Fri 1 Feb 2013
There’s no question Drake dominated 2012 with stellar guest verses on songs from 2 Chainz, French Montana, DJ Drama, Meek Mill, and Kendrick Lamar. Ready to takeover the new year with his own music, the Toronto-native debuts his first solo record of 2013 in “Started From the Bottom.” Produced by the newest addition to his OVO collective in Mike Zombie, Drizzy’s new single was recorded the song on his birthday. Earlier this month we caught some flicks on-set of the accompanying visual directed by fellow Toronto-native Little X (“Hell Yeah Fuckin’ Right”).
Nah Right’s Nation also revealed a part of the video was also filmed in the Dominican Republic during a recent getaway trip. Expect the clip to debut during the Grammy Awards next weekend. Drake’s untitled third solo album is set to arrive later this year.
Listen to “Started From the Bottom” and read Drake’s message about his return after the jump…..
New Music: Drake – “Started From the Bottom” (prod. by Mike Zombie)
DOWNLOAD: Dirty Version | Clean Version
My good friends,
It has truly been too long. I assume you’re all keeping well and making the most of this year that has been given to us. Today is the day to begin sharing my newest work with you. This is the first single off of my upcoming album. I feel sometimes that people don’t have enough information about my beginnings and therefore they make up a life story for me that isn’t consistent with actual events. My family and my second family (consisting of the best friends anybody could ever have) all struggled and worked extremely hard to make all this happen. I did not buy my way into this spot and it was the furthest thing from easy to achieve. I am proud of every part of my past and I’m excited for this song to find a place in your life as well. I didn’t feel I needed any interviews or radio or press to launch this song. It felt right to come back to the site that I started on and release it to the people that started here with me. Judging by this post, the tour that we’ve been planning, the conversations about new songs and album artwork…I think it’s safe to say we’re back together again. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
UPDATE: Download links added, courtesy of October’s Very Own.
Previously:
Photos: Drake’s “Started From The Bottom” Video Shoot
Drake Pays Tattoo Tribute To His Late Uncle and Grandmother, But Who Is He Hiding? (Photos)
Drake Celebrates NYE in Miami with T.I., Busta Rhymes and French Montana
A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – “F**kin’ Problems” (Video)
The Weeknd Feat. Drake – “The Zone” (Video)
February 1st, 2013 at 8:09 pm
NICE! (fab voice)
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February 1st, 2013 at 8:11 pm
-_- …. word??
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February 1st, 2013 at 8:18 pm
it was cool.
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February 1st, 2013 at 8:27 pm
For me, an older nyc hip hop head from the 80s and 90s, “Drizzy” will always be a hip hop curiosity to me, just a sideshow not to be taken seriously. A guilty pleasure. I may listen to some of his stuff once in a blue, but don’t come to me with he’s the BEST this or that, because we’re probably coming from totally different points of view.
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ds Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 8:33 pm
This dude has THREE albums now. You’re trippin’. Open your mind … it’s this type of viewpoint that really hurts the genre. Give the new artists a chance and stop dwelling in the past.
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ESCOXTC Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 9:04 pm
I come from an era where hip hop was steeped deeply in cultural authenticity. I can’t stomach that a guy like Drake will rap hard, sound like a tough street dude even, and come across entirely different in real life. He’s playing a persona. He’s an actor. Phony balony. I can’t feel that. That’s not true to the roots of hip hop. So when he raps, like I said, it’s interesting, sometimes amusing. He’s a curiousity, like a granny rapper would be.
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ChicaGo-Getter Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 11:35 pm
Exactly why the younger generations doesn’t respect your generation. Y’all sound bitter and angry. For what?
jholla Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 12:09 am
i feel you ESCOXTC, it seems like now a days you dont have to be good at rapping just have “the look” and they will give you a deal. example Keef and Trinidad. both terrible rappers but have “the look” that lables think is hiphop though its the furthest thing from hiphop. tight capri pants isnt hiphop. doesnt really explain drake but i will say this, drakes old mixtapes before he was down with ymcb was way better.
Mista Fantastic Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 12:37 am
I feel you 1000% yo! This dude is not the truth! I’m 39, have been living the Hip Hop Culture since 1979 & when we were coming up dudes like drake WOULD NOT GET SHINE! PERIOD!
And before anybody wants to start with that stupid ass, dismissive “old & bitter shit” that’s far from the case! No matter what era you from, if you ill, you ill! And for the asshole who says the younger generation doesn’t like us for these thoughts, that’s EXACTLY WHY HIP HOP SUCKS TODAY!
You see when I was coming up Run DMC took over & Flash & Cold Crush were played out. BUT DID WE DISS THEM OR DID THEY DISS US? FUCK NO! IT WAS RESPECT! I KNOW MY HISTORY, MY CULTURE, MY HERITAGE!!!! These fucking kids? They actually think Biggie is “Old School”. Fucking clowns, for real! Learn some respect & it’ll be given back to you.
I’m not a real big fan of Kendrick Lamar’s album (ONLY BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF HIS BEATS ARE R&B & NOT REAL HIP HOP!!!) but I respect the hell outta that kid cuz’ he knows his HIP HOP!
And while we’re at it, a dude like Ricky the C.O. NEVER would’ve sold either & it goes back to exactly what you spoke about: AUTHENTICITY! Not only is he wack lyrically but he is a FRAUD! He’s living a lie with another man’s name & his career is at its apex. THAT’S SICKENING! That’s why Old Heads are mad! Because we respect the culture & KNOW the History & we care. These dirt ass kids could give a damn & it’s sad. It’s disposable music today.
Angela Sherice Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 10:34 am
“guy like Drake will rap hard, sound like a tough street dude even, and come across entirely different in real life. He’s playing a persona. He’s an actor. Phony balony. I can’t feel that. That’s not true to the roots of hip hop.”
@ESCOXTC
…this is coming from an ‘old school’ hip hop head myself (Eric B Rakim/EPMD etc)-so listen carefully:
Let me say something.
Back in 2008 me and this one dude used to go AT it cuz the dude was on Drake’s dick SO hard. When it comes to music…ESPECIALLY hip hop, I’m BRUTAL before giving my seal of approval. I was like: ‘fuck him’ (at first) cuz I wanted to hear more.
But guess what? The nigga delivered MORE ON TOP OF MORE ON TOP OF MORE….C O N S I S T E N T L Y!
His lyrics are dope, clever, and timely.
And I wasn’t officially a ‘fan’ of him ’til around late 09.
The thing that pisses me (regarding Mr. Drake) off about hip hop heads (old and new) is that, y’all don’t want to let him in and give him his OVERDUE credit because:
a-Degrassi
b-he’s a pretty boy
c-not just that he’s a pretty boy & mixed…but that he’s Jewish
d-immediately, ppl don’t equate ‘struggle’ with ‘Jewish’
e-cuz he don’t talk about rap about hood struggle
f-he speaks well and COHERENTLY off stage
THAT’s the ONLY reasons yall won’t give him cred when y’all KNOW this mufugah delivers!
Regarding your comment uptop that I quoted…so what’s the difference in how Aussie’s and Brit’s (like Adele) speak in the native accent’s tongue, but sing straighr like AMERICAN accent’s?
It doesn’t make him a fraud cuz his rap voice, lingo, and rhetoric is thug and he steps off stage and speaks well!
You people are missing the while point.
He don’t rap about thug life and hood struggle on stage cuz that wasn’t his life!
Yet, his shit is so dope that he manages to (less hood struggle) rap about relatable hood/hot lifed shit in language, voice, lingo and slang that that SAME hood audience rocks to on TOP of hot production!
Truth be told.
His shit is so good that Iiiiii didn’t even pay attn to the fact that he didn’t rap about hood life until mid 2012!
That nigga changed the game and yall need to accept the Drakeness.
mechanikal BULL Reply:
April 4th, 2013 at 5:21 pm
I know I’m a little late for the party but Drake is WACK! PERIOD! Everything about him! He ain’t delivered Shit! Real heads can see through the charade. He’s a hurb! He’ll probably NEVER make a song that I can appreciate!
February 1st, 2013 at 8:47 pm
I feel like this song could’ve been better if it had a better hook, instead of this repetitive one.
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February 1st, 2013 at 9:41 pm
This is fire. It got all the haters coming out. Drizzy might be cooking up another monster. I feel bad for doubting the homie
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February 1st, 2013 at 9:57 pm
There’s hardly a verse in this song for the listener to sink their teeth into. This has to be an intro or some shit. The letter was better written, he should have just rapped that lol. I hate to say cuz i’m a fan, but i’m a bit disappointed.
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Affiliate Marketing Champ Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 3:28 pm
This is exactly how I feel about this.
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February 1st, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Based on the shoe shine letter and the track its safe to say WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?
LOL
Honestly i see where he bit Chief Keef’s style or cadence n wut have you. The lazy laid back tough nigga shit thatyou here in the hook. the verses is light and lacking any kind of substance but hey its Drake wut else can one expect.
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February 1st, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Wack. Stop overrating this dude.
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mechanikal BULL Reply:
April 4th, 2013 at 5:41 pm
thank you!
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February 1st, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Not sure what people wanted to hear from such a short song. It’s cool but we all know he got skills when it comes to rapping. Don’t see why people keep hating on rappers that try to do something different once in a while, damn. Y’all making so that no one can experiment with the genre. Without getting sh*ted on.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 12:11 am
the beat will carry this song to number 1. beat is dope as hell. the rest is blah
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February 2nd, 2013 at 12:15 am
This is nice. These “real hiphop” dudes kill me. If you went out and bought those wack niggaz albums maybe rap would sound different. Instead you go buy five copies of Take Care and Chief Keef just to hate. Backwards ass dudes out here b
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ChicaGo-Getter Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Basically. And niggas be frontin’ like every rapper from the ’90s was super ill and real. You know how many phonies came out of that generation? Hate to break it to you but a lot of your fav rappers were rapping about another nigga’s life.
At least these new kids are spitting their truth and not tryna be something they aren’t.
I’m in my mid 20s so I’m very well acquainted with what some may consider the golden eras of Hip Hop (early and late 90s). The Rakims and Big Daddy Kanes were before my time but I went back and did my research. I get it but it doesn’t resonate with me the same way it does with the people who were around to experience it firsthand.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 12:16 am
Not much of a song but its good and I appreciate it. To many people are quick to be negative. Not every song is going to be movement and no artist has they always have one or two okay songs. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the old school rap but this is no where near the other trash that is made now a days.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 1:14 am
Shit is wack!! Point blank period!!!
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February 2nd, 2013 at 2:01 am
The fact that you will take your time out your day to comment in have something negative to say means that your just a hater, I’m sure that the music you listen is cool for you, but everybody aint always on what the next person is on to. they getting money in tho I agree all his music is good I wouldn’t go as far as calling this dud “the best”, I’m coming from Cali we got a lot of talent coming up out here ……school boy q, black Rez etc……
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Iking323 Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Hater- the most overused and inappropriately used word in america. The song was aight at best and I liked take care. People have the right to say it was trash especially if they love hip hop. They are “critics” not haters. Music is all opinion anyway. Everyone has their own set of ears.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 2:27 am
This joint resonates in my spirit.
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GAGE on my LAP Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 8:25 pm
groupie ho’s like you is the reason hiphop is dying down. you booty popping bird..
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mechanikal BULL Reply:
April 4th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
nice!
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February 2nd, 2013 at 3:46 am
No.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 7:49 am
It seems as if older hip hop heads can’t take in variety. I like Drakes music, but I’m not listening 24 hours a day, claiming he’s the best or anything. I don’t care for people like Soulja Boy or Lil B, but the option is there and I have the choice listen or not. No one is shoving Drake down your throats.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 8:16 am
Did drizzy have a stroke when recording the hook? This was crap. Kinda dissapointed. Lol started from the bottom. Free healthcare and arguin about chicken salad with your mom lmao. Reall gutta let me tell you. Lmao
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February 2nd, 2013 at 8:20 am
Started from the bottom?? What bottom?? Duude! you was on Degrassi!
Lol..not really feeling this song
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February 2nd, 2013 at 10:14 am
The beat is fire but I’m bored by his flow
Not a big drake fan but he is definitely better than this
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February 2nd, 2013 at 10:34 am
thats the problem with the younger generation. if you have an opinion or dont like something you are automatically a hater. THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A BAD SONG. not every song is good, i cant sing, if someone heard me sing on a song they would definitely say it was bad. not hating just the truth.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 10:40 am
Yea..me likey!!..Simple but DOPE..OLD HIPHOP heads get over it!..Its not the 90s!
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February 2nd, 2013 at 12:03 pm
The tripped out part about it is: he’s not a fraud rapper and studio thug rapping about hood life on stage and on wax but living the total antithesis of it in real life yet, y’all treat him like that’s what he’s does-but because he HE DOES rap on wax and studio about hood RELATABLE things (h*/o*z, money, clubs, drugs etc) but doesn’t speak broken english off stage… y’all on him about being a fraud for speaking well but forgetting about the part that he’s rapping what he’s living; all over the Internet photo’d and associated with everything he DOES rap about!
Now whether THAT is PR game or not (compared to his true personal self…) doesn’t matter.
Y’all talk about him like he’s a clown yet, he’s a force to be reckoned with in this game.
It’s a trip because he can’t win with y’all yet, HE’S WINNING!
PS. I know (and lived) in raps origin. But who said that the rap game was a club exclusive to:
-east coast accents (on & off stage)
-southern accents (on & off stage)
-humble beginnings like that of “in the hood flipping on pi/z/z/y mattresses” and other forms of hard hood life
-crack babies rapping over hot beats
-broken and barely understandable english
The rap game and its audience wants the respect of being perceived of more than that yet, want to act like y’all can’t see that Mr. Drake put his foot up in this game in a way that some other (clowns) did not.
Just because he doesn’t come from an unfortunate beginning doesn’t mean you can deny his hot $#!t. Be true to yourselves and “KEEP IT REAL.”
(when my other comment “awaiting moderation” is taken off hold by the moderator…you’ll better understand this comment as well).
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February 2nd, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Its an alright track. The verses are better than the hook and that beat is banging. Drake is usually the hook man he kills em i dont know who yesd him to death on this one though.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Now im someone that has always beleived drakes way into the game and his rise by linking up with ymcmb was one of the biggest cons hip hop has seen, the wool was pulled over our eyes and no one said anything about how rediculous someone with his resume and lack of authentic street and hip hop credentialsis killing the radio and the blogs the way he does.
When all the hype became unavoidable i gave in and actually listened to the guy, and you know what…like it or not THE KID CAN RAP. Part of the reason any of us are afforded the luxury of arguing over him being a gimmic or w.e is because like him or dislike him you have to accept that the guy has talent. And he did things his own way and created his own path. Im paraphrasing here but back in 08′ or 09′ when joe budden released that “who” song trying to figure out who killed hip hop, he said something along the lines of “how does something that continues to get older and progress not go through change” hip hop is a beautiful artform and its a medium that lets all our voices be heard, our joys our struggles, the street, how were living, and lets face it, “money cash hoes, money cash hoes” (hov voice)
Just because this generation of hip hop is differnt from the golden era doesnt make it trash, i love the classics, i love how we can look back and listen and enjoy those artist that established this genre for what it is today and realize those songs capture a moment in time. But we now live in a differnt time, and the music today is capturing THIS moment, THIS time.
Im hopefull for hip hop because i know that all this stark critisism will pass too, because in my mind its like asking what do you think the generation of rock and rollers who listend to chuck berry and elvis presley thought of led zeplein when they heard it. They proubably were making the same kinda “this is trash, this isnt what we came up on, this isnt the real” argument that some of you old heads are making when refrencing the old school to todays hip hop
We have to accept that with al genres of music there are artists who are a flash in the pan, a gimic and just a satirical reflectio of what the TRUE music is for that genre at that point in time. Thats why we have the waka flakas, the lil b’s, the trnidad james’s. Everything is cyclical.
Drake however isnt one of these garbage acts, hes good at what he does and even though i dont want to admit it, i didnt want to be be pulled into all the hype and bs, ima big fan of his music. He speaks to truths about being alive at this time and being a certain age and wanting certain things for yourself and your people that resinates with me. Much like the same could be said about the artists of yesteryear for some of you older cats…
That being said as much as i usually love drakes material…THIS SONG IS TRASH
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February 2nd, 2013 at 5:55 pm
IT BE THE 39 YEAR OLDS THAT BE LIKE “OH THIS AINT HIP HOP RUN DMC WAS HIP HOP RAKIM WAS HIP HOP”
YA OLD DUDES NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN RUN DMC AND RAKIM WAS OUT RAPPING AND BBOYING GRAFFITI STILL CO EXISTED WITH HIP HOP SHIT WAS TOGETHER.
HIP HOP TODAY DOESNT GO WELL WITH GRAFFITI SO ITS A DIFFERENT SCENERY FOR YOU OLD WASHED UP 39 YEAR OLD DUDES.
THIS SONG IS FIRE AND CANT WAIT TO WALK UP IN INFINITYS ON A WEDNSDAY POPPIN BOTTLES WITH MY PEOPLE TO THIS SONG. THIS IS A STRAIGHT CLUB HIT U CANT GET MAD AT HIM FOR MAKING SONGS WE CAN ALL RAP ALL WITH AND HAVE FUN WITH.
TAKE ALL THAT HATE SOMEWHERE ELSE ALL YOU 39 YEAR OLD DUDES CANT EVEN MAKE IT TO THE CLUB TO PROBABLY ENJOY THIS TRACK SO GET IN BACK OF THE LINE HATERS.
P.S FUCK YOU OLD WASHED UP GROWN MEN HATING ON A SONG THATS CLEARLY FUN TO LISTEN TO IN THE CLUB.
SAD THING YOU GUYS DONT LIKE THIS SONG BUT PROBABLY LISTENING TO ASAP ROCKY……HMMMMMM
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February 2nd, 2013 at 8:23 pm
drake is a booty popping monkey. If I dont believe you, I cant take you serious. wow, these young dumb kids( stans) really, really fucked up the game…..now were no different from pop and rock, and there was a time when pop artist and rock artist were dying to be hiphop or calloborate with rappers. now we turn rap to something sos fake, by accepting these fake ass niggas into the game, now rappers wanna be looking like pop tarts….fouck oout of here, drake you look like a junior camel, because we all know jay z is the king camel..
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ChicaGo-Getter Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Niggas said the same thing during Bad Boy’s reign. Nigga suck B.I.G.’s dick now but a lot of people were hating saying what he was doing wasn’t “real” Hip Hop.
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February 2nd, 2013 at 11:26 pm
As a 25 year old hip hop listener, I can honestly say this generation of hip hop LACKS SKILL period! I understand dope beats and club tracks but stans talkin about “it ain’t the 90’s no more” or “this one is the best” or “that one is the best” foh I don’t see how theres no skill anymore. So what exactly are you basing that off of? Personally I havent seen any candidates that even came close to takin Jay, NAS,3K or EM spot and please don’t mention Wayne because there will be no point in responding. I think Some of these guys are talented but hip hop as whole is lacking substance. Drake,Kendrick, K.R.I.T, Asap I have hope for, but soulja,trinidad,lil b,gucci, keef should never be taken seriously! we need more MC’s(like the 90’s)!
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February 3rd, 2013 at 1:16 am
This song is hot trash and I am a young hip-hop head. I was a huge Drake fan until his first album and to this day he has let me down. This track continues the trend.
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February 3rd, 2013 at 6:54 am
not a big drake fan but i respect his accomplishments.
that being said, i’m not too impressed with this song but i don’t really think it’s an official first single, just something to get ppl buzzin’.
i’ll also say he’s definitely doing something RIGHT if he has this many comments in 2 days (good + bad), i mean DAMN !! loll
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February 3rd, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I’m 21 years old going on 22. The first few hip hop songs I can remember were “Mo Money Mo Problems”, Pac’s “Changes”, “Hard Knock Life”, “Big Pimpin”. But at the same damn time I was raised on classic 90s rock as a baby: “Love Shack”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “November Rain”. I grew up in the TRL era and I bumped *NSYNC and all of them.
I wanted to say that to say this. Hip hop is a music genre at the end of the day. Stop fucking acting like its the best fucking genre out there and judging every rapper’s ‘realness’. THEY MAKE MUSIC, THIS ISN’T A REALITY TV SHOW ABOUT GANGSTAS. You want to see real g’s? Go watch Gangland, simple as that. Hip Hop is about 35 almost 40 years old now. Can you imagine yourself living the same life you were living 10-15 years ago? Stop glorying rappers as heroes, they’re selling you music so shut the fuck up.
With THAT being said. Give Drake his proper dues. He can rap. He’s not the best singer but dude can sing too. He’s more than just a rapper. He raps about real shit to me, as a kid who didn’t grow up in the ghetto. You hood niggas don’t need to like him but give the dude the credit he deserves as a dude who can rap well. Even if he was a fraud, WHO CARES? ITS SUPPOSED TO BE MUSIC! I was saying the same shit after Ross got exposed. Deeper Than Rap was a very underrated album because you idiots get butthurt thinking CB4 is real. Chris Rock made that movie to make fun of you stupid stans.
I won’t say this song isn’t mediocre because it is. A first single should be better than this and he’s given us better singles. But at the same time a first single is supposed to get your attention, which he did. I’m looking forward to the album.
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February 4th, 2013 at 4:08 am
im a Drake fan…. but this is absolute garbage. no way around it.
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March 21st, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Drake is the man,he always was the man,and in near future would still be the man,his lyrics are constantly outstanding,periodically smart that to get where he is you would to experience death first and wait for a defferent form of life and make sure he isn’t part of it again cause he would kill everything once
more……….he have an Guinness flow that’s never heard before untill him,not even biggy come close to this not even 2pac producers I trust like kanye west ,timberland,etc ain’t prepared enough to withstand this maneuver creature call Aubrey DRAKE graham ,oh God,the sound is everlasting man he is really living life on the edge, for all you new rappers i’m everything but sorry for you,wait for the next millennium and shit,drake is was will. Elevated biggy and 2pac I’ve admitted now ,God of flow as kanye west is the God of producers as Lil Wayne is the God of intelligence as jay Z is the God of old school rappers who still part of the top dogs etc undergoing
All this shit mentioned Aubrey drake graham killed all genres production flow intelligence and will be the old school new school conglomeration with flying colors ,it has happened
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March 21st, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Drake is the man,he always was the man,and in near future would still be the man,his lyrics are constantly outstanding,periodically smart that to get where he is you would have to experience death first and wait for a defferent form of life and make sure he isn’t part of it neither cause he would kill everything once
more……….he got that Guinness flow that’s never heard before untill him,not even biggy came close to this not even 2pac producers I trust like kanye west ,timberland,etc ain’t prepared enough to withstand this maneuver creature call Aubrey DRAKE graham ,oh God,the sound is everlasting man he is really living his life on the edge, for all you new rappers i’m everything but sorry for you,wait for the next millennium and shit,drake is was will. Elevated biggy and 2pac I’ve admitted now ,God of flow as kanye west is the God of producers as Lil Wayne is the God of intelligence as jay Z is the God of old school rappers who still part of the top dogs etc undergoing
All this shit mentioned Aubrey drake graham killed all genres production flow intelligence and will be the old school new school conglomeration with flying colors ,it has happened
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