Originally expected in December, the project — which is officially dubbed A Playlist by October Firm (the duo of Drake and Oliver El-Khatib) — debuted on episode 39 of OVO Sound Radio today (March 18th), and is Drake’s way of providing a body of work to bridge the gap between releases.
“The style in which it’s being put together is based off of our concept that is OVO Sound Radio,” Drake told DJ Semtex last month. “I love the way it’s put together. It’s really put together as a seamless listen. Basically, what I asked myself was, ‘What would happen if I just did an OVO Sound Radio but every song was a new Drake song?’ That was kind of my idea for it. It’s just an evolution of the mixtape. It was getting tough to be like, ‘I’m dropping a mixtape but it’s for sale on iTunes.’ It was like, ‘Oh, that’s your album.’ I didn’t want people to say this is my next album. Views was my album. This is something that, after Views, I was just inspired. I wanted to keep the music flowing.”
Far from a solo effort, the family definitely showed up, with features from Kanye West, Travi$ Scott, Quavo, and Young Thug and more across the project’s 22 tracks. Drizzy has spent much of the past couple months performing in and around the United Kingdom on the Boy Meets World tour, which explains the appearances from the likes of Giggs, Jorja, and Skepta.
On the production side of things, Drake rolls with 40, T-Minus, Boi-1da, Nineteen85, Vinylz, Murda Beatz, Frank Dukes, and a few others.
Unlike his last two projects — Views and What A Time To Be Alive — there will be no exclusivity to Apple Music for any stretch, which should only help his first-week numbers.
“Free Smoke” (prod. Boi-1da & Allen Ritter)
“No Long Talk” f. Giggs (prod. Murda Beatz & CuBeatz)
“Passionfruit” (prod. Nana Rogues)
“Jorja Interlude” (prod. 40)
“Get It Together” f. Black Coffee & Jorja (prod. Nineteen85, 40 & STWO)
“Madiba Riddim” (prod. Frank Dukes & Nineteen85)
“Blem” (prod. T-Minus)
“4422” f. Sampha (prod. FrancisGotHeat
“Gyalchester” (prod. iBeatz)
“Skepta Interlude”
“Portland” f. Travi$ Scott & Quavo (prod. Murda Beatz + CuBeatz)
“Sacrifices” f. 2 Chainz & Young Thug (prod. T-Minus)
“Nothings Into Somethings” (prod. G. Ry & Wallis Lane)
“Teenage Fever” (prod. Hagler)
“KMT” f. Giggs (prod. Ness & Chef Pasquale)
“Lose You” (prod. 40)
“Can’t Have Everything” (prod. Jazzfeezy & Steve Samson)
“Glow” f. Kanye West (prod. 40, Kanye West & Noah Goldstein)
“Since Way Back” f. PND (prod. G. Ry, PartyNextDoor & 40)
“Fake Love” (prod. Vinylz & Frank Dukes)
“Ice Melts” f. Young Thug (prod. Supah Mario)
“Do Not Disturb” f. Snoh (prod. Boi-1da, Allen Ritter)
