Nicki Minaj has been on a roll lately. She broke the record for the highest grossing tour by a female rapper, and her latest album, contained her first solo number one single. The positive vibes have been carried over by Minaj, who has welcomed multiple guests during her shows. She reunited with Drake at the Toronto show, and gave the fellow Young Money artist his flowers in early May. Minaj decided to kick things up a notch during her London show, however. She brought the King of Dancehall, Beenie Man, out to perform.
The rapper welcomed Beenie Man with all the reverence one would expect. All she asked for upon his entrance was a hug, and then she proceeded to bow down before Beenie Man and the rest of the crowd. Beenie Man quickly repaid the compliment, noting that Minaj is the queen of hip-hop if he is the king of dancehall. The two artists then helped Minaj and Beenie Man sing along to the classic Beenie Man track “I’m Drinking / Rum & Redbull.” Nicki Minaj is known for being one of the most outspoken and boisterous artists in the genre, so her deference was notable. The rapper even posted about the onstage collab via X (formerly Twitter).
“I just performed with the KING OF DANCEHALL,” Minaj tweeted. “One of the most talented musicians that I looked to for inspiration my entire career. I can’t believe this is my life sometimes. Wow. One of my heroes. I love this man so much. @KingBeenieMan.” The rapper may be New York raised, but she was born in Trinidad, and has made a point of incorporating dancehall influences into her music. She made this evident on the Pink Friday 2 cut “Forward from Trini,” which featured appearances from artists like Skillibeng and Skeng.
Nicki Minaj even got on Stationhead to tell fans that didn’t like her dancehall cuts to get with it. “Y’all, some of them don’t like it, but it’s okay,” she noted. “They’re gonna have to get with it… I’m sorry if y’all can’t understand this kind of music.” Minaj isn’t the first Young Money artist to link up with Beenie Man, either. Drake featured the legendary artists on his blockbuster 2016 album Views. Beenie didn’t have an actual verse on a song, but he provided the outro on “Controlla.”
Another day, another leak. In the world of Drake, that became an occurrence every so often since Meek Mill exposed him for using a ghostwriter on “R.I.C.O.” However, in the years that followed, Drake became less apologetic for violating the cardinal rule of hip-hop and maintained a position that’s more akin to a pop star than a rap icon. That’s not to diminish his creative output but recent albums, such as Her Loss and For All The Dogs, have made it clear that his approach to creating bodies of work is far more of a collaborative effort than he or his fans, for that matter, would like to admit.
The number of reference tracks that have surfaced over the years has indicated as much. That’s not to take away from Drake’s pen or his ability to strike gold on his own terms, nor do these reference songs indicate whether Drake solely relies on outsourcing songwriting to other artists. We know what Drake is capable of, though, unfortunately, it isn’t seen as often as we’d like.
Nonetheless, on Tuesday, May 28th, Vory’s reference track for “Mob Ties” surfaced. A couple of hours later, PartyNextDoor’s reference track for “Ratchet Happy Birthday” began circulating on social media. Ultimately, it led many to question the authenticity of Drake’s artistry and his pen. That’s especially the case it turns out someone else penned a few fan favorites held in high regard. It’s a tragic outcome for an artist who has allowed us a window into his life through the same soundtrack he made for our consumption. We can’t share the demos themselves, here are 7 reference tracks for Drake that have surfaced online over the years.
To start things off, we’ll kick it off with Vory’s reference track for “Mob Ties.” A non-single highlight off of Scorpion, the Boi-1da produced track initially sounded like a direct response to the aftermath of Drake’s feud with Pusha T and Kanye West. Along with bars that many dissected as a sort of allusion to X’s death (“Louis bags for body bags”), much of Drake’s ominous lyrical assertions felt like a man ready to go to war, again. He even admitted to Lebron James on The Shop that he wrote and recorded the song following Pusha T’s “The Story Of Adidon.” While we can’t say that Vory wrote the entire song, he does boast writing credits on “Mob Ties.” So technically, Drake didn’t use a ghostwriter but he did cast more doubt on his pen.
6. “Ratchet Happy Birthday” – Scorpion (2018)
Another cut off of Scorpion, “Ratchet Happy Birthday” has remained somewhat of a divisive record in Drake’s catalog. Some people love it and come around to playing it once every year on their special day while others feel either impartial or hate the song. Ultimately, it’s not universally regarded as an S-Tier song in Drake’s discography. On that note, some may have been a bit relieved to discover a reference track from OVO Sound’s PartyNextDoor. Again, Party does have writing credit on the song so Drake has somehow managed to dodge the ghostwriting allegations this time, too.
In the wake of “Not Like Us” and its exceptional third verse, it’s hard not to regard his partnerships with 21 Savage and Lil Yachty as somewhat transactional. We can’t speak to his personal relationships with the two artists but both certainly aided Drake in ushering in a new era of his career on Her Loss. “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” was an immediate standout from the project, specifically among Drizzy’s solo offerings.
However, to the dismay of fans, it turned out that Lil Yachty was actually behind the song. Though he had songwriting credits on the project, the reference track for “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” made fans realize that his contributions to the project went above and beyond simply producing a handful of tracks and offering a few adlibs. Still, it benefited Lil Yachty’s career trajectory and helped many realize his brilliance.
4. “Calling For You” – For All The Dogs (2023)
For All The Dogs can’t hold a candle next to albums like Take Care or Nothing Was The Same, sure, but it doesn’t really deserve the hate it received. There were plenty of memorable moments across the project, from the J. Cole-assisted “First Person Shooter” to the Frank Ocean-sampling “Virginia Beach.” Both records felt like a version of Drake that many hoped would mark his return.
However, songs like “Calling For You,” while incredibly infectious, underscored Drake’s problem of attempting to ride current trends (in this case, Cash Cobain’s brand of Sexy Drill) to latch onto the clubs and radio. Cash already had credits as a producer on the song, though no one necessarily noticed his songwriting credits, too. The moment the reference track to “Calling For You” surfaced earlier this year, it became clear that Drake similarly sought after Cash’s hit-making prowess to flesh out the FATD tracklist. Though Cash later suggested it was AI, it doesn’t seem like many believe him. After all, that’s the go-to excuse these days. Ultimately, it’s a great look for Cash, a horrible revelation for Drake fans.
3. “R.I.C.O” – Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015)
We can’t go through this list without acknowledging the song that started the ghostwriting allegations in the first place. Quentin Miller, whose career has primarily been associated with the scandalous legacy of If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, appeared to deliver Drake’s verse from Meek Mill’s “R.I.C.O.” on a reference track. Ultimately, it led to Meek Mill’s online meltdown where he exposed Drake and triggered a summer of taunts with the releases of “Charged Up” and “Back To Back,” both of which Drake did write, by the way.
2. “10 Bands” – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (2015)
Another one of Quentin Miller’s most notable contributions to If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is “10 Bands.” Though among the immediate highlights off of Drake’s 2015 opus, its legacy was somewhat tarnished after Funk Flex obtained the reference track for the song. Around this time, Funk Flex also aired Quentin Miller’s reference tracks for “Used To,” “Know Yourself,” and the aforementioned “R.I.C.O..” Miller’s lyrics and flow take center stage but despite the allegations of Drake using a ghostwriter, Miller has boasted credits on the album. Unfortunately, it’s hip-hop, and as Flex said at the time: “If you’re wearing that crown, you better write. If you don’t write, you don’t have that crown.”
1. “Legend” – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (2015)
The intro to If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late will always hold a special place in the hearts of his fans. The lush flip of Ginuwine’s “So Anxious” turned into a subtle yet powerful statement to kick off the 2015 mixtape. Drake’s talents and delivery made the song what it was but if it wasn’t for PartyNextDoor, we might not have ever had the song in the first place. An alleged reference track for “Legend” with PartyNextDoor’s vocals surfaced line in 2016, in the wake of both Drake’s victory against Meek and the release of Views. Regardless of who penned the song, it remains a fixture in his live shows, as evidenced by the It’s All A Blur tour.
Camila Cabello’s upcoming album C, XOXO is now just a month away, as it’s set to drop at the end of June. As Cabello reveals in a new Billboard interview, the project should please Drake fans.
Cabello revealed that she and Drake were spotted in those much-discussed vacation photos because they were finishing a track together. She also divulged that she first reached out to Drake via Instagram DMs, saying, “He’s the f*cking GOAT, so it felt like shooting for the stars. I showed him the album when I felt comfortable enough and he really liked it. [The feature] came out of a non-transactional place. He had this idea of a song called ‘Hot Uptown,’ and it just felt like I was in the city. I was in Miami.”
With a new look, new music and “big baddie energy,” @Camila_Cabello is reinventing herself
Billboard describes the song as a “flirtatious, Caribbean-infused track.” It turns out the song isn’t only Drake’s appearance on the album, as he sings on the near-two-minute interlude “Uuugly” that immediately follows. Calvin Harris says the track was Drake’s idea, saying, “He wanted to do one more thing for the album.”
Cabello added, “Why does he have his own song? Because selfishly, I just want to hear Drake on my own album [laughs]. I love that for me — it’s like that rebellious mood. Who says I can’t do that? It’s Drake talking his sh*t.”
C, XOXO is out 6/28 via Geffen/Interscope. Find more information here.
Dame Dash has had a lot to say regarding rap battles as of late. The Roc-A-Fella co-founder gave his thoughts on the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar situation, and how it compared to the one he was directly involved in between Jay-Z and Nas. Dash claimed that the the former was actually the best battle he ever saw, and part of the reason why is because of how intense it got. The mogul was surprised by the things Drake and Lamar said to each other. When it came to the Jay vs. Nas situation, however, he was confident as to how it would go from the start.
Dame Dash discussed the Jay and Nas battle during a recent appearance on the Moguls In the Making podcast. He was asked to reflect on the back-and-forth between the iconic rappers, which led the mogul to assert that he never feared for his life. Or Jay-Z’s life, for that matter. He was positive that Nas was not going to push things in a violent direction. “There was no fear of us getting hurt when it came to Nas,” he told the hosts. “I’m telling you right now, there was no fear of any violence when it came to that. There was no fear when it came to us of any battle that we had when it came to violence. We were never worried about that.”
Dame Dash Recalled Having “No Fear” About Bloodshed
When asked to elaborate on the point of violence, Dash compared the battle to the one that predated it by several years: Biggie vs. 2Pac. “Now, ‘Pac and Biggie, n**gas got killed,” he asserted. “But n**gas get killed in Hip Hop now. They be battling and then they end up dead. It’s a little more serious now.” Dash’s comment about Nas not being the type to resort to violence was a compliment, as he knew the rapper to be a stand-up person. If anything, Dame Dash has been more critical of Jay-Z in the years since the beef blew over.
Dash was furious when Jay-Z apologized to Nas following the release of the diss “Super Ugly.” He told the hosts of the CEO Show in 2023. “I was hitting him from the thing like, ‘Get off the radio! We looking crazy!’ And Irv [Gotti] did that sh*t,” he recalled. “A Queens n**ga, he gave him — pause — the banana in the tailpipe. That was a Queens thing — he didn’t even see that. Yo Irv, stay out my business.” Thankfully, to Dash’s point, everybody involved has lived to reflect on the beef.
Sexyy Red is continuing to ascend up the pop culture ladder. Her 2024 single “Get It Sexyy,” peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, and her latest EP, In Sexyy We Trust, features a high-profile feature from Drake. It was only a matter of time before she crossed over into other arenas, and she did so, quite literally, into an arena on May 28. The rapper made her wrestling debut on a Tuesday night episode of WWE NXT opposite superstar Tatum Paxley.
Sexyy Red was shown to be in the crowd when the episode started, but nobody expected her to become a part of the storyline involving the NEW NXT Women’s North American Title. Red was introduced to the massive bass hits of her own music before she took the microphone and let the audience what was what. The rapper announced that she will the guest host of the upcoming Battleground live event. The event is set for Sunday, June 9, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. She also linked up with NXT general manager Ava to unveil the North American Title belt. She held the belt above her head and parading around the ring. It wasn’t all love for Sexyy Red, though.
The aforementioned Tatum Paxley showed up out of nowhere and tried to snatch the title from the rapper, but Michin showed up in time to stop her. Sexyy Red actually teased her appearance on NXT through X, tweeting that fans might get to see her lay down an RKO. She deleted the tweet, but fans were hoping she’d make good on her promise with Paxley. Sexyy Red didn’t get her hands dirty this episode. There’s a very good chance we could see her lay down her anticipated RKO when she hosts Battleground, however.
Sexyy Red has been trying to get on WWE for a while. The rapper tweeted at the organization back in October 2023 and asked, point blank, when she’d be invited. “I wanna see this happen fr,” she wrote in reference to a video of superstar Jay Uso. “When yal gonna invite me.” The Usos responded to her and told her they’d get her involved as a “special guest.” It took a little while, but it looks as though the made good on their promise. Sexyy Red has previously praised wrestlers like Trick Williams and the Meta-Four. We can’t wait to see what she gets up to in the ring.
Kendrick Lamar’s music is serious. He’s created some of the most sobering and grim hip-hop music in recent memory. It’s the reason he’s considered the scariest rapper on the planet. It’s also the reason he’s the only rapper with a Pulitzer Prize. The thing is, Lamar has a more of a sense of humor than his albums suggest. To Pump a Butterfly and DAMN. are not laugh-a-minute releases, but the rapper’s videos and his occasional public appearances prove that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Case in point: his brand new Chanel photoshoot.
Kendrick Lamar is still basking in the glow of having beat Drake in a rap battle. He’s also coming off his second solo number one, “Not Like Us.” A photoshoot with one of the most prestigious fashion brands in the world was not expected, but it makes sense given his currently elevated profile. The photos dropped on May 28, and while the images were generally well-received, the rapper’s close friends couldn’t resist poking fun. Punch, Dot’s former executive producer at TDE, texted the rapper and asked him “What you doing dawg” with a laughing emoji. Lamar didn’t miss a beat. He sent back crying emojis before writing: “I think I’m cute on there man. Couldn’t resist.”
Punch doubled down on the jokes. He clowned Lamar for the contemplative look he has during the photoshoot. “What are you doing with them dreamy eyes n**ga?” he asked. Lamar, once again, found the humor in what was seemingly a very serious and artsy shoot. “I’m crying dawg,” he added. Punch then asked the “Euphoria” rapper if he could post their text conversation on social media for fans. We don’t see the response in the screenshot, but based on the fact that we’re seeing the screenshot, it’s safe to assume that he gave approval.
Kendrick Lamar has been quiet since the release of his last Drake diss. There were rumors that the rapper was gearing up to release an album in May, but the month came and went without a formal announcement. Dot generally takes a long time between albums. This is what made the rollout of multiple diss songs in the span of a couple weeks such a shock to the music world. All we can do is hope that the rapper decides to keep the momentum going and bless fans with a release sooner rather than later.
TI and Young Thug have always been close. They were never on the same label, but the former gave Thug a co-sign when he was starting out, and he hasn’t forgotten it. During a 2023 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, T.I. claimed that Thug showed more gratitude towards him than artists who had actually signed to his Grand Hustle label. The King of the South has shown love in return, and supported Thug during his ongoing YSL trial. He’s also confident that Thug will be a free man soon.
TI recently went on The Breakfast Club, and one of the first topics he discussed with the YSL trial. He told Charlamagne tha God that he’d been in touch with Young Thug, and both men felt good about the chances of Thug being cleared of his RICO charges. “He comin’ home,” TI asserted. “I don’t think that the prosecution has successfully proven a case of him knowingly and willingly participating in an active street gang. I just don’t see it.” The “No Mediocre” rapper claimed that the witnesses that have been called to testify against Young Thug have not been as convincing as the prosecution had hoped for.
“I don’t think that the witnesses they’ve called thus far have proven what they said they would prove,” he noted. “I just don’t think that the grounds of their case have been presented properly. Just ain’t seen it.” Co-host DJ Envy interjected to lament the fact that the YSL case has disrupted Thug’s otherwise huge music career. He also voiced concern over whether Young Thug would be able to regain the momentum he had once he’s freed. TI assured him that he would see to it himself that the rapper would get back on top. “Don’t worry,” he told Envy. “When he come home, we’ll get it right. Just get him here… He’ll be just fine.”
TI knows how to rebuild a career after a legal battle. The rapper spent most of 2007 and 2008 in court over two weapons-related felonies. He eventually pled guilty and served a seven month prison stint the following year. TI returned with the album No Mercy in 2010, which was certified Gold and had features from the likes of Eminem, Drake, and Kanye West. Three years later, TIP was back on top of the charts with the number one single “Blurred Lines” opposite Pharrell and Robin Thicke. Young Thug could not have a better mentor waiting on him.
Claiming that a rapper didn’t write their own song, especially when it’s personal in nature or regularly cited as among their best work, is a serious accusation in the hip-hop world. Drake is facing such an allegation right now, about his 2018 Scorpion highlight “Mob Ties.”
Did Drake Write “Mob Ties” From Scorpion?
According to Complex, Akademiks said he had heard that it was actually Vory who wrote the song. Vory, by the way, is actually credited as a co-writer on the released song.
Now, what is supposedly a leaked “Mob Ties” reference track by Vory has leaked, adding credence to Akademiks’ claim. The reference track is largely the same as the version that appears on Scorpion, but it does contain some differences.
— Pusha Thanos !!! (new acc) (@PushaThanos__) May 28, 2024
Since the apparent reference track surfaced, folks on social media have been debating the impact of the situation. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “This doesn’t prove anything other than they worked on the song together. The lyrics in Drake’s version are completely different and way better if we’re being honest. Thank God this was Drake’s song and not Vory’s.”
This doesn’t prove anything other than they worked on the song together. The lyrics in Drake’s version are completely different and way better if we’re being honest. Thank God this was Drake’s song and not Vory’s. https://t.co/VHZ2Uw8HtO
Somebody else wrote, “That’s my point … If Drake didn’t write those timestamp raps we having a whole different discussion…. Them songs Yatchy and Vory making ain’t putting Drake in no top nothing convos ….”
That’s my point … If Drake didn’t write those timestamp raps we having a whole different discussion…. Them songs Yatchy and Vory making ain’t putting Drake in no top nothing convos ….
Of course, given how convincing AI technology has become, it’s also possible that this reference track is fabricated and not legitimate. Whatever the case, people are talking.
21 Savage’s ongoing American Dream tour is a solo run following his 2023 tour alongside Drake, dubbed the It’s All A Blur Tour. Now, those worlds have collided.
In Toronto last night (May 28), 21 brought out Drake towards the very end of his set for a brief It’s All A Blur Tour reunion. Drake joined for two songs: “Knife Talk” and “Rich Flex.”
21 Savage brings out Drake at Budweiser Stage in Toronto tonight
T-Pain was spotted in Las Vegas dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” After the video hit online, Pain addressed the video, shooting down the idea he chose sides.
“Welp! You heard it here first folks. Don’t drunk dance in a robe. Somehow it’s a political statement now.” T-Pain wrote on X. “pls don’t let somebody else’s beef kill y’all’s fun. Let ppl dance PLEASE!! Mustard killed that fuckin beat tho. It’d be pretty weird if you didn’t dance to it.”
Welp! You heard it here first folks. Don’t drunk dance in a robe. Somehow it’s a political statement now. pls don’t let somebody else’s beef kill y’all’s fun. Let ppl dance PLEASE!! Mustard killed that fuckin beat tho. It’d be pretty weird if you didn’t dance to it.
T-Pain dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss song “Not Like Us” during a performance in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/MRoqxkXfpS
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) May 27, 2024
Speaking of Mustard, the super producer is celebrating “Not Like Us” going No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The superstar producer crafted the record for Kendrick Lamar.
Hitting Instagram, Mustard wrote: “Sometimes you really gotta pop out and show niggas!!!! To think . . . They really fronted on me and acted like I’m not who I am ! I’m thankful but not surprised; I never lost sight and stayed down. With my back against the wall is where I thrive. Summer started last week according to me!! See ya sooner than you think! cc: @kendricklamar city back up !!!”
Kendrick Lamar hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with a Drake diss. Following the success of his scene-stealing “Like That” call out, Kendrick Lamar has placed a solo hit on top of the charts with “Not Like Us.”
According to Billboard, this is Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 No. 1 and 15 top 10s. Drake has a whopping 78 top 10 records, an all-time record.
“Not Like Us,” released on pgLang/Interscope Records/ICLG, storms onto the Hot 100 with a staggering 70.9 million official streams, 5 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 15,000 units sold in the U.S. for May 9. Remarkably, these numbers were achieved despite the track’s late release on Sunday, May 5, after the chart’s tracking week had already begun on May 3.
This debut marks the 1,171st song to claim the No. 1 position in the 65-year history of the Hot 100, and notably, it’s the 79th to accomplish this feat straight out of the gate.
Additionally, “Not Like Us” ascends to the top spot on the Streaming Songs chart, becoming Kendrick Lamar’s fifth chart-topper in this category. Its 70.9 million streams represent the highest weekly total among R&B/hip-hop tracks since YouTube user-generated content was excluded from chart calculations in 2020. Surpassing the previous record set by Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, which garnered 67.3 million streams in its debut week on rankings dated September 18, 2021.
In other chart news, “Euphoria” experienced a surge in streams, climbing to 49 million (up from 28.9 million in its initial frame). At the same time, its airplay audience dips slightly to 1.9 million (down from 2.5 million) and sales increase to 7,000 (up from 6,000) during the May 3-9 tracking period.
Completing Lamar’s trio of hits in the Hot 100’s top 10, “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin rises to No. 6 from its debut atop the chart on April 6. The track gains 22% in streams, reaching 34.2 million during May 3-9, along with a 13% increase in radio reach to 29.4 million and a 76% surge in sales to 3,000 units.
The B-U-N
pls don’t let somebody else’s beef kill y’all’s fun. Let ppl dance PLEASE!! Mustard killed that fuckin beat tho. It’d be pretty weird if you didn’t dance to it.