Drake’s power came from the fact that he never needed to chase a hit: He could rap, sing, dip his toes in any global subgenre, and the risk would pay off. Even when one of his hits had a gimmick attached—like the Shiggy dance phenom on “In My Feelings” or the “Hotline Bling” memes—it was always somewhat organic. His latest single, “Toosie Slide,” has none of the subtlety of his previous releases, and, for the first time, Drake feels like he’s a step behind. Out of boredom, paranoia, or desperation, he’s made a song to push a dance designed for TikTok virality.
To be fair, “Toosie Slide” will make an impact on TikTok; in fact, it already has. The dance, which is a simple slide to the left and right, will be a breath of fresh air for people tired of the choreography-heavy moves popular right now—it takes the effort of Beyoncé in Homecoming to learn the Renegade dance. But the song itself is an afterthought, a blank slate that actively tries to not distract from the dance. He’s back to rapping like mafia boss Drake, which is where he excels, but the bars are throwaways: “Got so many opps, I be mistakin’ opps for other opps,” he sing-raps, over OZ production that is almost unnoticeable. There’s no signature Drake line that’s so corny it becomes inescapable, or any moment worthy of being added to Drake lore. “Toosie Slide” is strictly a business decision. But hip-hop shouldn’t be about commending the smartest marketer; its focus should be on creating good songs, and as far as Drake singles go, “Toosie Slide” is a lackluster one.
