S. Samuel
Young Money artist Drake's love for late singer Aaliyah remains everlasting as the Toronto native made sure to pay homage to her memory with an unofficial premiere this week.
According to reports, Drizzy unleashed his new anthem to select New York partygoers Monday (February 3).
Drake took over club Griffin in New York City with French Montana on Monday. While on the turntables, he previewed two previously unreleased songs including a collaboration with Aaliyah (via Word On Road). The late singer’s angelic voice can be heard on one track, reportedly titled “Talk Is Cheap.” Drake and his producer Noah “40? Shebib were working on a posthumous Aaliyah album before backing out due to the backlash, but he was hopeful that one of their songs would see the light of day. (Rap-Up)
Back in December, the Toronto rapper revealed a new tune with Aaliyah via his Instagram page.
For those who couldn’t get enough of their first collaboration, Drake has another song with Aaliyah waiting in the wings. The Toronto MC has previewed a brand new song with the late singer. He posted an Instagram video of himself on his tour bus, while a duet between him and Aaliyah plays in the background. “24 HOURS ON THIS BUS,” he wrote. In August 2012, Drake released the Aaliyah-assisted single “Enough Said” and announced that he and producer Noah “40? Shebib had been tapped by Blackground Records to produce a posthumous album from the singer. But once word got out, Aaliyah’s fans and close collaborators expressed their disapproval. (Rap-Up)
A couple years ago, Drake talked about working on a potential posthumous Aaliyah project.
“People should be really excited. People thought it was my single; it’s not my single. It’s all off of an Aaliyah project that me and 40 are commanding and 40’s just doing some incredible, some incredible music right now,” Drake revealed in an interview. “To get 13, 14 new Aaliyah songs, everybody should be excited. It’s not about me. It’s not about 40. It’s about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great. And the people around her, everybody from her family to her old management and label, were like, ‘If there’s anyone out that can do it right now, it’s [you] and 40.’ And that was an honor and we’re going to pull in some classic people, anybody who used to work with Aaliyah that was essential in her career we definitely hope to have them involved. So it’s great. You get a new Aaliyah album this year on top of everything.” (Much Music)
While initially embraced by many, the news caught some Aaliyah friends off-guard including Ruff Ryders’ DMX.
“Drake,” X said when asked what artists he feels are not talented. “He is [talented], he has talent but it’s kind of redundant. It’s kind of the same all the time, sounds the same, to me, personally, it’s like an annoying sound. [noises] It’s like a washing machine. [noises] Or a dryer. [noises] You know what, I don’t even have to explain why. I just don’t like what it is and I’m kind of feeling some kind of way about the fact you’ve commissioned, you’ve been blessed, you’ve been given the opportunity to do the Aaliyah album yet you don’t include anybody that she worked with personally? What part of the game is that? I’ma tell you why I’m mad, son! There’s a reason why I feel the way I feel. How do you do that? How do you disregard what this woman did, what this beautiful angel did.” (MTV RapFix)
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