Rapper Drake turns Scrooge after demanding that retailers cut him a check for all merchandise bearing YOLO logo (even though he didn't coin it!)

By Snejana Farberov

PUBLISHED: 13:50 EST, 25 December 2012 | UPDATED: 13:46 EST, 26 December 2012

Businessman: Canadian rapper Drake has called on retailers to 'cut him checks' for using the acronym YOLO, which he has popularized, on merchandize

This year has been marked by many a viral phenomenon, including the concept of YOLO made famous by the Canadian rapper Drake, who now wants a share from the sales of all the merchandize bearing the catchphrase.

The 26-year-old recording artist, who reportedly has a net worth of $25million, posted two images on the photo-sharing website Instagram depicting clothing emblazoned with the acronym YOLO, which stands for ‘you only live once.’

The first picture uploaded on Christmas Eve shows baseball caps in a variety of colors being sold for $12 for a pair at Walgreen's,  accompanied by the comment: 'Walgreens…you gotta either chill or cut the cheque,' Gawker reported.

The second photo shows a powder-blue T-shirt featuring the children's characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy which reads 'YOLO is my motto,’ along with a post: 'Macy's...same goes for you.'

YOLO, which has been around since 2004, turned into a viral sensation this year thanks to Drake's hit song The Motto, which includes the lyrics: 'Now she want a photo, you already know, though/ You only live once: that's the motto n***a, YOLO.'

It remains unknown whether Drake has trademarked the slogan. However, his legal claim appears weak considering the fact that according to the site KnowYourMeme.com, the acronym allegedly was first uttered by Adam Mesh on the third season of NBC's reality show Average Joe.

Head gear: Drake upload an image on Instagram showing hats with the acronym YOLO that are on sale at Walgreen's

Catchphrase: Another image posted by the rapper shows a T-shirt being sold at Macy's bearing the slogan 'YOLO is my motto'

In 2004, Mesh launched a clothing line peddling merchandize bearing the slogan. He recently tweeted to the Huffington Post that when he coined the term, it was meant as inspiration to live life to the fullest.

'Disappointed in current use,' he wrote. 'I have moved on.'

In July 2006, the band The Strokes came out with a single called You Only Live Once, and launched Operation YOLO asking fans to request the song on the radio.

Drake jumped on the YOLO bandwagon in October 2011, when he tweeted 'You only live once...YOLO' along with a picture of him standing on a balcony overlooking a city.

The now-ubiquitous abbreviation has since appeared in the form of a tattoo on Zac Efron's hand and was even shortlisted for the 2012 English Word of the Year by the Oxford American Dictionary.

Body art: The ubiquitous abbreviation has made it onto the hand of actor Zac Efron in the form of a tattoo

Tragic turn: An aspiring rapper, Ervin McKinness, left, was killed in a fiery car crash after tweeting that he's doing 120 mph while drunk with the hashtag F***ItYOLO

In September, YOLO has sparked a controversy when an aspiring rapper, Ervin McKinness, was killed in a fiery car crash just minutes after tweeting: 'Drunk af going 120 drifting corners @F***It YOLO.'

If Drake plans to cash in on the YOLO craze, he would have to get in line as there are more than 100 YOLO trademark applications in the U.S. for products ranging from cologne to dog collars.