In a great surprise that electrified the crowd, Drake, during the “It’s All A Blur Tour” stop at Montreal’s Bell Centre on Thursday (July 14), welcomed none other than J. Cole to the stage. The excitement was palpable as the acclaimed rapper, rocking a bright yellow shirt claiming, “The game has changed, you have been warned,” made his way through the sea of fans.

Before his entry, Cole joined Drake onstage, performing the Dreamville CEO’s 2014 hit “No Role Modelz.” This nostalgic moment left the audience in shambles, a testament to their longstanding musical camaraderie.

Earlier this year, in April, the duo offered a unique joint performance at the Dreamville Festival 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Noteworthy is their track record of showing up at each other’s concerts, a tradition dating back to their first collaboration over a decade ago.

It was a memorable night in 2021 when Drake unexpectedly showed up at Cole’s Miami gig, delivering a three-song performance from his Certified Lover Boy album. Drake’s spontaneous tribute to Cole that night — “You are genuinely, without a doubt, one of the greatest rappers to ever touch a mic” — continues to echo in the rap world. Check out a video via wordonrd on Instagram.

Despite a decadelong friendship, the pair has only a few collaborations, including the popular “In The Morning” from 2010 and “Jodeci Freestyle” from 2013. However, their mutual artistic respect is well-documented, with both artists sharing beats for their respective projects and consistently celebrating each other’s work onstage.

These rap icons’ unexpected union exhilarated fans at the Montreal show. The two rappers have always shared a mutual respect. The night was another memorable chapter in their shared musical journey, leaving attendees and fans worldwide eager for their next collaboration.