Since becoming the Toronto Raptors’ official global ambassador at the start of the 2013-14 NBA season, Drake has made a name for himself as the team’s most vocal celebrity superfan, while simultaneously operating as a bandwagon Golden State Warriors fan. Drake’s love for both teams has been well-documented in recent years, from his sideline antics at Scotiabank Arena to his tattoos of Steph Curry and Kevin Durant’s jersey numbers, so it’s hardly surprising that he’s name-dropped players from both sides numerous times throughout his career.
With the Raptors leading their NBA Finals matchup with the Warriors, and a crucial Game 5 on Monday night looming, let’s run through some of the most notable Warriors and Raptors references in Drake’s catalog. Here are 10 of Drake's Warriors and Raptors name-drops, in chronological order.
“Come Winter” (2006)
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Lyric: “She love to play hurt like Carter did on the bizzench”
When Drake dropped his first mixtape, Room for Improvement, in February of 2006, some Raptors fans were still salty about Vince Carter’s departure from the team. After six seasons with the Raptors, Vinsanity (who was 27 and at the beginning of his prime, no less) seemingly quit on the team and was benched in the eighth game of the 2004-05 season, which culminated in him being traded to New Jersey. Drake somehow manages to simultaneously turn Carter's heroics and Toronto downfall into a line about a messy relationship.
“Pop That” (2012)
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Lyric: "OVO that's major shit, Toronto with me that's mayor shit/Gettin' cheddar packs like KD, OKC that's player shit"
Fresh off leading the league in scoring for the third consecutive year, Kevin Durant got love from Drake on this summer 2012 classic. The line remains one of the best KD name-drops ever.
“0 to 100” (2014)
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Lyric: “Yeah, the 6 ain't friendly but that's where I lay up/This shit a mothafuckin' lay up/I been Steph Curry with the shot/Been cookin' with the sauce, Chef Curry with the pot, boy”
If there is a specific moment that marks Curry and Drake’s simultaneous ascension, this is it. The most quotable line from one of the biggest rap songs of summer 2014, “0 to 100” arrived as both stars reached the top of their respective worlds: Steph went on to win back-to-back MVPs and Drizzy cemented his status as one of the most successful rappers alive.
“6 Man” (2015)
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Lyric: “Boomin out in South Gwinnett like Lou Will/6 man like Lou Will, two girls and they get along like I'm Louuuu/Like I'm Lou Will, I just got the new deal/I am in the Matrix and I just took the blue pill”
Lyric: “Not your guy, I’m not your buddy, show no lovin’/I might go DeMarcus Cousins out in public”
One of the most underrated songs on If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, “6 Man” arrived before former Raptor Lou Williams captured his first Sixth Man of the Year award, which in turn cemented his status in the annals of Raptors history (despite only playing one season in Toronto). Elsewhere in the song, Drake name-drops current Warriors player DeMarcus Cousins (who was with Sacramento at the time).
“Charged Up” (2015)
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Lyric: “Come live all your dreams out at OVO/We gon' make sure you get your bread and you know the ropes/I get a ring and I bring it home like I’m Corey Joe”
After winning the 2014 NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto native Cory Joseph signed a four-year deal with his hometown team in July 2015, a couple of weeks before Drake shouted him out on “Charged Up.” Two years later, he was traded to Indiana, where he’s spent the past three seasons playing for the Pacers.
“30 For 30 Freestyle” (2015)
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Lyric: “I got a club in the Raptors’ arena/Championships, celebrations during regular seasons.”
Considering that, prior to this year, the only banners the Raptors had hung in Scotiabank Arena belonged to a handful of division titles (an award won in the regular season) is it possible this bar is a subtle shot at the Raptors? Either way, four years later, with Toronto two wins away from an NBA title, it’s no longer ironic to utter “Raptors” and “championships” in the same sentence.
“Summer Sixteen” (2016)
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Lyric: “And I blame all my day ones/You know Chubbs like Draymond/You better off not saying nothing”
Lyric: “Golden State running practice at my house/N***a, what am I about?”
“Summer Sixteen” dropped at the top of 2016, right as the Warriors were starting to look like they could break the ‘96 Bulls’ 72-win record. Ever the bandwagon fan, Drake made time to shout them out, comparing his relationship with his friend and bodyguard “Chubbs” to Warriors enforcer Draymond Green. As for the second reference, the defending champs don’t in fact practice at the YOLO estate, but Curry has stated that he’s played a game of one-on-one against his brother-in-law at Drake’s Calabasas mansion.
“Weston Road Flows” (2016)
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Lyric: “Been flowin’ stupid since Vince Carter was on some through the legs, arm in the hoop shit”
Lyric: “A lot of people just hit me up when my name is mentioned/Shout out to KD, we relate, we get the same attention/It’s raining money, Oklahoma City Thunder/The most successful rapper 35 and under”
On an album that’s centered around the love for his hometown, on a song that doubles as an ode to Toronto (and references the city’s Metro transit system and the legendary now-defunct nightclub Fluid) it was only right that Drake would name-drop its most iconic athlete: Vince Carter. While Drake was only 13 when Vince Carter unleashed his iconic “Elbow Dunk” in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, the line is quintessential Drake, regardless. As a bonus, the KD shout-out (he was with the Thunder at the time) is delivered with some nice wordplay.
“Still Here” (2016)
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Lyric: “I gotta talk to God even though he isn’t near me/Based on what I got, it’s hard to think that he don’t hear me/Hittin' like that 30 on my jersey, man, I'm gifted”
With Steph closing in on his second straight MVP award, Drake gave a nod to the Warriors star by comparing his own talent to Curry (whose jersey number is 30).
“Why You Always Hatin?” (2016)
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Lyric: “I’m a star like Moesha’s n***a/Runnin’ up the numbers like Ayesha’s n***a”
You know you’ve made it when you’ve mastered your craft to the extent that your wife is known to the general public on a first-name basis. On his stellar guest spot on YG’s summer 2016 anthem “Why You Always Hatin?” Drake name checks Steph Curry without even mentioning his name, nickname, jersey number, or team. Instead, he compares his hot streak to, simply, “Ayesha’s n***a.”
“Free Smoke” (2017)
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Lyric: “Now they like, ‘Aren’t you adorable?’/I know the question rhetorical/I took the team plane from Oracle/Mama never used to cook much/Used to chef KD/Now me and Chef, KD/Bet on shots for twenty G’s”
By 2017, Drake’s bromance with Steph Curry was closer to a real friendship. There was no reason to doubt whether or not this flex was actually true. If you’ve already been spotted dining with Steph and Ayesha, and have hosted basketball’s first family for a pick-up game in your backyard, it’s certainly possible that you’ve been a passenger on the Warriors’ team plane.
“Yes Indeed” (2018)
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Lyric: “They ran me ten thousand, I threw it like Brady/The foreign is yellow like Tracee and KD”
Lyric: “My cousins are crazy/My cousins like Boogie.”
The most recent Warriors reference in Drake’s catalog brings up an interesting question: How is it that DeMarcus Cousins (who signed with Golden State last summer) was shouted out twice by Drake before even becoming a Warrior, while Klay Thompson is the only Warriors starter who hasn’t been name-dropped? On the heels of Klay and Drake’s shit-talk in the tunnel following Game 2, it’s fair to argue that this won’t change anytime soon.
