Like or not, Drake hasn’t skipped a beat in 2015. He dropped one of the biggest surprise mixtapes of the year, secured a deal with Apple Music, emerged victorious against his co-worker’s boyfriend, dropped a collaborative project with Future and released several of the year’s biggest singles. Hell, Drizzy even managed to earn his one hundredth Billboard Hot 100 single last month. All while taking a questionable blow to his integrity as an emcee in the traditional Hip Hop sense after allegations of ghostwriting. During the height of his fairly comical battle with Meek Mill, he dropped “Hotline Bling” following scathing diss record “Back to Back” on his Apple Music radio show OVO Sounds. Since dropping the track in late July, it’s gone on to sell 685,000 copies within the United States alone along with earning him a spot in the “100 singles club” wedged between Elvis Presley (who ironically sits underneath Lil Wayne) and James Brown. That’s right, Toronto’s favorite artist managed to earn more hit singles than Jay Z, Chris Brown, Aretha Franklin and The Beatles. All through controversial inspiration from D.R.A.M.’s summer hit “Cha Cha.” However, “Hotline Bling” samples Timmy Thomas’ “Why Can’t We Live Together” and is rightfully credited. Interestingly enough, the original version was dubbed “Cha Cha (Hotline Bling Remix).” The song covered by Erykah Badu, Trina, Keyshia Cole and even The Disclosure serves as a light, fun and thoroughly corny victory lap for Hip Hop’s most polarizing artist. That doesn’t even count the ludicrous number of cover versions of the song currently available on YouTube.
And, here we are today ladies and gentlemen. With “Hotline Bling”s Director X video adaptation dropping last night, the internet went into a suitable frenzy. The Apple Music exclusive featured a happier Drizzy, who for the first time in his career, danced awkwardly like no tomorrow, yet managed to also look semi-cool. Anyone who regularly frequents a club in North Hollywood has probably all seen that head jerking, slight pelvis thrust and hand motion combo at least once. Wait? Did he low-key jack the Sauce Twinz dance as well? Normally, everyone laughs and jokes of how lame it looks. Sometimes, women might find that attractive. Trust me, I’ve done it enough times and before settling down, my average was around 10 wins – 50 losses. In Drake’s case, he’s rich and successful enough so that chicks dig it, especially if social media has anything to say about it. Plus, they really seem to love the “Carle Thomas Collection” (shout out to Sparkle for that one) turtleneck he’s rocking. Most importantly, his dancing created some of the greatest Instagram videos, Vines and memes of the year so far. Fans even started a #Drakealwaysonbeat hashtag similar to ones done earlier this year for Beyonce and Kanye West. Watching video clips utilizing everything from Elvis Crespo’s “Suavemente” to The Rugrats theme song really proves how much control Drake has over his fan’s usage of social media. For October’s Very Own, life in the upper echelon of contemporary pop is currently a cake-walk.
Authenticity has been at the center of 2015 in terms of aesthetics, backstory and even creative process. For Drake, he’s managed to really avoid the conversation by being his corny and calculated self. By now, he totally understands his win. Where he goes from here is as mysterious as the status of his upcoming fourth solo studio album Views From The 6. Whether loosie or possible lead single, “Hotline Bling” is more than just the booty call anthem of 2015, it’s a victory lap for one of Hip Hop’s biggest anomalies.
It’s all about marketing. Projecting an image of being fake and shallow, with out any depth, has proven to be a great success for him. He’s a light skinned, better looking PM Dawn. And in a game where suceess supersedes skills (50 started that) it does not matter what your musical output or authenticity is
Yup the ends don’t have to justify the means anymore.
so you’re saying he doesn’t have skill??
Unfortunately, whether or not he has skill doesn’t really matter much in the internet age. He keeps the people talking regardless.
Stop writing articles about your boyfriend drake, oral grant…it’s getting embarrassing
Technically, this is my first editorial focused only on Drake.
HA!!! Got Em!!!!
It’s hilarious how delusional hiphop heads can be. Is Drake really fake compared to thousands of other MCs? was Dr Dre really a hard OG gangsta as professed on his records? Was Ice Cube? All evidence and even their own admission suggests otherwise. Drake is fake because he writes break-up songs or has an occasional credited collaborator? I love it if one day you dudes actually met your hiphop heroes. Your pro-black militant rappers are sleeping with strippers and white girls. Your gangsta rappers are not even sure how to hold a gun. your Muslim rappers are drinking booze everyday. hard rappers are pretending to be all hard cuz they sold some pot in high school. damn…Drake is actually one of the more authentic rappers.
Ha!
You just threw a fit cause somebody called him fake your really mad that he’s hated and he’s hated for the constant pop shit nobody comes to a hip hop site to hear that or to hear you compare him to people who actually rap soo he gets shitted on + that ghostwriter shit
Ha Ha!
This argument is framed too dramatically..and to answer your questions yes Dre was hard and so was Ice Cube, I mean there’s a movie called NWA it shows what they went through..those dudes grew up in Compton, not Canada aye.. just because they don’t live that life now that doesn’t make them fake, they got rich and famous so of course you’re going to better yourself if you can. And it doesn’t make Drake fake either he never claimed to be hard, he’s more like a pop rapper and that’s fine if that’s what you’re into..many rappers do claim to be hard and are not so it does make him more genuine than those guys..
First. Drake is fake. Second. Drake uses ghostwriters and reference tracks. (Not real hiphop) Third. These articles are written by overly sensitive gay dudes. Totally just like Drake. That make these auricles to hear themselves talk. No one really believes that shit. If you think he’s the man then hiphop is truly dead.
Ural Garrets weekly Drake love letter
This video is freaing hilarious man I laughed my ass off. People really need to get a sense of humour you guys act way too hard on here and need to lighten the fuck up man. This is clearly him acting a fool and having fun. You peopl are way to serious and fucking hardcore about everything. It wouldn’t hurt to laugh or enjoy something once in while.
Suck ass all you want Mr. Ural Garrett, but it really just goes to show you how LOW standards are in this generation. Music, in general, is beyond terrible right now. Drake is nothing but a fruitcake making awful music that people with bad taste in music are buying up (and or downloading). I will never understand why this Canadian clown is so popular with people. When I hear his music, it just simply sounds annoying to me.
Great song Drake
Oral Garretts promoting pop music on a hip hop website wtf
As a rapper and listener of this music for almost 3 decades I can tell you that it ain’t about fakeness. It’s about your creativity with the words (Nas, Kendrick, Immortal Technique etc) and ability to engage your audience (Ghostface, Slick Rick etc). Now Drake ain’t no where near the best but he does have the ability to do both to a degree (when self written). 90% of the best raps are dramatisations and so what. This is an art form not a documentary so step the f@@@ off with this stupid immature argument about who is real.
Love Hip hop