Music

The Best Drake Songs, Ranked

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Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Drake has come a long way from rolling down the aisles of Degrassi Community School. He left Wheelchair Jimmy far behind and transformed into one of music’s colossal forces, reframing the ideals of success while simultaneously breaking and creating new records. Following 2009’s breakthrough EP So Far Gone, the artist has soared closer to icon territory by unleashing an impressive string of albums, mixtapes and loosies that became woven in social media commentary and led to historic chart runs. His impact is pretty unshakeable at this point, as even his guest features could be a list all on its own. Call him what you want — Champagne Papi, Heartbreak Drake, Drizzy, The Boy, 6 God, Young Angel, October’s Very Own, OVO Records’ CEO — but there’s no denying he’s on his way to G.O.A.T. status.

In anticipation of his pending sixth album Certified Lover Boy, due out tomorrow, we present a ranking of our favorite songs so far.

60. “Passionfruit” (More Life, 2017)

Sure, “Passionfruit” sounds like the nondescript playlist songs we’ve all heard in H&M and Zara dressing rooms. But that’s part of its magic. Drake does accessibility well, drawing in listeners from all backgrounds and ages to simply…vibe. This More Life cut does just that, with its blend of tropical house and R&B (courtesy of British producer and songwriter Nana Rogues) that makes post-long distance heartache somehow sound oh-so-irresistible.

59. “Unforgettable” Feat. Jeezy (Thank Me Later, 2010)

Drake is a huge Aaliyah fan (he even has the late icon tattooed on his back), and he celebrated her legacy early on in his career with “Unforgettable.” Built around a sample of Aaliyah’s cover of Isley Brothers’ ‘70s classic “(At Your Best) You Are Love,” the singer’s signature coos provide a lush backdrop for both Drizzy and Jeezy’s flirty lines.

58. “Over” (Thank Me Later, 2010)

After years of building his name with mixtapes and being part of the Young Money crew, Drake showed he had something to prove with “Over.” The Grammy-nominated lead single of his debut album Thank Me Later showed it was evident the road to superstardom would become crowded as hell: “I know way too many people here right now that I didn’t know last year / Who the f**k are y’all?” Atop a boisterous beat via and Boi-1da and Al Khaaliq, Drake affirms that he has his eyes set on taking over the game. The one thing holding this back is the overt “hashtag rap” that will keep it stuck in the ‘10s era.

57. “Ransom” Feat. Lil Wayne (non-album single, 2008)

Lil Wayne often brings out the best in Drake, and the potential that he initially saw in the post-Degrassi star is highlighted all throughout “Ransom.” Forget a catchy hook, this song is about straight bars. Weezy ultimately takes the lead here, but he gives his mentee the spotlight to show off his talents. This is Drake at his hungriest and we haven’t heard him like this since.

56. “Wu-Tang Forever” (Nothing Was the Same, 2013)

Based on the title alone, you’d think “Wu-Tang Forever” was actually a tribute to the Staten Island rap legends. But the sample of Wu-Tang Clan’s 1997 “It’s Yourz” cut is where the homage starts and ends. This Nothing Was the Same highlight is all about two things that Drake loves to discuss: paranoia and women. The combination of the ghostly sample and the nightmarish piano gives a dark edge to Drake’s sweet croons. The confusion rightfully ended up rubbing the Wu-Tang Clan the wrong way, but one can’t deny the song’s appealing nature. After all, what’s Drake without controversy?

55. “Money To Blow” with Birdman and Lil Wayne (Priceless, 2009)

Drake’s swagger was on a hundred, thousand, trillion on this Young Money mini-posse single, where he intros with a 24-hour champagne diet declaration that showed off just how rich he was becoming. His flow is so smooth that you can almost forgive his bold-faced flexing. And Weezy couldn’t have prophesied it any better: “And we gon’ be alright if we put Drake on every hook.” Since declaring such on “Money To Blow,” the rapper has collected chart-topping features like an Olympian.

54. “One Dance” (Views, 2016)

When Drake wasn’t looking for revenge all summer ‘16, he was taking over the clubs that year with a trio of dancehall-inspired tunes: “Controlla,” his “Work” team-up with Rihanna and “One Dance.” The latter is the weakest of the three, but it still kept waistlines moving thanks to its fusion of dancehall, afrobeats, and the house subgenre of UK funky. Featuring Nigerian superstar WizKid (who collaborated with Drake the year prior on the “Ojuelegba Remix” and later reteamed for 2017’s “Come Closer”) and British singer Kyla, it was both charming and monotonous. “One Dance” topped the charts in the UK, the US, and Canada, once again showcasing the unshakeable appeal of the African diaspora’s genres.

53. “God’s Plan” (Scary Hours & Scorpion, 2018)

What makes Drake a standout rap artist is his ability to create moments within songs whose impact extends beyond the genre. At face value, “God’s Plan” is a typical track for him, stuffed with endless Instagram captions (“Don’t pull up at 6 AM to cuddle with me”) and catchphrases for festival goers to shout back at him (“I only love my bed and my momma, I’m sorry”). But the beauty is in its simplicity, and the formula worked tenfold: “God’s Plan” secured a Grammy for Best Rap Song and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks.

52. “Legend” (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015)

2015 found Drake at his peak cocky stage, which is best and brashly displayed on IYRTITL’s “Legend” opener. He calls upon OVO signee PartyNextDoor to strip and flip Ginuwine’s ‘90s classic “So Anxious” into an ambient soundboard for Drake to showcase zero signs of humility. For him to croon “Oh my God, oh my God, if I die, I’m a legend” as passionately as Ginuwine would croon to his lady fans is completely audacious. But when you’ve racked up a near-untouchable stack of accolades before age 30, can you really blame him?

51. “What’s Next” (Scary Hours 2, 2021)

With every passing year, more people want a piece of Drake, whether it’s his personal life or new music. By the time 2021 hit, fans grew tired of Certified Lover Boy’s disappearing act after first teasing it last summer. Ever the troll, he continued to drop one-off singles with no release date in sight. His latest, “What’s Next,” is a heavy dose of sarcasm that’s not so far off from the eye-rolls targeted at the media on 2018’s “Look Alive” (“I’ve been gone since, like, July, n****s actin’ like I died”) and 2011’s “HYFR” (“Do you love this sh*t? Are you high right now?”). Album or not, he’s highly aware of his relevance and will remind you any chance he gets: “I’m on the hot one hundo, numero uno / This one ain’t come with a bundle.”

50. “November 18th” (So Far Gone, 2009)

“November 18th” is an essential Drake track for two reasons: it signifies the date that Lil Wayne officially signed him to Young Money and changed his life forever, as well as showcasing very early on that the rapper was a sonic shapeshifter. The So Far Gone fan favorite combines Drake’s Toronto-derived somber R&B finesse and the gritty chopped-and-screwed sounds that put Houston on the map. Here, over a sample of DJ Screw’s legendary version of Kris Kross’ “Da Streets Ain’t Right” (which in turn samples Biggie Smalls’ “Warning”) from 1996’s June 27 tape, Drake teases what he would soon become known for: a seamless blend of various cultures.

49. “Made Men” with Rick Ross (non-album single, 2011)

Drake and Rick Ross are one of rap’s ultimate pairings, mainly because they love to brag about their wealth and women. Here, they channel their inner mafiosos while casually one-upping each other’s rhymes. Technically this is Ross’ tune, but Drake steals the show when he tops his homie’s “S65, I call it Rihanna / It got a red top, but it’s white like Madonna” bar by gloating: “One of my baddest women ever, I call her Rihanna / But that’s ’cause her name is Rihanna”.

48. “Believe Me” with Lil Wayne (non-album single, 2014)

“He left Rikers in a Phantom, that’s my n****.” Drake never shies away from his admiration for mentor Lil Wayne, but it truly shines on “Believe Me.” One of their many classic collaborations, the pair reflect on their rapid ascension to become rap’s global superstars, with Boi-1da and Vinylz’s bouncy beat growing tenser within the second half as the YMCMB buddies show off some slick wordplay.

47. “Headlines” (Take Care, 2011)

By the time his second album Take Care rolled around, Drake pushed the uncertainty about his position in the rap game aside and asserted himself as The Boy who has his eyes set on taking on the throne. And “Headlines” encapsulates this smug notion. While a majority of Take Care is rooted in somberness, this single is one of its rare upbeat moments that’s a toast to Drake’s accomplishments. But he also slips in a fair warning to his peers that the real is on the rise: “Soap opera rappers, all these n***s sound like All My Children.”

46. “HYFR (Hell Ya F**king Right)” Feat. Lil Wayne (Take Care, 2011)

On “HYFR,” Drake only focuses on his ex-girlfriends just for a moment before finally giving himself the freedom to have fun. Executing a rare double-time flow, both he and Lil Wayne drop catchy bars (“I learned Hennessy and enemies is one hell of a mixture”) before leaning into a sarcasm-dripping chorus over a synthwave guitar. The video makes this even more of a banger, with Drake throwing the dopest bar mitzvah ever.

45. “Jumpman” with Future (What A Time to Be Alive, 2015)

There’s plenty of standouts on Drake and Future’s What A Time To Be Alive joint mixtape, from the former’s shameless outro on “Diamonds Dancing” to Future facing his demons on “Scholarships.” But “Jumpman” was a special one, as Future helped ignite his friend’s inner trap king. What A Time to Be Alive is mainly in Future’s wheelhouse — recorded in Atlanta, executively produced by right-hand Metro Boomin, and is mostly about the city’s grungy hustle — but Drake holds his own as the two join forces like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to create a club-ready banger.

44. “Summer Sixteen” (non-album single, 2016)

Drake had a chokehold on the year 2016, and the takeover began with “Summer Sixteen.” Released that January, Drake (a decorated diss artist at that point) aimed his shots at the heads of Meek Mill and Tory Lanez. The song really revs up in the second half, with a sinister beat anchoring his brags of — what else? — having the biggest pool of any rapper. If his point wasn’t made clear enough, DJ Khaled swoops in on the outro: “They don’t want us to have a bigger pool than Kanye!”

43. “Up All Night” Feat. Nicki Minaj (Thank Me Later, 2010)

Drake may have been putting on for his te​​am on Thank Me Later’s “Up All Night,” but his Young Money labelmate snatched the mic with her monumental guest verse. Drake holds his own on the thumping track, but it ultimately belongs to Nicki Minaj. “If Drizzy say get her, imma get her,” Minaj begins — and that she does, going fully rabid as she pierces haters with taunts and cocky one-liners: “I look like ‘yes’ and you look like ‘NO’!”

42. “Club Paradise” (Care Package, 2019)

Fame often comes with a price, and usually it’s the ones you love who get struck the most. “Club Paradise,” part of the handful of teaser tracks Drake shared prior to Take Care’s release, summates his feelings of leaving his hometown in order to make his dreams come true. Titled after his favorite Toronto strip club, it’s a tale of melancholy, nostalgia, and that signature paranoia as Drake comes to terms with the fact that his old life with nameless strippers, old girlfriends, childhood friends like Chubbs and his beloved mother Sandy has drastically changed. When he raps, “Just lie to my ears / Tell me it feel the same, that’s all I’ve been dying to hear,” you really feel it.

41. “Nonstop” (Scorpion, 2018)

After first teaming with Tay Keith on BlocBoy JB’s 2018 single “Look Alive,” the Memphis producer dug deep into his crates and returned to craft one of Drake’s gnarliest hits. Yet another ode to the Southern city, “Nonstop” utilizes local rap stars Mack Daddy Ju and D.J. Squeeky’s 1995 tune “My Head Is Spinnin’.” The minimalist production is the perfect sounding board for Drake, who opts to flex in a playful and lowkey manner than his usual assertive style. It works to his advantage, flipping the switch to a newfound whispered flow dotted with adlibs that’s so nonchalant you almost forget he’s talking smack.

40. “Cameras / Good Ones Go” (Take Care, 2011)

Man does 40 know how to finesse a sample. On this Take Care duo, the producer flips Jon B.’s 2001 ballad “Calling On You” for a late-night, R&B-inspired melody. You can almost picture Drake sipping on whiskey neat (long before he’d launch his own Virginia Black variety) as he dissects how the media perception can play a role in a celebrity relationship, often inciting disillusions that lead to trust issues. Once “Good Ones Go” kicks in, Drake comes to terms with the fact that he has to let his girl go. The Weeknd’s comforting coos make the task a bit easier.

39. “4pm in Calabasas” (Care Package, 2019)

Drake is just rude on this 2016 loosie, where he emerged from his post-Views Toronto retreat to flex on his enemies while soaking up the California sun. The origins of the Diddy-Drake beef is still cloudy (it might’ve sparked over a bitch slap), but Drake makes it known that he wants the Bad Boy legend to feel the same sting he implemented. The song is just bar after bar of not-so-covert disses, from “Can’t nobody hold me down” to “Make them dance to this.” And he does it all with a wicked laugh, a-ha-ha-ha.

38. “When To Say When” (Dark Lane Demo Tapes, 2020)

Dark Lane Demo Tapes was meant to be a sampler to hold fans over until the release of Certified Lover Boy, quenching their thirst with a mix of new songs, leaked favorites, and SoundCloud staples. “When To Say When” was an immediate standout on the otherwise bland taste test, with Drake heading to Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects as he rhymes over Jay-Z’s The Blueprint classic “Song Cry.” Continuing its vulnerable theme, the rapper unpacks his conscience: “Thirty-three years, I gave that to the game / Thirty-three mil’, I’ll save that for the rain / Five hundred weeks, I’ll fill the charts with my pain.” It’s a therapy session without the insurer’s invoice.

37. “Say What’s Real” (So Far Gone, 2009)

It only made sense that Drake decided to pour his heart out over the instrumental to Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak highlight “Say You Will.” But rather than trying to heal a broken heart, “Say What’s Real” is an insight into the mind of a rapper who’s fully aware of his come-up. “Why do I feel so alone?” he begins, before revealing his uncle’s urge to protect his privacy, getting smug about his growing number of ladies, bargaining with major labels and ultimately finding the confidence to dominate.

36. “Ignant Shit” Feat. Lil Wayne (So Far Gone, 2009)

When Drake kicks off a song by introducing himself and Lil Wayne as “Young Angel and Young Lion,” you know it’s going to be a moment. “Ignant Shit” finds the pair skating ever so fluidly over Jay-Z’s American Gangster highlight, where Just Blaze flips Isley Brothers’ 1983 classic “Between The Sheets.” The sample has become an integral staple in hip-hop, and its use can come across as try-hard. But Drake and Lil Wayne make it all their own, shifting away from Jay-Z’s pop culture-referencing aim at rap critics and having fun trading catchy bars.

35. “Feel No Ways” (Views, 2016)

We’ve all been there before: making excuses to stay in a dying relationship that feels more like a tedious cycle than a blissful union. Drake hits on these emotions on this deep cut, whose electro-pop-R&B fusion sounds like it could be plucked right from the ‘80s. Majid Jordan’s Jordan Ullman flips former Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren’s “World Famous (Radio I.D.)” into a sparkling gem that gives Drake some sense of clarity. “There’s more to life than sleeping in and getting high with you / I had to let go of us to show myself what I could do.” The song was later given new life, with the rapper performing it at Camp Flog Gnaw in 2019, the biggest highlight of an otherwise shaky set. Even Tyler, the Creator (who founded the festival) couldn’t contain his excitement, later showing admiration for the “beautiful” track on Twitter.

34. “The Motion” (Care Package, 2019)

Sometimes you avoid coming to terms with the fact that a relationship (either romantic or platonic) is no good for you, which is what Drake struggles with on 2013’s aqueous Nothing Was The Same precursor. He can’t rely on friends or his woman, as they both take advantage of his kindness. “The girl that I wanna save is like a danger to my health,” he painfully shares. “Try being with somebody that wanna be somebody else.” Toss in Sampha’s grieving vocals at the end and it just makes the tears well even faster.

33. “Know Yourself” (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015)

Drake has utilized the “Know Yourself” phrase before (​​“Jodeci Freestyle,” “From Time,” “0 To 100”), but on this immediate fan favorite, it soared to hometown anthem status. It begins unsuspectingly, with a brooding flow that matches Boi-1da’s tense production. But as soon as that choral chant begins — “I was. running. through the 6. With my WOES!” — blood rushes to your head as the urge to take over the streets kicks in.

32. “Jungle” (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015)

40 has produced a lot of showstopping tracks for Drake, but “Jungle” stands out as one of his most gorgeous melodies. Wrapped around a sample of alt-R&B singer Gabriel Garzón-Montano’s “6 8,” this IYRTITL deep cut is driven by heartfelt nostalgia. Drake has always been a hopeless romantic at heart, and he longs for a past love that he foolishly left behind in Toronto’s rugged Lawrence Heights neighborhood. When he sings, “Hate that I treat it like it’s a ‘whatever’ thing / Trust me girl, this sh*t is everything to me,” it’s clear that he severely messed up.

31. “The Motto” Feat. Lil Wayne (Take Care, 2011)

You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing someone shout “YOLO!” back in 2011. It was all Drake’s doing, as he popularized the phrase with his catchy “The Motto” single. He’s too-cool here, spitting ever so casually on a hyphy-inspired beat (“Rest in peace, Mac Dre, I’ma do it for the Bay”). While he didn’t invent it, the rapper was the reason why “YOLO” skyrocketed into the cultural stratosphere. Once he got hold of it, “YOLO” — or “You Only Live Once” — became way more than just an acronym. It was a complete lifestyle, with people using the literal motto to define their carefree and sometimes reckless “f*ck it” attitude with a shrug.

30. “Hotline Bling” (Views, 2016)

As soon as Drake began hitting those dorky Dad dance moves in his now-iconic red bubble coat in the “Hotline Bling” video, it was evident the song was heading into ubiquity. The Grammy-winning tune is filled with condescending lyrics that men (who have lost the love of their lives due to their silly mistakes) have turned into their personal mantras. From the opening line “You used to call me on my cell phone, late night when you need my love” to the remorseful pain behind “Started wearing less and going out more” and even the song title itself, “Hotline Bling” became a meme-worthy anthem for those who couldn’t get over their old flame.

29. “Duppy Freestyle” (non-album single, 2018)

Drake has been defending himself through diss tracks since the beginning of his career, and on “Duppy Freestyle” he was audibly over it. The sigh that precedes “the nerve, the audacity” intro is near comical Drake-ism, but also gives heavy “please stop playing with me” energy. It was released as a response to Pusha T’s “Infrared” that brought up the same ghostwriting allegations that Meek Mill harped on years prior. You can hear Drake’s exasperation as he tries to lets both Push and Kanye West down easy, from “Father had to stretch his hands out and get it from me / I pop style for 30 hours then let him repeat” to “Don’t be ashamed, it’s plenty n****s that do what you do / There’s no malice in your heart, you’re an approachable dude.” Pusha T later fired back with the mighty vicious “The Story of Adidon,” but let’s be real: Drake’s “Duppy Freestyle” is the one that most still have on repeat to this day.

28. “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” Feat. Rick Ross (Scary Hours 2, 2021)

Drake and Rick Ross bring out the best in each other, and “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” continued that winning streak. Here, over a delicate sample of indie-pop duo Quadron’s 2010 tune “Pressure,” the two do what they do best: balancing their lavish lifestyles with a heavy dose of introspection about their personal lives outside of the awards shows and yachts. Drake, growing more comfortable with rapping about his son Adonis, even throws in a bar about thirsty housewives at the PTA meetings. His lyrics are just as satisfying as the lemon pepper wings the song is named after.

27. “Fear” (So Far Gone, 2009)

One of Drake’s most underrated moments, “Fear” often gets lost in the sea of the rapper’s many introspective tracks. You can almost hear the hesitation in his tone as he grapples with the fact that his life is about to change forever. The girls he once talked to may look at him differently, his beloved uncle will stop messaging him and naysayers will criticize his talents. “Things are just surreal at home / People think I’ve changed just ’cause my appeal has grown and now security follow me everywhere,” he says somberly, revealing his anxieties. “So I never actually am alone, I just always feel alone / I think I’m scared of what the future holds.” Luckily he didn’t have much to worry about.

26. “Jodeci Freestyle” Feat. J. Cole (Care Package, 2019)

Leave it to Drake to spit cocky lyrics on a song that simultaneously pays homage to Jodeci. Initially released as a 2013 loosie, the collaboration marks the second after Drake hopped on J. Cole’s 2010 Friday Night Lights cut “In The Morning.” He and J. Cole compare themselves to the iconic ‘90s R&B group as they reminisce on all the girls they’ve stolen from their enemies. To add a dose of realism, Drake’s father Dennis Graham recalls their road trips from Toronto to Memphis, with Jodeci naturally being Drake’s go-to on the CD player. It’s a wonder how the two rappers haven’t worked together more, as they bring out clever dexterity in each other.

25. “Look What You’ve Done” (Take Care, 2011)

Drake’s at his best when he lets down his walls. On this Take Care deep cut, he brings us into his world, reminiscing on his family struggles like a spoken word performer at a cigarette smoke-filled lounge. Atop a warm piano melody, Drake details his mother’s health problems and his uncle’s support. As soon as his grandmother’s voicemail plays in the outro, you’re already wiping tears away.

24. “From Time” Feat. Jhené Aiko (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

Aside from his usual go-tos Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, Drake doesn’t collaborate with women often. So it was a welcomed surprise when Jhené Aiko’s delicate vocals provided the backdrop for this languid deep cut. Aiko plays the old flame, calling him out on his flighty ways (“I love me enough for the both of us”) as Drake comes to terms with the fact that he can’t properly handle a relationship. Unfortunately for him, he realized this too late.

23. “Successful” Feat. Trey Songz (So Far Gone, 2009)

Rapping about highs and lows of success is one of Drake’s go-to themes, but “Successful” finds the star at his most aspirational. With early co-signer Trey Songz on the hook, it’s a somber three-part story anchored by Noah “40” Shebib’s heavy bassline. Drake is his usual cocky self on the first verse: “The young spitter that everybody in rap fear.” But things get real on the second, as he recalls crying with his mother in the driveway as they dealt with family and post-Degrassi money issues. A voicemail from his father anchors the third, and Lil Wayne soon emerges just when you think the song is over. Looking back over a decade after its release, a 2009 Drake probably couldn’t fathom just how much his future self would be able to accomplish.

22. “Controlla” (Views, 2016)

Views was marred by messy last-minute changes, from removing Kanye West and Jay-Z from “Pop Style” to replacing Popcaan with Beenie Man on “Controlla.” Luckily for the latter, both the original and final version became the main highlight of Drake’s lukewarm album era. The rapper is a sonic chameleon with a strong passion for dancehall. He excels here, with the Jamaican stars leading the way into a night of slow wines and rum punch.

21. “Best I Ever Had” (So Far Gone, 2009)

Drake immediately established a diehard fandom upon the release of his first big hit, with many first hearing the rap/R&B hybrid in high school or college and trying to figure out if Drake was the one singing or rapping. He was in fact doing both, sharing sweet nothings (“Sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no make-up on”) in two different flows that’ll soon become his signature. Its blend of cheesiness and charm led to “Best I Ever Had” hitting No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, his highest peak until “One Dance” topped the chart seven years later. To further prove his star status, he even got Kanye West to direct the video. Drake didn’t necessarily introduce a new formula. But he sure did perfect it, making him a case study for success in the decade to come.

20. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” Feat. Majid Jordan (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

Back in 2013, it was a rare occasion for Drake to go full-on pop star on us. He executed it well on this groovy ‘80s-inspired single, as he attempts his best Michael Jackson while working his charm on a love interest. The synth-pop melody has a melancholic edge to it, saving it from being too cheesy. The passion was inescapable, with everyone from Blood Orange to Arctic Monkeys covering the tune. It also introduced the world to OVO Sound signees Majid Jordan, who went on to become alt-R&B favorites in their own right.

19. “Take Care” Feat. Rihanna (Take Care, 2011)

Rihanna brings out Drake’s sensitive side, and while most of their collaborations highlight their flirty chemistry, “Take Care” is all about the emotions. Rihanna’s tender vocals anchor the chorus as Drake opts to sing for most of the track, giving an added dose of honesty. Its sample of Jamie xx’s remix of Gil Scott-Heron’s version of “I’ll Take Care Of You” amplifies the relationship’s rollercoaster, with the pounding drums and sparse piano telling the story of pain, hurt, and trust. The end result shows there’s beauty in vulnerability.

18. “Stay Schemin” with Rick Ross and French Montana (Rich Forever, 2012)

Technically this is Rick Ross’ single, but Drake notoriously took the lead here. Their chemistry is unsurprisingly elite here, with Rozay’s gruff verses and French Montana’s slurred presence give Drizzy the perfect alley-oop to execute what many consider to be his all-time best guest verse. Drake goes at Common’s neck, squashing any competition while also providing one of the most iconic one-liners (“Bitch, you wasn’t with me shootin’ in the gym!”) aimed at Vanessa Bryant that he later apologized for.

17. “Trophies” (Young Money: Rise of an Empire, 2014)

“Man, this sh*t is not a love song” Drake shouts on “Trophies,” making it clear that he’s not always about romance. No, this is the ultimate “Get with the winning team!” anthem, with the rapper’s voice going up a few octaves as he unleashes boastful declarations. As soon as those horns (borrowed from ​​1994’s Western film Oblivion) start blaring, you’ll get the confidence boost you need to either “f*ck a stripper on the mink rug” or “pop some f*cking champagne in the tub.” But when you’re winning this big, you can choose both.

16. “I’m On One” with DJ Khaled, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne (We The Best Forever, 2011)

“I’m just feeling like the throne is for the taking — watch me take it,” Drake declares on this masterful posse cut. Whether or not he was taunting Jay-Z and Kanye West (he claims that wasn’t the case), he made it known that he wanted to overthrow anyone in his path. Drake lends his voice on the hook and the opening verse, laying the groundwork for Rozay and Weezy to bulldoze. But the song could’ve done with at least one more verse from The Boy. And Drake couldn’t let go of the feeling: a month later, he used the hook to record a softer R&B version that’s best suited for the bedroom after leaving the club.

15. “6PM In New York” (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015)

“28 at midnight, wonder what’s next for me,” Drake ponders on the third installment of his AM/PM series, which finds him throwing subliminals nearly as slick as his predecessor Jay-Z. He actually references Jigga man here, confidently expressing that The Throne (a.k.a. Jay-Z and Kanye West) needed to make room for a third legend-in-the-making. Drake states that “‘Best I Ever Had’ seems like a decade ago,” and it really does: following his breakthrough single, he’d become even more confident in his lyricism. The sneak disses are the best part, with Tyga getting caught in the crossfire: “You need to act your age and not your girl’s age”). “It gets worse by the annual / My career’s like a how-to manual, so I guess it’s understandable,” Drake assesses on “6PM In New York,” making it the perfect way to end an album that shared a grim tale of paranoia, cockiness, and post-coitus hopelessness.

14. “Crew Love” Feat. The Weeknd (Take Care, 2011)

The Weeknd’s gloomy, drug-fueled take on Toronto sent shock waves in R&B thanks to his breakout mixtape, 2011’s House Of Balloons. So it only made sense that Drake, who was growing wearier of his surroundings, would gravitate towards his sound. The pair officially joined forces on “Crew Love”, a celebration of the industry rise of their respective OVO and XO collectives. “House Of Balloons was actually supposed to have more songs than it does,” The Weeknd later revealed in 2013. “I had so many records left, and then Take Care came through. ‘Crew Love,’ ‘Shot for Me,’ and ‘The Ride’ were supposed to be on House Of Balloons.” Shoutout to The Weeknd for being so gracious.

13. “Lord Knows” Feat. Rick Ross (Take Care, 2011)

There’s only one way to describe “Lord Knows”: triumphant. Drake calls upon the legendary Just Blaze to craft one of his most spine-tingling melodies that is a stark, refreshing contrast to 40’s minimal beats. The track feels even more heavenly once the gospel choir’s wails kick in, giving Drake and Rick Ross an incentive to flaunt as the former explores his growing status in the rap game. You could almost hear the smirk behind the microphone as they stepped away, knowing they just made a classic. “I changed rap forever,” Drake boasts. He definitely knew.

12. “Started From The Bottom” (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

“Started From The Bottom” was Drake’s version of the classic rags-to-hip-hop-riches story, reflecting on his career trajectory while calling out critics who question his so-called struggles. While he arguably didn’t actually start from the bottom (this is a former Degrassi star, let’s be real), the song resonated with those who came from humble beginnings. “Started” grew into an anthem about success that fans chanted at parties and wrote in their Twitter bios. It was a reminder to follow your dreams while keeping your day one’s close.

11. “Energy” (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015)

Drake became jaded by 2015, and he was fully aware of his rap dominance and how many wanted to throw him off the throne. He throws daggers at his adversaries throughout “Energy,” from family members to groupies to rap peers. “I got rap n****s that I gotta act like I like / But my acting days are over, f*ck them n****s for life.” Needless to say, Drake was fed up. The only thing unclear at the time was Drake’s main target, but he notoriously made that well known in the coming months. Sorry, Meek.

10. “Too Much” Feat. Sampha (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

Drake has never shied away from detailing his personal life, but “Too Much” took it to a deeper level. He ripped off the curtain that previously hid the growing tension within his family, with Sampha’s soulful hook used as a salve to somehow ease the pain. But Drake can’t hold it back any longer, his voice tightening up as he goes in on the second verse: “Money got my whole family going backwards / No dinners, no holidays, no nothing” and “I hate the fact my mom cooped up in her apartment / Telling herself that she’s too sick to get dressed up and go do shit.” When he says he didn’t sign up for this, you almost question if he’s willing to throw it all away for the sake of maintaining his sanity.

9. “Do Not Disturb” (More Life, 2017)

Also referred to as “7 AM In Germany”, this More Life cut is an unofficial entry in Drake’s “AM/PM” series. It has all the elements we love: sneak disses (the Tory Lanez-directed “You overnight celebrity, you one day star”), introspective and free-flowing rhymes (his mindset while recording Views is telling), and a distorted R&B sample (Snoh Aalegra’s 2017 “Time”). Similar to “6PM In New York” closing IYRTITL in a confident manner, “Do Not Disturb” closes the party track-heavy More Life with pensive thoughts. “Taking summer off, ’cause they tell me I need recovery / Maybe gettin’ back to my regular life will humble me / I’ll be back 2018 to give you the summary,” he revealed in the closing lines. We all need a break sometimes.

8. “Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2” Feat. Jay-Z (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

Drake and Jay-Z’s third collaboration, following 2009’s “Off That” and 2010’s “Light Up,” is their most luxurious. It’s the perfect champagne toast to close Nothing Was The Same, serving as a congratulatory moment for Drake not only securing yet another team-up with his idol, but also matching his lyrical finesse while reveling in the fact that he’s the new leader of rap’s new generation. “Nothing was the same, dawg,” he assures on the song’s final moments. And nearly a decade later, it’s foolish to argue otherwise.

7. “Tuscan Leather” (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

“How much time is this n**** spendin’ on the intro?” Six minutes and six seconds, to be exact. 40 and Boi-1da try their hand at chipmunk soul, evoking the energy of the Roc-A-Fella glory days with a high-pitched sample of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” Drake uses every crevice of the mutating production to his advantage, rapping with a newfound confidence following the glowing release of Take Care. In the same breath, he has nothing else and so much left to prove to the world. He knew it too: “This is nothing for the radio, but they’ll still play it though / ‘Cause it’s that new Drizzy Drake, that’s just the way it go.”

6. “5 AM In Toronto” (Care Package, 2019)

Drake began his “AM/PM” song series with 2010’s “9 AM in Dallas,” thus kicking off a selection of introspective longform raps attributed to wherever his mindset happened to be during a specific timezone. “5 AM In Toronto,” released ahead of 2013’s Nothing Was The Same, is a warning shot as he fully settles into his arrogance while calling out the entire rap game. “Give these n****s the look, the verse, and even the hook / That’s why every song sound like Drake featuring Drake,” he spits, fully settling into the villain role that peers placed him in. He even smokes a blunt in the video just for the hell of it (something he rarely did in public at the time), proving that he was on another level.

5. “Nice For What” (Scorpion, 2018)

As the superstar entered his 30s, he began writing his previous wrongs of lyrical gaslighting by crafting an empowering anthem specifically for women. Released at the height of the #MeToo movement, “Nice For What” captured women’s frustrations with a society that didn’t support us: “You gotta be nice for WHAT to these n***as?” Laid atop a New Orleans bounce-inspired beat, with Big Freedia’s in-your-face adlibs and Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” sample coursing throughout, “Nice For What” reminded us to hold our chin up, shake our ass if we felt like it and raise a glass to post-relationship liberation. The female-directed video further cemented this notion with appearances from Olivia Wilde, Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tiffany Haddish, and more. We were now unapologetically free. And Drake genuinely admired us from the sidelines.

4. “0 to 100 / The Catch Up” (non-album single, 2014)

Drake wasted zero time setting the tone for this one: “F*ck being on some chill sh*t.” From there, he goes in, unleashing bar after bar discussing everything from his deadbeat father, 40’s health issues, his bevy of groupies, and that signature cockiness (“I been Steph Curry with the shot / Been cooking with the sauce, Chef Curry with the pot, boy / 360 with the wrist, boy”). After leaving you in a headspin, he catches his breath in the second half and calmly details how he and his crew will continue to rule the upcoming year. He stuck to his word, surprise-dropping the If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late chart-topper.

3. “Marvins Room” (Take Care, 2011)

“Are you drunk right now?” says the woman on the other end of the phone. And he is absolutely buzzed. Gone off endless cups of rosé and XO, Drake feeds into his simp mode as he tries and fails to win a former flame back. This is quintessential Aubrey at the core, drowning himself in self-imposed sorrows while still managing to be annoyingly pretentious: “I’m just saying you can do better.” “Marvins Room” reflects every dude who knows they did wrong, but still drunkenly scrolls through their ex-girl’s Instagram stories and sends her half-assed, heart emoji-filled DMs filled with empty apologies. Something about that fragile relatability is the reason why the artist continues to stand out among his peers. He isn’t called “Heartbreak Drake” for nothing.

2. “Back To Back” (non-album single, 2015)

“Diss me and you’ll never hear a reply for it,” Drake maintained on So Far Gone’s “Successful.” Well, he obviously hasn’t been a man of his word, and we’re oh-so grateful for it. Leave it to Drake to pull off scoring a Top 40, Grammy-nominated diss song, which is the better half of “Charged Up.” Aiming for Meek Mill’s head, he got oh-so flagrant with literal back to back insults, from “Is that a world tour or your girl’s tour?” to “Trigger fingers turn to Twitter fingers / You getting bodied by a singing n****.” “Back To Back” is one of the millennial era’s best diss tracks, not just because of the lyrical shots, but what it meant for hip-hop’s social media generation. Similar to how Jay-Z put Mobb Deep’s Prodigy on the Summer Jam screen while performing “Takeover” in 2001, Drake opted to share viral memes during 2015’s OVO Fest headlining set. It was equally scathing and hilarious, a formula that’s still being replicated to this day.

1. “Worst Behavior” (Nothing Was The Same, 2013)

“SH*T!” Not the song you expected, right? Well, you have to travel back a few years to fully get the picture. It’s 2013 and Drake was completely fed up with everyone underestimating his skills as a rapper, with most branding him as too soft, sensitive, or corny. He brilliantly transformed that vitriol into furious gold. The tune purposefully skips, distorts, and bends its back so far that it’s almost tormenting to listen to — but that’s the genius of it. Drake gets absolutely manic in a way that we’ve never heard him before, yelling into the microphone as he channels Eminem’s signature anger: “They used to never want to hear us, remember?/ Motherf*cker never loved us, REMEMBER? MOTHERF*CKER!” He really hasn’t let up since “Worst Behavior,” doing everything from breaking chart records, earning more Grammy wins, getting into multiple kinds of beef and winning (depending on who you ask), becoming a dad and successful businessman. But he did predict that all of this was coming. Remember?

Eminem Is Celebrating His Career Via A New Streetwear Collab With Millinsky

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Eminem has debuted a new capsule collection of streetwear in collaboration with Gen-Z designer Millinsky.

Teasing the collection, which celebrates the rapper’s career highlights, Em shared a video on his socials set to the Music To Be Murdered By: Side B song “Discombobulated.” “Let’s take ’em back / In time,” he captioned. Millinsky shared his own promotional video on Instagram, posting the message, “Music through design. Can’t wait to share with you my latest collaboration with @eminem. Pieces available on Eminem’s official website on September 2nd.”

The collection itself consists of short-sleeve and long-sleeve T-shirts, hoodies, and baseball caps that say career-spanning phrases from Eminem like, “Hi, My Name is Slim Shady,” “Guess Who’s Back,” “I’m Infinite,” and “Slim Shady,” Ranging in price from $25 to $50, the pieces are available for purchase here.

“I’ve always loved music, but I don’t think it had a specific impact on the creation of the pieces themselves in the beginning,” Millinsky recently explained to Thred. “I think in the music industry right now — and this has been the case for a decade or so — musicians tend to care more about how they dress than athletes and actors so it’s easier to get musicians on board to wear cool stuff. Rihanna specifically is always style-forward. For us to have her buy the product and actually wear it was monumental. It had a snowball effect.”

Nelly Is Planning A Follow-Up To His Country Collaborations Album With All Female Artists

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Nelly is fresh off of the release of his Heartland EP but he’s already working on its follow-up — this time, with a twist. While the hook for Heartland was its collection of collaborations with standout country acts including Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Jimmie Allen, and Kane Brown, the next installment in the Heartland series will see him collaborate exclusively with women.

“This album here, we’re looking at the first part of a two-part series,” Nelly explained in an interview with Country Now. “If you look at this one, there is no female representation on this album. So, part one was me with the guys, and part two will be with the ladies of country music.”

While he doesn’t mention specific artists, he does point out the impact and growth women have seen within the genre recently. “The women of country, they are fierce,” he said. “When I am with the guys, we are kegging, beering, trucking, smoking, and hanging out. I’m going to have to bring my A-game pretty much when it comes to dealing with the ladies because they are not going to play around with Nelly. They are going to bring it, and I am definitely looking forward to it.”

To ensure an authentic vibe, Nelly said he’s looking to collaborate in person at a property in Nashville. “I am real estate hunting in Nashville,” he admitted. “I think I’m more of a downtown Nashville kind of guy. I wouldn’t mind taking up a whole floor of one of the buildings somewhere.” He expects the project to take a while to finish due to safety protocols but is eager to get started. “I know we’re still trying to get around the [health] issue, and everybody’s still trying to make sure that we are all respecting one another and it’s safety first,” he noted. “If it weren’t for that, I would be in Nashville right now trying to cram it out.”

You can read the full profile on Nelly in Country Now here.

Logic Reflects On The Backlash Against ‘1-800-273-8255’ In His Upcoming Memoir

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Logic, who recently returned to rap after retiring to become a professional gamer, is set to release his second book next week, a memoir titled The Bright Future. Today, GQ published an excerpt from the upcoming tome, a chapter in which Logic addresses the impact of — and the backlash against — his suicide awareness mega-hit “1-800-273-8255.” The track, which earned him a Grammy nomination in 2017 but also resulted in what he called the “lowest point” of his life in a recent interview, was the smash hit he thought he’d been looking for his whole career. Instead, it brought him to the brink with hateful comments from both fans and peers after his record-breaking performance of the song on the 2018 MTV VMAs.

The song and I were both trending on Twitter the entire night and the entire next day. Within hours the video was getting millions of views on YouTube. Everyone was talking about it on every entertainment show, every celebrity gossip blog, everywhere. It was a life-changing moment. Ellen even invited me on Ellen, and I’d wanted to go on fucking Ellen for years. I got all the press I’d ever dreamed of. I got a hit song bigger than any hit song I’d ever even imagined I would have.

… It felt good to feel good enough. It lasted at least a good twenty- four hours or so, and that’s when I got hit with a wave of hate unlike anything I’d ever experienced in my life.

The blowback and abuse I’d experienced in the wake of the VMAs was like nothing I’d ever experienced. Everything I’d seen up to that point was mild in comparison. It was a tsunami of hate, and I couldn’t turn it off.

Or, more accurately, I couldn’t not turn it on. Nobody was making me check my phone except me, but I couldn’t put it down. It was like the fucking thing was glued in my hand. I’d wake up and check it first thing. I’d eat my morning cereal looking at it. I’d take my morning shit looking at it. Lenny would drive me to the studio and I’d be looking at it. I’d go in to record, come out for a smoke break, and look at it. It was every day, because this thing in my hand was like my home. It was where I lived, in this world of the RattPack and all my friends online. I didn’t know how not to be there. Only my home had gone from the place where I was loved to the place where I was hated. The love was all still there, of course, but I was so accustomed to it that for the most part it faded into the background. All I could see was the hate.

Logic explains that even his longtime supporters turned on him because of the sense that he was “too mainstream,” and how the resulting depression sapped his enjoyment of the tour for Everybody, the album from which the song hailed. Even among those who felt that the song helped them, the impact led to a deluge of painful revelations that Logic absorbed for the better part of a year. He notes that he even contemplated a fatal solution for himself but that prospect of becoming “a meme about how the Suicide Guy killed himself” took that option off the table.

It’s a stark look into the negative aspects of fame, how fans’ habit of dehumanizing stars for the sake of jokes and gossip has real-world impacts on the people at the center of pop culture. It’s a reminder to be kind, because you never know what someone is going through on the other side of that screen.

The Bright Future will be out 9/7 via Simon And Schuster Publishing.

Lil Skies Comes Through With ‘Ice Water’ For A Bouncy ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Performance

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Lil Skies remains a star three years after the stunning release of his hit debut mixtape Life Of A Dark Rose. The 23-year-old is just months removed from the January release of his second studio album Unbothered, which debuted at No. 50 on the Billboard 200, supporting it since with the release of a deluxe version with seven new songs, including the exuberant “Ice Water” featuring Trippie Redd.

Today, Lil Skies comes through for a bouncy UPROXX Sessions performance of that track sans Trippie (another Sessions alum), just a few months after his last appearance, when he dropped in to show off another deluxe edition track, “How You Feel.” While that performance was more laid-back, this time around he brings lots of energy, reflecting the celebratory vibe on “Ice Water.”

Check out Lil Skies’ bouncy performance of “Ice Water” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Lil Skies is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kanye West Gets Roasted By Peppa Pig On Twitter Over Receiving A Lower Review Score On His Album

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Alright, enough is enough. Things were bad enough when Peppa Pig sparked a beef with Cardi B over encouraging Kulture to splash in puddles and it was pretty amusing to see Iggy Azalea square off with the British porker over their shared album release date a couple of years ago, but Peppa is turning into an outright menace lately. The porcine TV star has apparently chosen the next target for her ongoing antagonism of the hip-hop world, marking Kanye West for a vicious burn over the reception of their respective albums on Pitchfork.

In his review of Kanye’s new album Donda, Pitchfork’s Dylan Green called the album a “data dump of songs searching for a higher calling,” awarding it an “above average” 6.0 rating (out of 10). Meanwhile, earlier this summer the publication also tapped Peyton Thomas to review Peppa’s Adventures: The Album, resulting in a 6.5 score, which many on Twitter noted after the Donda review’s publication — including the people or person behind Peppa Pig’s official Twitter account. Taking a second to gloat over the .5-point win, Peppa tweeted, “Peppa didn’t need to host listening parties in Mercedes-Benz Stadium to get that .5,” juxtaposing screenshots of the two scores side-by-side.

And while the tweet has since been deleted, it’s almost been immortalized by screenshots like the one above. It’s kind of amusing to think that a team of children’s television writers were able to put together a better release than a self-proclaimed genius who heralded his work with elaborate listening events and even rented out living space in the venues where he held them while “finishing” the album. For what it’s worth, Kanye claims that the version of the album that came out was released by his label without his permission, but on the other hand, we can’t see how much it could be improved — and it is pretty similar to what he played at the aforementioned listening events.

Fans have been pretty amused by the joust, especially as it draws some attention away from his long-overdrawn feud with Drake ahead of the Certified Lover Boy release this week. Now, if Drake gets a higher score too (or takes shots as Peppa has), it could be bad news for anyone exhausted with their juvenile sniping, as Kanye’s manager vowed to end the duel of wits only if Drake remains mum on the subject of Kanye — which seems pretty much impossible at this point. Check out some fans’ responses below.

Lil Nas X Is Pregnant With His Album ‘Montero’ In A Hilarious Maternity Photoshoot

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Lil Nas X’s album Montero is on the way, and if there’s anybody in music who knows how to hilarious drum up attention online, it’s Nas. His latest stunt is particularly good: To promote the album, he has shared a “maternity” photoshoot for the album with which he is currently “pregnant.”

Despite how it may seem, this isn’t a reaction to Drake’s maternal Certified Lover Boy cover art, but just a fortuitous coincidence. Nas told People that when he saw Drake’s cover, he thought, “There’s no way the universe is lining up this perfect for this to happen,” Nas thought.

Nas actually came up with the maternity shoot idea after hearing Megan Thee Stallion’s verse on his song “Dolla Sign Slime” for the first time, saying, “I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing,’ so I immediately called my stylist. She was like, ‘Wow, this all comes together. Your album. Your baby.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, this is my baby, huh?’ As a joke, she was like, ‘Yeah, you should do a pregnancy shoot.’ I was like, ‘You know what? That’s actually brilliant.’ So now we have this entire thing coming out, and it’s going to be amazing.”

Along with the maternity photos, Nas even had an ultrasound mocked up:

Elsewhere during the piece, he spoke about what fans can expect from the album: “You’re getting a lot of stories about me. You’re getting a lot of stories about my past and where I want to be in my love life. But they’re also a bop. I feel like I finally found a great balance between being as real as possible within my music and making a hit song.”

Check out the People feature here.

Montero is out 9/17 via Columbia Records. Pre-save it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In His First Post-‘Donda’ Interview, Kanye West Previewed An Andre 3000 Collaboration

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Generally, album release cycles include a lot of promotion via interviews with and profiles in journalistic publications. That was firmly not the case with Kanye West’s Donda, as the only dispatches on it from West came via occasional social media posts. Now, though, he has given his first post-Donda interview.

West is in Berlin at the moment, and while there, he spoke with German tabloid Bild for a filmed on-the-street interview. In the clip, West’s voice is inaudible as it was dubbed over in German. According to a translation, though, West noted that he’s in Germany to meet with architects and artists. He also noted that he won’t be in the country for long, and he intends to get back to making music soon. There’s also a video clip of him playing a new piece of music featuring vocals from Andre 3000.

If the audio snippet is in fact from a West/Andre collaboration, it wouldn’t be their first time working together. Aside from Andre’s contributions to West’s “30 Hours,” the two also appeared together on songs like Chris Brown’s “Deuces (Remix)” and Fonzworth Bentley’s “Everybody.”

In completely opposite news, it looks like West may be keeping his feud with Drake alive by buying up Toronto billboards to promote Donda.

Big30 Demands Pooh Shiesty’s Freedom In His Grimy ‘Free Shiest Life’ Video

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Memphis rapper Big30 has been building his buzz over the past several months, thanks to some high-profile collaborations with his fellow Bluff City natives Moneybagg Yo and Pooh Shiesty, as well as a big-name co-sign from Atlanta trap rap godfather Gucci Mane. Today, he’s released his debut album, King Of KillBranch, as well as the grimy video for album single “Free Shiest Life” featuring the aforementioned Pooh Shiesty.

The song holds special significance as Pooh Shiesty is currently awaiting trial on a pair of cases, both involving shootings the “Back In Blood” rapper allegedly committed in the span of a year. In one case, he’s charged with aggravated battery after supposedly firing his gun in a packed club, hitting a security guard in the leg. While Pooh’s lawyers produced a statement from the victim recanting his initial police statement, Pooh was still denied bond. Then, in a stroke of just awful luck for the 2021 XXL Freshman, Pooh’s Instagram implicated him in a Miami robbery in which the victim was shot in the buttocks during a weed and sneaker deal gone awry. He was denied bail in that case, as well.

Meanwhile, Big30 seems deadset on keeping the next wave of Memphis trap rappers at the forefront of hip-hop with his new album, which contains multiple Pooh Shiesty features, two Moneybagg Yo features, an appearance from Yo Gotti, and cross-regional collaborations with Lil Durk, Quavo, and Offset.

Watch Big30’s “Free Shiest Life” video featuring Pooh Shiesty above.

King of KillBranch is out now on Bread Gang/N-Less. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

BJ The Chicago Kid Propels His Newfound Independence With Perspective And Intention

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Luis Vela

As quiet as it’s sometimes kept, BJ The Chicago Kid’s resume is undeniably good. The neo-soul-inspired singer remains consistent at impressing listeners and delivering quality music, as he’s done for over a decade. His four Grammy nominations and excellent debut album In My Mind are each proof of this while his sophomore album 1123 and various collaborations with some of today’s biggest names add to the mix of BJ’s outstanding catalog.

Things nowadays, however, are a bit different for the singer. For the first time since 2012, BJ The Chicago Kid is traversing the music world as an independent artist. His decision to cruise solo was made last summer, but it was earlier this month that he released his first independent project: 4 AM, a four-track EP with guest appearances from Lucky Daye and Eric Bellinger.

BJ The Chicago Kid is well aware of the success he’s attained within the music industry. He hopes the wisdom he gained through his experiences will lead him to an ideal destination in the future. ” I want to build an awesome universe of creativity that still helps the world, that still services to world, that still services our people,” he says during a Zoom call. “Through it all, I’m talking to us, whoever else in the room listening, cool. Did you like it? Cool. But I’m talking to us.”

Shortly after he released 4 AM to the world, Uproxx spoke to the singer about the new project, independence, his progression since In My Mind, and where he hopes it will all lead next.

Congratulations on the new project, it’s your first release in a couple of years. What was the spark behind 4 AM?

I wanted to drop music sooner than now, just the way handling the business with songs goes with the producers, all that stuff to do it right takes time. Along with being called for other things that we love to be a part of, you know, it just took its course and its time, but man, I’m always inspired to put out music. I’d love to put out something today.

This project gives a little bit of everything you can do as an artist: The laid-back tracks with “Type Of Day,” the remorseful songs with “Make You Feel Good,” and the bedroom ballads with “Love You Slow.” Do you feel like you’re re-establishing or even proving yourself once again as a new independent act?

I think it’s both. I wanted to pick up where I left off while re-establishing myself as well. My most creative musical heroes have always reinvented themselves with every album: different haircuts, outfit styles, and sounds. I’m from that class. I’m honored to actually be blessed to hear more than what they know me for. Sometimes to get to a certain sound you want — I call them steps on the ladder. Some songs are steps on the ladder to get you to that next level that you want to get to and sometimes those songs that we call the steps in the ladder, some of those never come out. So creatively it’s up to you, what it’s saying to you, and the people that help you.

On this project, you have features with Eric Bellinger and Lucky Daye. Those are two very talented R&B acts, one you’ve worked with before and the other who you have not. What made those two the perfect people to work with on this project?

I’m friends with both of them in reality. They’re two brothers that I will always rock for, rock with, and support at all times. I get the same from them as well. Musically talented, totally respected not just by me, but by the world. I’ve known Eric for over ten years and I’ve known Lucky for a little bit under ten years and I think it’s just been incredible watching their journey. I think the fans deserve R&B done the right way and honestly, most of my collaborators are really my friends. Some things were business, but most people that I collaborate with for my music, we really rock together in a strong way.

What do you mean by “R&B done the right way”?

R&B the right way because it’s a lot of hip-hop that came into R&B as far as the mentality. The quick-fix, add water, put in a microwave, and you can eat it. I get it, I love it, we make music like that as well, but where we come from, it’s somewhere a little bit more steeper. It has a little bit more foundation.

Now that you’re a project into independence, what was the hardest thing about starting your independent journey during a time like the pandemic?

The hardest thing in quarantine was looking at myself in the mirror and seeing some assets and facets that I never had before. To realize it first is a thing you do before changing it. I made some apologies to some people where I didn’t realize what I’ve done. I’ve bettered myself, that helps with the music with me always. Certain songs like “Heart Crush” are real songs from my life. Every song isn’t, but standing in tune with my antennas up and not being afraid to live gives me so much more to write about. That balance is one thing that I’ve noticed some time ago about me. Even the way I sing and go through things, it pulls more out of you. You have to be vulnerable enough to let that happen, so it’s a blessing to kind of even know myself. Am I creative and vulnerable enough to give the people more than what they paid for? Whether it’s a CD or a live show. I’m not afraid to live, and not being afraid to live is not being afraid to write, sing, perform, and connect with people because we all kind of go through some of the same things.

Is it safe to say that, now more than ever, you know what you want for yourself as an artist?

I always have, but honestly with the fan base that I got through Motown, the exposure, the alliance was such a legendary entity. Am I really mad? You got to pick and choose your battles man, you got to really sit back and know what a blessing is. What independent artists have had this amount of followers and this amount of support when independent? So it’s perspective man, perspective can change it all. That’s where I’m at with it: perspective and being intentional. Those two words are the next tattoos I’m probably going to get, because for the last two years, those two words have come up in my conversation every day, multiple times a day. To be intentional is to know exactly how you want somebody to feel from what you’re doing. You want to be strategic with that so it’s not misunderstood or deterred. To hit your target right on the head with timing and precision. Perspective changes the world.

What’s the most random or unique thing — musically — that’s happened to you over the past couple of years?

I worked with Ron Isley in the studio, fire. I worked with Philip Bailey in the studio, fire. That’s all I can say haha, I can’t say no more!

You’re someone who takes some time in between full bodies of work. With that being said, what does the building blocks, foundation, and/or perspective of your next album look like?

In my phone right now, I got a list of song titles and explanations of what I want the perspective of the title of some of them, at least about 250 of them. My switch broke bro, I can’t turn it off. So just the ideas and the concepts — I have movie concepts, stories, I have so much stuff coming out of me creatively that I have to find time to get the ball rolling for everything that I feel like should be next. It’s almost like my life depends on the next level. That’s how intense the progress has to happen, but there’s no rush. Some things are slow builds, some things write themselves in 10 minutes. We wrote “Turnin Me Up” in 15 minutes, the track took less time and we didn’t put it out ’til four years after the song was done. So every step of it told us it was gonna be timeless, it never faded. Always stick with it. If you got something that’s timeless, stay with it, because it will always fit.

When it’s all said and done, what do you value and want the most for your legacy?

This is the best word to describe it: Have you driven by your crib and seen the rubble from what used to be a building? Then the next week, they got the gate with the tarp on it? The next week they got the sign saying coming soon Walgreens or some sh*t like that. Every week you see them building more and more, more and more, and when they’re done you’re like, “Wow, not only is it a Walgreens down here, but they put lofts and condominiums above it and it’s crazy fire, now the whole value of the whole neighborhood is up.” Every song is a brick. I made a house and I’m trying to make a neighborhood. After I make a beautiful neighborhood, I’m gonna try to make a beautiful city, and from that city, a beautiful state. I’m trying to make the United States and once I find out how to do that, then we’re gonna put water all around this mother f*cker and go to foreign lands and build that and then I’m trying to build a whole universe.

4 AM is out now via M.A.F..E. Music LLC. Get it here.