’t my fault,” on the Instagram announcement of Duo’s death, the company responded, “Authorities are looking into a Canadian rapper currently.”
How did Duo die?
On Feb. 12, Duolingo fans potentially received some closure on who (or what) killed the company’s mascot. That morning, the language-learning app shared a video on their TikTok, showing a rough animation of what appeared to be a Tesla Cybertruck ramming into Duo in a parking lot, followed by an explosion. Duo is then seen ascending into the sky, space, and then, what ultimately appears to be the gates of hell.
The post was captioned, “reward for whoever can identify the driver. Please post any leads on TikTok. Thank you for your patience with us during these trying times. #RIPduo.”
@duolingo UPDATE: Reward for whoever can identify the driver. Please post any leads on TikTok. Thank you for your patience with us during these trying times. #RIPduo ♬ original sound – Duolingo
Comments continued to enjoy the narrative around Duo’s death. One user said, “if I’m really quiet, it’s like I can still hear him scream at me to do my lesson.” Another responded, “In what language should I cry?”
‘Unhinged marketing has helped put Duolingo on the map’
For years, Duolingo’s social media presence has pushed the envelope in tone and branding. “Unhinged marketing has helped put Duolingo on the map,” Lia Haberman, social media marketing consultant and marketing instructor at UCLA Extension, told the Daily Bruin. “They’ve turned their green ‘Duo’ owl into a humorous and zany mascot who participates in memes and cultural trends to make an impact.”
Meanwhile, fans are still processing (and enjoying) the absurdist death of Duolingo’s mascot.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Duolingo via direct message on TikTok and Instagram. The company did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
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