After the release of Drake's "8 AM in Charlotte," Billboard takes a look at Drake's celebrated timestamp series.
During the wee hours of the morning (Oct. 5), Drake posted a six-minute video on Instagram titled “8 AM in Charlotte.”
For 6 God enthusiasts, this latest release is a callback to Drake’s revered “AM to PM” series. Dating back to its first entry back in 2010, “9 AM in Dallas,” over the years, Drake has feasted on instrumentals and delivered no-hook records, flexing his muscles and voicing his frustrations — often with specific (and much buzzed-about) targets in mind. Though these songs have been few and far between, and often not officially released to streaming services (at least not at first), they serve as blockbuster moments in Drake’s catalog and are ranked very high among his best moments by longtime fans.
While some of his timestamp records would eventually find their way onto projects a la “6 PM in New York” or “7 AM in Bridle Path,” others would fall unexpectedly from the sky and cause immense impact upon arrival. In this case, “8 AM in Charlotte” comes on the eve of his upcoming albumFor All the Dogs — which is supposed to finally be dropping at midnight tonight, after several false starts and delays, and while Drake in in the midst of wrapping up the final dates his It’s All a Blur Tour alongside Her Loss partner 21 Savage.
Bellow, Billboard ranks all six songs in Drake’s “AM to PM” series below.
Disclaimer: Though some fans consider “Do Not Disturb” as “7 AM in Germany” we didn’t include it, simply because it’s not the official name of the song.
"4 PM in Calabasas" (2016)
“Calabasas” is the fourth edition in Drake’s “AM to PM” series, and finds The Boy with more of a jiggy flow. Instead of dipping his feet in another ominous instrumental, he gives Puff’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” a modern-day facelift. Drake takes a victory lap, proclaiming OVO as the new-age Yankees while throwing an array of jabs at Joe Budden and Diddy. And while thelinemay seem like a stretch to some (“They whole demeanor just spells envy, they tryna tempt me”), it was directed at the “Pump It Up” MC, who later released a myriad of diss tracks aimed at Drake. From the Diddy ad-libs (“Take That”) to the reinvention of the Bad Boy classic, Drake’s troll level was on 100 here."9 AM in Dallas" (2010)
On the eve of his hotly anticipated 2010 debut album,Thank Me Later, Drake unleashed an incredible display of lyricism, marking the beginning of his timestamp series. “9 AM In Dallas” finds a 23-year-old on the precipice of superstardom, brimming with confidence. “People ask how music is goin’, I heard it pays/ I just came off makin’ two million in thirty days,” he buoyantly raps at the start of his exhibition. And despite the spirited showcase, he still displays his insecurities, rhyming about the thought of failure and not exceeding expectations. “What if I don’t really do the numbers they predict?/ Considerin’ the fact that I’m the one that they just picked,” he questions later in the song."8 AM in Charlotte" (2023)
The storyline aroundFor All the Dogshas been interesting. Though Drake scored another Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with “Slime You Out” with SZA, the record fell out of the top 10 in its second week and was panned by critics, most notably Charlamagne Tha God, for its vanilla lyrics. That said, it’s no coincidence that Drake shifted gears hours ahead of his anticipated release to restore faith in his fanbase.
“Charlotte” is where Drake thrives: a soul-stirring soundscape with punchy Instagram-worthy captions. In the song’s third verse, the self-proclaimed “Petty King” leans on his thrill for destruction and enters Godfather mode, reminding his adversaries why beefing with him will always remain a lifelong war. “Next thing you know, we tip-toein’ past enemy lines/ Diss me so long ago, we making your memories fly/ Conspiracy theories start floatin’ ’round like the Kennedy guy/ I’ll prolly hold a grudge against you guys ’til I’m seventy-five,” he says."7 AM on Bridle Path" (2021)
The feud between Drake and Kanye West was a weary one. Dating back to 2018’sScorpion, The Boy was loading up artillery, firing away shots at Ye’ and his Good Music tribe, most notably Pusha T. “Bridle Path” was probably Drizzy’s most scathing attempt, as he pointedly aims at his idol-turned-rival, who looked to rattle the Toronto star when he posted his home address on Instagram ahead of Drake’s CLB album release. “Give that address to your driver, make it your destination/ ‘Stead of just a post out of desperation,” he mocked Ye.
The elevation in contempt and Drake’s rhyme scheme are evident in “Bridle” compared to “Dallas.” His metaphors are sharper and more complex, with rhymes like “Clouds is hanging over you now, ’cause I’m reigning supreme” or “If we talkin’ top three, then you been slidin’ to third like stolen bases.”"6 PM in New York" (2015)
“New York” is probably one of Drake’s most underrated songs. While the level of focus and aggression remains top-tier, his energy is different. Yes, he pokes fun at his Young Money teammate, Tyga — and even throws stones at The Throne — but the theme of “New York” centers around sacrifice and reflection. Deep ruminations of what the future holds for a then 27-year-old Drake are what propels the record to a higher stratosphere. The following eight bars are some of the strongest of Drake’s career, where he conveys confidence and fear simultaneously.
“Last night I went to sleep wanting more/ Tryna decide what direction I should go towards/ Some nights I wish I could go back in life/ Not to change sh-t, just to feel a couple things twice / 28 at midnight, wonder what’s next for me/ Longevity, wonder how long they’ll check for me/ Prolly forever if I stay in my zone/ I speak on this generation, but can’t change it alone.”
Though Drake typically relishes the villainous role, he understands that moving mountains, especially for his generation, will require more support. Thankfully, Kendrick and Cole have done that alongside him at high levels."5 AM in Toronto" (2013)
By this time, Drake wasn’t the same wide-eyed rookie looking to befriend his idols. Though he was at the top of his game, releasing two Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, including his 2011 sophom*ore attempt,Take Care — a nod back to hisSo Far Gonedays — by this era of his career, he was a bloodthirsty MC looking to behead his foes in search of sheer dominance. The production of “5 AM” is dark and menacing, which allows a trigger-happy Drake to send a volley of shots towards the competition. He revels in his platinum status, acknowledging how every song sounds like “Drake featuring Drake,” while quipping that without him, “The rap game is a bunch of corpses.”
In actuality, “Toronto” was the equivalent of LeBron James’ emphatic 2012 Game 6 performance against the Boston Celtics, where he poured 45 points and saved his legacy. By 2012, the stats and acclaim were in Drake’s favor, but he needed another lyrical dagger to reaffirm his position in the GOAT race. This song was it.
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