Drake Talks Next Album, Rita Ora, and Getting 'Punk'd'
Drake made the media rounds during his visit to the U.K. this week for his sold-out “Club Paradise” concerts at London’s O2 Arena. The Young Money star, whose video for “Take Care” with Rihanna is set to debut this week, chatted with KISS FM about working with Jamie xx on the follow-up to Take Care, writing a song for his “little brother” Justin Bieber, and the gift Rita Ora gave him.
He also shared his scary experience being “Punk’d” by his friend CJ and Ashton Kutcher. “I thought I was gonna die,” Drizzy told Tim Westwood.
Read highlights from both interviews below.
On why he’s able to appeal to men as well as women: “There’s some people who aren’t comfortable in their own skin so they kinda lash out at other people who are. I think for the majority of men, there’s a mutual respect when you see another dude who’s doing his thing, who’s getting girls, who’s doing a great job at getting money, and he’s doing it all by being himself.”
On his next album: “I’m sort of at that place where I’m collecting beats. I recently did some work with 2 Chainz. I really want [Jamie xx] to have a big presence on this next album. [Noah “40” Shebib] is back home working on an incredible project. I can’t wait to get back there and work with him.”
On Rita Ora: “One of the greatest gifts I ever received in my whole life—I wear it every day—is this ring right here. They tried to talk about this ring the other day and say I got married to somebody, which I didn’t. Rita actually gave me this ring. We’re dear friends. ‘R.I.P.’ is a song that I originally wrote for Rihanna. Rihanna actually didn’t take the song. I think it was for [Loud] and Rita expressed interest in it and anything I can do for Rita, I will do.”
On writing for Justin Bieber’s upcoming album Believe: “We actually only spent one night in the studio. I was trying to spend a week and get some great songs for him. I heard his single [‘Boyfriend’] the other day. I’m really proud of him. It sounds like a growth. I wrote one song and I believe I’m supposed to finish it this week.”
On getting “Punk’d”: “My friend CJ punk’d me the other day with Ashton Kutcher. I thought I was gonna die, man. That’s how severe it was. ‘Punk’d’ used to be about getting angry, but the new ‘Punk’d’ is like, ‘Hey man, are you gonna have your life at the end of this?’ I thought I was gonna die, to the point where I was calling my mom.”