Drake’s latest project, Scary Hours 3, is littered with pointed references to his usual rivals, but the rapper also takes a moment to tip his hat to Taylor Swift on the opening track, “Red Button.”
After boasting about being “the most decorated” rapper and decimating the competition on the Billboard charts, Drake admits Swift is the only artist who would prompt him to push back an album release date.
“Taylor Swift the only n**** that I ever rated,” he raps. “Only one could make me drop the album just a little later/ Rest of y’all, I treat you like you never made it.”
Drake and Swift have shared some form of friendship for over a decade. In April 2022, Drake caused speculation that they could be recording a collaboration after posting a photo on Instagram of him in an embrace with Swift. As it turns out, the flick was actually taken in 2016 at his 30th birthday party. And of course, they both famously don’t get along with Kanye West.
On that note, “Red Button” also features Drake’s latest jabs at Kanye, whom he calls out for being a fake friend. “Every time you need me for a boost, I never hesitated,” he raps. “Every time that Yeezy called a truce, he had my head inflated/ Thinkin’ we gon’ finally peace it up and get to levitatin’/ Realize that everything premeditated.”
He seems to reference West’s mental health issues:
“I’ll give you a hard pill to swallow, this your medication
I will fuckin’ pop up on your ass like a Revelation
I could tell you better than I show you, this a demonstration
I will fuckin’ leave you in the dirt like some vegetation
Chemicals is mixin’ in my brain and killin’ hesitation
I will fuckin’ force a few shots like a vaccination
N****s fuckin’ call me up to cap, this not a Graduation.”
Elsewhere on the expansion of For All the Dogs, Drake goes after longtime rival Pusha T on The Alchemist-produced “Wick Man,” where he raps, “Man, I remember n****s was jokin’ ’bout some tick, tick/ And now that rapper broke as fuck, that boy statistic/ Empty clips, yeah/ Empty clips.”
The lines are a reference to Push’s 2018 diss track, “The Story of Adidon,” in which he mocked Drake’s longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib: “OVO 40, hunched over like he 80 — tick, tick, tick/ How much time he got? That man is sick, sick, sick.”
Drake most recently went after West and Push on the For All the Dogs tracks “8AM in Charlotte” and “Fear of Heights,” respectively.
Listen to “Red Button” and “Wick Man” below.
In January, Drake will hit the road on his “It’s All a Blur Tour – Big as the What?” with J. Cole accompanying on select dates. Grab your tickets here.
