In celebration of Take Care’s sixth anniversary, Drake posted an image of the project’s original tracklist on Instagram. The photo was reshared on Complex’s social media accounts and received a lot of love from fans, many of whom praised the album as one of Drake’s best projects to date; however, one Instagram user decided to take a jab at the rapper by claiming Take Care was mostly written by Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd.
Drake wasn’t having it.
"Abel Tesfaye CO WROTE on 'Shot For Me' and 'Practice,' obviously was featured on 'Crew Love' and 'The Ride' and that’s it," Drake replied to @meechie____. "There’s 20 songs on that album … don’t try me."
People have speculated that Tesfaye's contribution to Take Care was much more than a couple of features and co-writing credits. The rumors were likely sparked by a 2013 interview in which Tesfaye claimed a number of tracks he intended for House of Balloons were placed on Drake’s sophomore album.
Rolling Stone reports:
A handful of songs [the Weeknd had] written for House of Balloons ended up on Take Care. As Tesfaye said in a 2013 interview, “I was hungry....I was like, ‘Dude, take anything.’” Today, he says he has nothing but gratitude for Drake, whom he calls "my closest friend in the industry at that time.” Still, he says, “I gave up almost half of my album. It's hard. I will always be thankful—if it wasn't for the light he shined on me, who knows where I'd be. And everything happens for a reason.” That said: “You never know what I would say if this success wasn't in front of me now.”
Drake has faced multiple ghostwriting accusations over the years, most of which were based on claims made by Meek Mill. In case you forgot, the Philly rapper claimed producer/rapper Quentin Miller wrote a number of Drizzy’s songs. The theory was fueled by a leaked reference track for "10 Bands" that featured Miller’s voice.
Drake addressed the rumors in a 2015 interview with The Fader.
"I need, sometimes, individuals to spark an idea so that I can take off running. I don’t mind that. And those recordings—they are what they are. And you can use your own judgment on what they mean to you," he said, before discussing the context of the reference tracks. "There’s not necessarily a context to them. And I don’t know if I’m really here to even clarify it for you." Drake also later alluded to the larger conversation the controversy stirred up. "If I have to be the vessel for this conversation to be brought up—you know, God forbid we start talking about writing and references and who takes what from where—I’m OK with it being me."
