Drake proves he loves Charlotte with a new song and promises “something special” with J. Cole

Drake proves he loves Charlotte with a new song and promises “something special” with J. Cole

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 02: J. Cole (L) and Drake (R) perform during the Dreamville Festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 02, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo: Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share by Email
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share by Email

“I’m out here on the road. You can hear it in my voice,” Drake says within the first few seconds of his latest single, “8AM in Charlotte.”

Driving the news: The rapper released the new song, presumably recorded in Charlotte, and a music video featuring his son, Adonis, on Oct. 5. It’s the second single from Drake’s latest album “For All the Dogs.'”

Why it matters: It seems like Drake took a liking to Charlotte during his multi-night stint here. In addition to the shoutout in the song title, Drake said he and J. Cole, a Fayetteville native, are “gonna put something real special together for Charlotte,” a video from the concert posted by a J. Cole fan account shows.

[Go deeper: Michael Jordan to sell his majority stake in the Hornets to buyers that include J. Cole, Eric Church]

Context: Timestamp songs are sort of Drake’s thing. They’re named after the literal time and place he recorded them, as Complex’s Jordan Rose points out, adding that they “all mark a distinct moment in his career.”

  • His first timestamp song, “9AM in Dallas,” was released in 2010 ahead of his debut album.
  • “5AM in Toronto,” in his album “Care Package,” was released in 2013.
  • “6PM in New York,” appeared in his “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” album in 2015.
  • “4PM in Calabasas,” a shoutout to the ritzy California neighborhood, was released in 2016.
  • “7AM on Bridle Path” was released in 2021 and is a nod to his estate in Toronto.

Flashback: Drake and J. Cole performed together in Raleigh earlier this year at J. Cole’s Dreamville festival.

Go deeper: 10 concerts coming to Charlotte in October, including Suki Waterhouse and John Mayer

1057 Total Views 2 Views Today
Story Views:
SIGN UP
Join the 119,249 smart Charlotteans that receive our daily newsletter.
"It's good. I promise." - Emma   Emma Way