Almost seven years after the unlikely duo took a stroll through Hyde Park together, Drake and Semtex were reunited this weekend. “It feels like you’re about to make history,” opened Semtex. “You know, that’s the plan…” replied Drake. Back to the future and, well, he has. Teaming up for a OVO Sound special broadcast on Beats 1, the pair discussed that time Drake was given a $10,000 check from Dre back in the day, his love of the UK scene, and his issue with the Grammys.
Arriving in London for his recent UK tour, he reflected on his lineage of coming to the city and re-watched that 2009 interview. “I’m watching this kid — it’s me but to me it’s just a kid — that’s trying to talk, trying to answer questions in the best way possible. Just the fact that we were walking around — just me, you, a microphone, and a camera.” Hitting up Semtex for round two, they discussed the fact that Drake was performing in Manchester on the day of the Grammys as well as the racism within the institution. Nominated for multiple awards, including Best Rap Artist, Drake won both Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song for “Hotline Bling” despite not actually rapping on the single. “I’m apparently a rapper even though ‘Hotline Bling’ is not a rap song. The only category that they can manage to fit me in is a rap category, maybe because I’ve rapped in the past, or because I’m black, I can’t figure out why.”
Drake went on to say that he writes pop songs for a reason. “I wanna be like Michael Jackson. I wanna be like artists I look up to. These are pop songs but I never get credit for that.” Explaining why he doesn’t want the awards he won, he said that it “It feels weird for some reason… I feel like they’re tryna purposely alienate me by making me win rap awards… putting me in that category, cos it’s the only place you can figure out where to put me.” He went on to suggest that politics might come into play, having texted somebody from the Grammys saying that he was glad he didn’t come along, only to receive a reply telling him to “Blame it on Donald Trump.”
Read: 10 albums by black artists that should have won album of the year at the Grammys.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn
Image via Instagram