Drake singlehandedly lifted Queen’s students spirits.
Canadian icon, Drake, shouted out “Queen’s University” on one of his recent albums, Habibti, in the song, “Slap The City” featuring Qendresa, with the line, “you went to Queen’s University, now you a graduate, shout out your family them.” The Queen’s cameo has caused quite a stir, with many Queen’s students expressing excitement.
“We just went up in the rankings after that,” a Reddit user wrote about the line. As well, Queen’s Rector Niki Boytchuk-Hale and Queen’s micro-influencer, Alexa Pae, both featured the song on their social medias, with Pae writing: “If Drake’s new song isn’t a sign for you to choose Queen’s University, I don’t know what is.”
If you happened to miss this semi-breaking Queen’s news, not to fear. At the end of June, class of ’26 students are sure to be flooding their Instagram posts with convocation photos, covered with this particular line.
On a real note, if you did miss this guest appearance, it wouldn’t be a shock given the sheer amount of music that our honorary Gael released on May 15. After Drake’s masterclass in album promotion, leaving stacks of ice blocks in Toronto’s Bond Hotel’s parking lot with the release day hidden inside, Drake fans patiently awaited the drop of Iceman, an album he’s been teasing for over a year.
But turns out, Iceman wasn’t the only surprise. Drake ended up releasing three albums that night. Iceman, the long-awaited rap album that includes a Future feature, Habibti, a slower, more R&B album, and Maid of Honour, his most experimental of the three, as he dabbles with house music.
Some have speculated that the reason for the mass release is a strategy to get out of his deal with Universal Music Group, who Drake sued last year for defamation, alleging the label promoted Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” The rumours may be right as Drake himself alludes to this reality on Iceman with bars like, “swear my label gotta free me, baby,” from “Janice STFU” and “I’m better off independent” on “Make Them Pay.”
The night his albums dropped, May 14-15, the CN Tower was lit up in icy blue to celebrate the release of Iceman and as a tribute to the artist who’s made “the 6” his own.
Whatever the reason for the mass drop, some feel the three albums are a quantity over quality choice. Turns out being shouted out in a lyric on Habibti may not be the flex we thought it was, as some have taken to Instagram to poke fun at some of Drake’s lyrics for being cringe and shallow.
An example of this questionable lyricism is on Habibti’s “Fortworth” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, where Drake whines, “the AC is broken, my hotel is hot as hell, runnin’ out of sodas, might walk to Circle K alone.” Another personal favourite is off the same album in “Prioritizing”: “How many matchas can you consume in a day?”
Regardless of how critical you are of his lines, Drake has managed to successfully connect with and relate to Queen’s students, thanks to “Slap The City.” And honestly, hey, I’ve had to walk to Circle K alone a few times this summer, so he’s real for that too.
After all that Toronto’s done to celebrate Drake’s massive return, the jury’s still out on what Queen’s will do to commemorate Drake’s mention. All I can say is Stauffer would look good in icy blue.
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