Drake shook the music world on August 6 by dropping a colossal 100GB folder of data on a new website, 100gigs.org, per theneedledrop. This massive release, announced via his Instagram story, includes a treasure trove of unreleased tracks, demos, and exclusive content like behind-the-scenes footage. The Canadian rapper's bold move offers fans an in-depth look at his creative process and unreleased material.
A Wealth of New Material
The data dump is a goldmine for Drake enthusiasts. Among the highlights are new songs featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage on “It's Up,” and a collaboration with Latto on “HouseKeeping Knows,” produced by Gordo. This substantial release showcases a significant shift in music distribution, with Drake opting to share his work directly with fans in an unprecedented manner.
This release also marks Drake's first major drop since his feud with Kendrick Lamar, apart from his features on summer tracks like Snowd4y's “Wag Gwan Delilah” and Gordo's “Sideways.” Interestingly, 21 Savage's appearance on “It's Up” challenges some of the claims Lamar made in his diss track “Not Like Us” about Atlanta rappers.
Mixed Reactions from Fans
Despite the wealth of content, fan reactions have been mixed. Some feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material, finding it difficult to wade through hours of music video outtakes and studio sessions. The general sentiment seems to be that Kendrick Lamar emerged victorious from their beef, casting a shadow over Drake's latest efforts.
On social media, users expressed varied opinions. One X user, @xHollywoodCourt, lamented, “Drake's music doesn’t hit the same since the Kendrick beef. I can’t explain it and don’t know why.” Another user noted, “If Drake is waiving the white flag, it was a hell of a run. At the end of the day, I’m sure at this point of his life, he doesn’t wanna tour nonstop in his 40s. I get it. But damn. Kendrick ended that man.”
Others see this massive drop as Drake's attempt to shift the narrative about him. His approval rating has dipped, and this release seems like an effort to recapture his peak and deflect recent negative attention. As one savvy user tweeted, “100 gigs sh-t proves to me that Drake can’t handle being talked about in negative manners like this.”
In the end, while the release showcases Drake's extensive body of work, it also highlights the challenges he faces in maintaining his dominance in the music industry. Whether this bold move will resonate with fans or fall flat remains to be seen.