Kori Barnes 
“Rich Flex” is an aspect that Drake and 21 Savage are definitely used to. With their lavish lifestyles and luxurious items, they had to open the beginning of their collaborated album with the track “Rich Flex”.
After the upbeat song of “Rich Flex,” Drake transitioned into “Major Distribution” with a soft melody and an intense beat switch up to bring 21 Savage on the track. After two tracks to begin the album, I realized that this will be an entirely different album from what Drake and 21 Savage have done together before. On each track, there’s a different culture vibe and beat switch to catch with the topics they choose to discuss. After peeping the tracks that some of my friends posted on their Instagram stories following the release of their album, I saw that “Middle of the Ocean,” “3AM on Glenwood,” and “I Guess It’s F**k Me” were among the faves. What would Drake be without making his audience get into their feelings?
My favorite track on the album is definitely “I Guess It’s F**k Me” due to it reminding me of his classic hits like “Redemption” or “Marvin Room.” It may have not been the exact similar tempo, but the introduction to the song was nostalgic for me. He sings “Tell me what did I do wrong, Tell me what did I do wrong, Tell me what did I do wrong, Before it’s over, I need you to come over once again, And before you give me closure, I need you to come a little closer.”
Although Drake and 21 Savage had initially received positive reviews on their collaboration, specific lines disclosed in “Circo Loco” apparently disses fans favorite Hot Girl, Megan Thee Stallion. Drake has received backlash on the controversy regarding what he actually meant behind the lyrics: “I just put ‘em on a jet, now they all Italian/Way I’m dressin’ ‘til I been to a thousand islands/This bitch lie ‘bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion/She don’t even get the joke, but she still smilin’.”
According to complex.com., “ … Drake has faced mounting backlash over “Circo Loco,” a Boi-1da- and Tay Keith– produced cut that has been called confusing, petty, and down right misogynistic. The controversy stems from the track’s opening verse, in which Drake appears to reference Megan Thee Stallion and her 2020 shooting incident involving Tory Lanez. The lyrics have ignited a debate about Drake’s intentions, and have prompted responses from fans and entertainment figures, including Megan.”
After fans engaged on social media about the lyrics and whether or not Drake was referencing Megan’s shooting incident, she took to her Twitter platform to discuss the controversy and her offense to the track. “I know I’m very popular but y’all gotta stop attaching weak a** conspiracy theories in bars to my name lol Ni*** nor ho** EVER address me or @ me WITH a fact or receipts. I AM CLOUT B*TCH keep sucking my pu**y,” she stated on her Twitter platform. She then continued to post a series of Tweets regarding her feelings on the situation and how when was it cool for anyone to joke about a woman being shot.
Although critics and fans may have automatically assumed that Drake was referencing Thee Stallion, others believed that he was alluding to a woman lying about her a** shots when trying to be a stallion. However, the next line that Drake released in the track gave fans more reason to assume it was a diss track when he stated: “Shorty say she graduated, she ain’t learn enough,” he rapped. “Play your album, track onе, OK, I heard enough.”
What is your reaction to the album and to this recent news? Make sure to vote your response in the comments below!
By Kori Barnes, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Instagram: @korixnicole
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