The never-ending month of January is finally coming to a close, and I've spent most of its final days running back the B-side to Drake's new chart-topping single, "God's Plan." If you know me, you know that I don't really rock with "The Boy" that heavy. If he wants to be the undisputed king of rap, he should be rapping like he's rapping on "Diplomatic Immunity" all the time. The sales and the influence is there, but the music isn't always there with it.
We've seen this Drake before, though, on his Time/City freestyles—AKA Drake's "Clock Tower Series," as my co-worker Jinx likes to call them—like "4PM in Calabasas," among others. This song isn't a part of that series, but it's arguably his best display of the slick talk we expect from our elite rappers in a long while. He's talking like he's aware of the stakes and how trying to be peaceful has backfired on him in the past. He sounds like he's done being humble.
"Diplomatic Immunity," true to its name, sounds presidential. Drake steps his wordplay up a couple notches with references to peace treaties, diplomatic behavior, the Sur 13, and not-so-veiled shots at a certain retired rapper. Drake's four-minute, 16 second bar fest on "Diplomatic Immunity is the best verse of January, 2018.
"Diplomatic immunity, fuck 'em
All that peace and that unity
All that weak shit'll ruin me, fuck 'em, yeah
'Cause niggas started talkin' to me like I'm slowin' down
Opinions over statistics, of course
Gassed off journalistic
Come at me and all you'll get is the ballistic report
Booked a private room at Wylie's, waiter twistin' the cork
I got multi-colored rings like the Olympics, of course
At award shows, cuttin' through the tension, of course
Girls huggin' me then askin' me, "What scent that is, boy?"
I be walkin' around the Six like I invented it, boy
Yeah, who am I? The do or die
The one with the fewest lies and the truest ties
They try to compare us, but
Like a job straight outta high school there's no you and I
I taught you everything you know, now you got student pride
All factual, I call the house "the embassy"
The studio "the chapel," I hate to travel
I just pulled up on Solána's show, the girl's a natural
I knew her way back when Hollywood was international, yeah
The furthest I've been, that's word to my ends
Word to the flags that belong in the hood of my Benz; very presidential
I broke all the codes for zonin' in my residential
I broke spirits that I never meant to
My body isn't much of a sacred temple, with vodka and wine
And sleep at the opposite times
Promise shit is gettin' outta line like when you make a stencil
Or gettin' outta line like when you break a pencil
Violatin' the Treaty of Versailles
Champagne is the alias, but no cease and desist in I
I refuse to comply with regulations
I listen to heavy metal for meditation, no silence
Like Sanders on the Detroit Lions
Get a run around and I'll bury you where they won't find ya
Motor City Casino, I'm at the cage with my old license
They tell me "don't worry, I got your money" like Osirus
Dirty 30, workin' on me
Tired of women that may tag me in pictures airin' my dirty laundry
Catering is from Giorgio Baldi, Robyn's favorite
Shit is nice, but I prefer Madeo
Calamari rings and tomato
I got the sauce and now shorties keep claimin' prego
Wakin' up at 6 PM like, "Where does the day go?"
Forecastin' tornadoes, brainstormin' retaliation at dinner tables
2010 was when I lost my halo
2017 I lost a J. Lo
A-Rod a damn trip, had me on front page, though
I had to lay low, Hot Topic like your everyday clothes
Closed off but I could never stay closed
Billboard Awards, I claimed 13 out in Vegas like Sureños
Black excellence, but I guess when it comes to me it's not the same,though, all goodie
That just pushed me to do the things we all couldn't
Niggas stakin' out the crib, it's all gravy
Protection that God gave me
Shit is complex like short niggas 'round tall ladies
I gotta watch who I'm talkin' to like it's all ages
I've seen buddin' careers turn to sit around and talk about other careers, judgin' their peers
Knowledge from niggas who did not contribute to none of this here
Cover my ears, my security government tier
Yeah, advance the venue so we know the exits
Check the guest list
If opps make an appearance at least it's expected
Tell 'em I don't wanna link like a broken necklace
I'll be in better company with my own reflection
Mirror, mirror, on the ceiling of my suite in the Royal Palace
The TV playin' Al Jazeera
Inshallah, I hope the mission keeps on gettin' clearer
Whenever, wherever, OVO will always be together like Shakira"
I hope every track on his next album sounds like this.
