Drake has prepared us for this moment.
A few weeks ago, October Firm announced on episode 19 of OVO Sound Radio that VIEWS (shorten from Views From the 6) will be releasing on April 29. After revealing the official date, Drake followed with another big announcement that VIEWS would be streaming exclusively on OVO Sound Radio a day before it hits online retailers. The tracklisting alone has got a lot of fans excited to hear what he and Noah “40” Shebib have been working on since 2013’s Nothing Was The Same.
How much will VIEWS sell in the first week? According to Forbes, Drake might get a platinum plaque very quickly under the new RIAA rules that factor in streaming performances of songs released before the album. So tracks like "One Dance" (which is No. 1 on the Canadian Hot 100), "Pop Style," and even "Hotline Bling" are counted towards the final tally. If everything falls into place, Drizzy could have his best-selling commercial album of his career.
After some delays, Drake and Zane Lowe conduct their interview live in 40’s S.O.T.A.’s Studios in Toronto. During their conversation, they talk about recording tracks in the new studio, revealing that his Meek Mill diss “Back to Back” was the first one they executed and released. He also speaks on his feelings on the term “the 6,” saying, “I think the announcement was more than just the album title it was a shift in the city—we saw an opening there. The name took on a life of its own.” Later, they get into the making of What a Time To Be Alive with Future and his upcoming Summer Sixteen tour. He confirms that he has more songs that could drop later this year.
Further in the interview, Drake says he’s proud of his songwriting, but he was “hard on myself” to “scrap songs just to take one thought.” On some facts on VIEWS, Drake explains “the album is based around the changes of seasons in our city. Winter to summer and back to winter again.”
As far as collaborators, he speaks on The Throne on “Pop Style.” Although this version didn’t make the album, he gives the backstory behind why Jay Z’s verse was so short. “Jay didn’t really do a verse. Really ‘Ye just sent it to me like that. Jay just did my first few lines for me…People want to hear Jay rap.”
On Kanye West, he says that ‘Ye is a friend and role model. He reveals that they were supposed to do a mixtape/album together. “It’s amazing to be his friend … We can link each other and discuss anything. Feeling a way on this or just leisure talk, we have a great relationship. I hope we get more music out. We were supposed to do a mixtape together an album together.”
On Rihanna, he says they have “genuine energy” and don’t force the story. “We do great music together. It’s hard to do guy/girl collabs,” he says.
Drake also shares his thoughts on The Weeknd, saying he’s proud of his success. "At the end of the day, that's my guy. we're from the same city. we grew up with the same goal trying to do this. A lot of the time we spent trying to do this together. We spent real time. We put in real work together,” he explains.
The conversation steers towards the drama between Birdman and Lil Wayne. He admits that “it’s tough to watch. I have a mutual respect for both guys.” When Lowe asks about Nicki, he says, “I don’t really talk to Nicki. Another person that I have a lot of love for and respect.”
Near the end, Drake talks about getting back into acting again, but it all depends on the right role. You can watch the full interview below.
