If You're Reading This, Drake + Future Just Dropped Their New Mix Tape—Here's An Evolution Of The Power Duo
-by Megan Bradley
While major rap feuds dwindle from public consciousness, power partnerships between rappers seem to grow infinitely. Jay-Z and Kanye’s 2012 collaboration Watch The Throne set the stage as the biggest partnership in modern rap history, almost immediately going double platinum. Drake and Futureseem to be headed towards the same fate with their brand new mixtape What A Time To Be Alive, a project combining the former’s October’s Very Own (OVO) group with the latter’s Freebandz (FBG). Both artists hinted at the imminent release of the collab through social media, and tonight Drake unveiled the project at 8 PM EST.
A photo posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on
What a time to be alive, indeed. To celebrate this momentous musical moment, let’s take a look back at the duo's storied history.
Drake and Future's first collaboration was on the latter's single "Tony Montana", appearing on 2012's Pluto. The single, which peaked at number four on Billboard's Hot 100, was the artist's first hit, and introduced Future to the rap mainstream.
Their next meeting was on the SFTB remix of DJ Khaled's "No New Friends," a single off of his 2013 Album Suffering From Success.
Future was then slated to open for Drake on his US "Would You Like A Tour?" tour, but the partnership had a rocky start. Days before the tour kicked off, a Billboard interview with Future dropped, in which he gave his opinion on Drake's Nothing Was The Same, stating: "Drake made an album that is full of hits but it doesn't grab you. They're not possessive; they don't make you feel the way I do." He later apologized, claiming his statements were taken out of context, but the damage was already done- Drake removed Future from the tour. However, this feud didn't last long, and the friends were back on tour together within a week.
Their partnership continued on Future's next two albums, with Drake contributing verses to tracks on 2014's Honest, as well as Future's latest album, DS2. Future has stated that while he originally intended DS2 to be a featureless album, he later added Drake after the artist’s insistence. Drake also invited Future onto his 2015 Jungle Tour, which seemingly went much smoother than their previous stage-sharing attempt.
Though their relationship isn't endearing in a "bromance" sort of way, the partnership clearly brings about great music. Will What A Time To Be Alive live up to their previous works? All signs point to yes. With the overwhelming commercial success of Drake's If You're Reading This Its Too Late, along with the positive critical reception of DS2, both artists are poised for their next big release. Drake is looking to release his next album Views From the 6 before the year ends, with his counterpart also hinting at a new record before 2016.