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Drake drops 43-track triple album
The Canadian rapper unveiled three new projects-Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour-totaling 43 songs, featuring collaborations with Central Cee, 21 Savage, and PARTYNEXTDOOR. The releases mark his first albums since his public dispute with Kendrick Lamar escalated last year.
Feud takes center stage
Drake directly addresses the rivalry on multiple tracks, including Make Them Cry, the opening song of Iceman. He accuses Lamar of leveraging his Compton roots for charitable appearances while living elsewhere, rapping: "Handin' out turkeys on camera inside of your hood, then you go back to the hills."
In the same track, Drake reflects on the intensity of their conflict, referencing a near-death experience: "Tell us how it felt to meet the grim reaper / This album better have some big features." He also reveals his father's cancer diagnosis amid the personal and professional turmoil.
Targets beyond Lamar
Drake appears to call out other figures who sided with Lamar during the feud. On one track, he references NBA star LeBron James, who attended a Lamar concert during the peak of their dispute. He also addresses criticism of DJ Khaled, a Palestinian-American producer, for not publicly commenting on the Gaza war.
Musical diversity and fan reactions
The three albums span distinct genres: Iceman focuses on rap and hip-hop, Habibti leans into R&B, and Maid of Honour embraces dance music. Critics have yet to weigh in, but initial reports indicate streaming platforms experienced crashes as fans rushed to listen.
Music journalist Mary Mandefield notes the strategic timing of the releases. "He's a smart businessman," she says. "It would have been a massive miss to drop three albums and not mention Kendrick." She adds that the feud has benefited both artists by driving engagement and streaming numbers, despite its adversarial appearance.
"Externally it looks like beef, but on the whole, it helps both artists out."
Mary Mandefield, music journalist
Streaming strategy or creative overkill?
With 43 songs released simultaneously, Drake faces accusations of "stream trolling"-a tactic to inflate listening figures. Mandefield acknowledges the approach is excessive but predicts it may become more common. "Other artists have done this with remix albums or deluxe editions," she says, citing Migos' 24-track album and Chris Brown's 57-track release as precedents.
Fan Nathan Gibson, who previewed the albums, expresses mixed feelings. "Quantity doesn't match quality," he says. "I think Drake's past the point where he needs to prove anything, but his reputation definitely took a hit." Despite his critique, Gibson believes Drake will still dominate the charts and maintains his status as the top rapper globally.
Hype stunts and Easter eggs
Drake built anticipation through a series of Iceman livestreams, featuring new music, guest appearances, and cryptic references to the albums' themes. The fourth episode ended with a visual of three hard drives, teasing the triple release. He also staged stunts, including a courtside seat at a Toronto Raptors game adorned with icicles and a giant ice sculpture in Toronto bearing the album's release date. Firefighters later dismantled the sculpture after fans attempted to melt it with blowtorches.
In another stunt, Drake lit a bot farm-displaying phones streaming Lamar's diss track Not Like Us-on fire, referencing mutual accusations of artificially inflating streaming numbers. The dispute was previously mentioned in Drake's dismissed lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
