It took Drake 16 days to respond to Joe Budden’s first diss track, “Making A Murderer (Part 1).” During that silence, Budden also dropped “Wake” — a second song full of shots at the Toronto rapper.
Saturday’s episode of OVO Sound Radio premiered “No Shopping” from French Montana’s upcoming MC4 release, which featured a long-awaited verse from Drake addressing Budden.
It only took Joe Budden a matter of minutes to answer that call.
First with a meme.
AD LOADING...
Then a few hours later, the now-regular thorn in Drake’s side released a third diss track aimed at the Grammy winner, titled “Afraid.” The hook for the track is sung by Drizzy himself, sampled from the song “The Resistance” that appears on his 2010 album Thank Me Later.
“You promised me you would never change,” Drake croons in the chorus.
Much of the lyrical content of “Afraid” hinges on the idea of Drake breaking that promise himself, with Budden addressing him by his first name at one point.
AD LOADING...
“Wish we could go back and grab the Blackberry with the scroll, oh / Yeah Aubrey that’s the one we trusted / Not this new Aubrey with his stomach sculpted / I’m disgusted, you’re such a fuckin’ incumbent / Can’t govern, trust in the public becoming a fucking puppet.”
The song art shows smoke billowing from the CN Tower, the same Toronto landmark that Drake is perched atop on the VIEWS cover.
Here are the full lyrics, via Genius.
AD LOADING...
[Hook]
What am I afraid of?
This is supposed to be what dreams are made of
But people I don’t have the time to hang with
Always look at me and say the same shit
They say you promised you would never change
[Verse 1]
I just feel like you broke a promise to me
Only hurt cause I thought you were being honest with me
So I’m gon’ try and do this honorably
Without the sponsoring fee, what’s most alarming to me
This so emotional for you, robust such the calm in me
Easy to put off notes in thugs harmony
Speak to his insecurity, acting so irresponsibly
And it’s further impacted by the fact that you respond to me
See some of us know you as Jimmy barely old
He had the baby belly fro, nigga was frail up in his clothes
Barely got a hold and it’s seeming very outta control
Wish we could go back and grab the blackberry with the scroll, oh
Yeah Aubrey that’s the one we trusted
Not this new Aubrey with his stomach sculpted
I’m disgusted, you’re such a fuckin’ incumbent
Can’t govern, trust in the public becoming a fucking puppet
It’s bigger than rap battles, a word for the digital cash castle Don’t let a glitch in the Mac crash you
Unrelaxed wearing political straps tackled
Now clash paths with dad, the original bad apple
I know where you at, shit I was there too
When shit was happening fast, word, I got scared too
Impossible feats, impossible to sleep
Making promises impossible to keep like
[Hook]
What am I afraid of?
This is supposed to be what dreams are made of
But people I don’t have the time to hang with
Always look at me and say the same shit
They say you promised you’d do it another time
[Verse 2]
Listen, alert the niggas that handle you
You fill up tour seats but you raw meat to the animals
Doggy to cannibal, morning coffee and sandal shoes
Can’t get this energy off me, it isn’t tangible
This shit is greater than me, Pitchfork and Fader agree
Complex I’m waiting to see, this between us, A and B
You on the cusp Rated G, film I ain’t paying to see
I’m patiently waiting with please
Thought you would take it in, breathe
Blantently seein’ his whole channel real A&E
Hard to sound empty inside and fill a vacancy
Get some advice, come over kick it and vibe
I’m here with hotels, strippers, Odell, all that shit that you like
We’ll light some candles and some hookah
Hookers flickin’ the lights
We’ll play Aaliyah’s greatest hits, you’ll get all tickled inside
My nigga, It’s no wonder you’re losing all your friends
Poster child now for all that you had a wall against
And tell your mans I’ll be seeing him soon
He marched you right into this madness I got reason to assume
I creep in his room, sweeper consumed
Now his region of doom ain’t the legion of boom it’s just me with a broom
Afterward I’m thinking we can resume a lesson in speaking too soon
How is it too late if I’m reading ya tomb
It’s not, boys inordinate, ploys and ornaments
Show up at party next door with a noise ordinance
So off the hook of me, maybe y’all should be shook of me
Should know I’d kill him at even the slightest push of me
And when his team press up shirts, I’ll help ’em push a tee, Should it read, he pressed buttons but wouldn’t push a tee
Gotta be buggin’, maybe he dunno where Pusha be
Or when Pusha push the agenda he isn’t pushed to see
If pushed to the streets, I see wood in your physique
Thinking you misunderstood my hood, this isn’t Meek nigga
This ain’t a standard that you couldn’t meet
Just from your views, you prolly couldn’t see
That’s cool, that kind of success you could never plan for it
Heard the question nigga, I’ma help you answer it
[Hook]
What am I afraid of?
This is supposed to be what dreams are made of
But people I don’t have the time to hang with
Always look at me and say the same shit
They say you promised you would never change
AD LOADING...
[Outro]
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
What am I?
