While streaming the fourth episode of his “Iceman” series on Thursday night, Drake essentially premiered the entire album before its release at midnight ET. But he had two more tricks up his sleeve: the Toronto rapper surprise-dropped a pair of additional albums — “Habibti” and “Maid of Honour” — making for a trio of records amounting to 43 tracks across 149 minutes.
For Drake purists, or the ones who prefer when he goes into rap mode, “Iceman” is the most hard-hitting of the three, an album that looks back on the trials and tribulations of the past few years and the fallout from his highly publicized beef with Kendrick Lamar. Across “Iceman,” Drake aims his former friends turned foes and turns his pain into conviction, sharing how the industry’s betrayal became his rocket fuel.
With bars upon bars across the 18 tracks on “Iceman,” Variety takes a look at some of the best from the batch:
MAKE THEM CRY
One of several references to his beef with Lamar throughout the record, Drake addresses it from the jump with a sharp reference to his hometown of Toronto (or, the six).
I know it’s a heavy-ass decision to bury the hatchet
It’ll take more than six pallbearers to carry that casket
WHISPER MY NAME
Ah yes, the old “dinner with Jay-Z or $500,000” dilemma, wrapped up in a pun riffing on the Internet and sports:
You n—s be hittin’ the ‘net for some love, you a tennis ball
I take 500K down to dinner, I never could learn shit from none of y’all
JANICE STFU
Lamar appears to be at the receiving end of many barbs on Iceman:
White kids listen to you ’cause they feel some guilt and that’s how your soul gets fulfilled
Handing out turkeys on camera inside of your hood then you go back to the hills
How many houses you build? How many souls did you heal off the back of your deal?
Difference between n—s getting you out of your deal and letting you out of your deal
RAN TO ATLANTA
Boasts take up a lot of space on the album, and this one on “Ran to Atlanta” particularly stings.
N—s standin’ ten toes on quicksand
If they could’ve been, they would’ve been but they can’t
Embarrassment the only thing I’m getting secondhand
MAKE THEM PAY
Drake did not mince words when it came to calling out former friends turned foes:
Dog, I was aidin’ Ross with streams before Adin Ross had ever streamed
And Khaled, you know what I mean
The beef was fully live, you went halal and got on your deen
And your people are still waiting for a free Palestine
But apparently everything isn’t black and white and red and green
I’m seeing everyone’s true colors, for real, I’m sensing a theme
And then, he broadens the scope later in the song:
My sixth sense is kicking in ’cause all I hear is people that are dead to me
And that’s why I’m turnin’ on my read receipts
To let you know that everything that’s said to me will forever be stored in my memory
BURNING BRIDGES
In what many have already clocked as a reference to ASAP Rocky’s latest album “Don’t Be Dumb,” Drake fires some sharp darts in his direction:
You gettin’ bodied by a singin’ n—a, yeah
I’m with Noel like I’m Kris Kringle, yeah
Your baby mama ain’t even post your single, damn
B’S ON THE TABLE
Drake directly references his lawsuit against Universal Music Group, a move that some interpreted as an attempt to soothe his wounds from his bout with Lamar. Here, he makes his intentions known.
I’m fighting the man, not suing the rapper, you boys is not listening
MAKE THEM REMEMBER
In another reference to his lawsuit against UMG, Drake says he’s capable of laying a golden goose — in other words, he’s a cash cow for the label but isn’t afraid to shake the table.
But like the goal post, I’m out here just movin’ around
They say conclusions were drawn but I’m in super denial
What is a loss? I’ll be damned if I’m losing it now
I’m the golden goose, shaking things up at Lucian’s house
MAKE THEM KNOW
Drake’s final act of defiance and vindication comes on Iceman‘s concluding song — the old Drake is dead, long live Drake:
What happened to Drake from 2009
When all of the moments was intimate?
What happened to Drake with the innocence?
I don’t think we’ll be seein’ him again
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