Drake performs at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 23, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Drake is a busy man. From Grammy Award nominations and a world tour to teasing the release of his playlist project More Life, the Canadian rapper is rarely without a trending news story to his name. This trend continued on Saturday night, as Drake sat down with DJ Semtex for an interview on his fortnightly radio program OVO Sound.
MORE TALK – @Drake gives his World Exclusive interview to @DJSemtex
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The two discussed several topics on the air, from fan expectations and legacy to who Drake might be working with in the future. Speaking with DJ Semtex, Drake was forthright with his answers, providing the candor one would hope from an artist who so rarely gives interviews.
One of the show’s biggest revelations was that Drake was hesitant to release the Wizkid & Kyla collaboration “One Dance” as a lead single. He said that he wanted to take risks with his latest album, Views, and much of that was in the increased influence of dancehall music, but was concerned that fans would assume he was distancing himself too far from hip-hop audiences. “I know why I’m here,” he affirmed, “I know my fanbase.”
Drake decided to release “One Dance” in conjunction with “Pop Style,” the braggadocios Kanye West/Jay-Z collaboration, to show that he was still capable of balancing a pop record with conventional rap hit. “I was having trouble finding myself out with rap,” he told Semtex.
Drake conceded that Views didn’t live up to the high standard that he’s set for myself with past albums, but that it remains an influential release. “Whether people want to admit it or not,” he explained, “the influence [Views] had on music is evident.” The rapper then addressed his ghostwriting controversy with a direct response:
“I am one of the best writers, period.” -Drake #OVOSoundRadio
There’s been countless rumors about Drake’s upcoming project More Life, from who will appear to whether it is a mixtape or an album. Instead, Drake considers the project to be a glorified “playlist,” a collection of songs that’s not meant to be taken as a cohesive whole.
The rapper has said in the past that when making an album, he has to make sure each of the songs add up to a collection that’s sonically related. But with this project, its obvious he’s going for something looser and more immediate. He described More Life as “what would happen If I did an OVO Sound Radio but it was all new Drake songs.” He also gave an official release date:
Drake did speak about his relationship with Kanye West, as the two are rumored to drop a joint project in the near future. The ‘Hotline Bling” rapper was blunt in his words, saying that West can be difficult and confusing to work with and that he’s “not really sure what he’s referring to half the time.”
Drake went on to discuss the Grammys, his relationship with Meek Mill, and the time he received a $10,000 check from Dr. Dre. Listen to the full episode below.
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LISTEN: Drake’s Interview With DJ Semtex on OVO Sound Radio