Drake is readying a new album, and it could be here sooner than you think. During his It’s All a Blur Tour stop in Brooklyn Thursday night, hip-hop’s top dog told a capacity-filled Barclays Center crowd that his upcoming project, “For All the Dogs,” would drop in approximately “a couple of weeks.”
The 36-year old megastar, known for releasing music without an announced date, had teased the potential project at his intimate Apollo show in January.
“I’ve thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time, none of those things are stopping making music for you, so I’ll be here for you for a little bit at least,” Drake said during the Jan. 21 show. “I hope I can strike up some more emotions for you — maybe this year, I might get bored and make another one, who knows?”
In addition to Thursday’s announcement, the five-time Grammy winner, photographed wearing a Doberman dog mask earlier in the day, said he was also releasing a new freestyle on Friday.
The four-minute freestyle rap, which featured Drake and British rapper Central Cee, was posted to On The Radar Radio’s YouTube channel.
While details about the upcoming album are scarce, Drake confirmed a Nicki Minaj-collaboration during a Detroit show earlier this month.
“I’ve got a lot of love for her,” he said to a roar from the crowd on July 8, adding that “For All the Dogs” is “about to be a classic.”
He added that he’s mixing the record now with longtime producer 40.
“For All the Dogs” will mark his latest project since his 21 Savage-joint album, “Her Loss,” released in November. His last solo release, the dance-themed “Honestly, Nevermind” EP, dropped in 2022.
Drizzy’s Thursday night performance marked his third of four straight sold-out shows at Barclays, with three more New York-area stints at Madison Square Garden starting Sunday. It’s his first headline outing since the Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour in 2018.
Throughout the night, a spectacular light show bounced throughout the arena and various giant inflatables or figures that were suspended above the stage circled Drake. They included a bride, a Peter Pan effigy, a blowup resembling an exotic dancer, and a huge singular, holographic sperm cell — yes, you read that right — with animated sperm cells swimming on stage floor monitors. He dedicated that portion of the concert to his female fans.
Bras were thrown on stage, following the recent stint of objects being tossed at artists, and even a vape pen.
Drake responded with, “There’s no way you’re taking life serious if you think I’m going to pick this vape up and vape with you.
“You have some real life evaluating to do,” he said.
In an unorthodox concert sequence, Grammy winning-rapper 21 Savage followed Drake with a short set performing a few of his big records including “Red Opps,” his Post Malone collaboration “Rock Star,” “A Lot’” and “Bank Account.” Drake would return and the pair ran through songs from “Her Loss,” including “Spin Bout U” and “Rich Flex.”
The “Best I Ever Had” rapper closed the show by walking down from the stage toward a gigantic statue-like figure of Virgil Abloh while audio from the designer played. Abloh, who died of cancer at 41 in 2021, was a Black designer who created groundbreaking fusions of streetwear and high couture, prompting many in the fashion world to label him as his generation’s Karl Lagerfeld.
“He’s not only inspired me through direct conversations that we’ve had, but I’ve also just met some incredible people through this man,” Drake said before closing the night with his song, ”Legend.”
In other news – Barbie breaks box office record for female director with $155M
As the year’s most anticipated tandem of film releases, Barbie and Oppenheimer, hit movie theaters this weekend, the Greta Gerwig-directed film came out on top, scoring $155 million in its opening run and marking the biggest debut ever for a film directed by a woman, Variety reported.
Captain Marvel, which was co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, previously held the title with $153 million in 2019, while Wonder Woman, which was helmed by Patty Jenkins, held the record for a film solely directed by a woman with $103 million in 2017, per the outlet. Read More
