It’s been said Drake can make even the most firmly placed of panty lines drop (even for that brief moment, Rihanna’s–though she seems the type to go commando) and prompt otherwise formerly innocent child stars to demand that he murder her pussy. Now, the talents of Drake also extend into getting ostensibly every actress (from Hollywood’s so-called diversity pool) together for the sole purpose of a music video. Last time one checked, this sort of fanfare had only been achieved by George Michael with the “Freedom ’90” video that managed to bring together the model likes of Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz, Cindy Crawford, Todo Segalla and Scott Benoit.
In Drake’s case, it’s some of the most sought after acting talent of the moment, including, but not limited to, Zoe Saldana, Jourdan Dunn, Issa Rae, Misty Copeland, Rashida Jones, Letitia Wright, Emma Roberts (begging the question: which one of these is not like the other?), Michelle Rodriguez, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tiffany Haddish, Olivia Wilde and Yara Shahidi.
And as the song opens, “I wanna know who muthafukkin’ representin’ in here tonight,” Olivia Wilde takes the spotlight in all her high-fashion grandeur as the sample for Lauryn Hill’s “Ex Factor” that has also been making the rounds in Cardi B’s “Be Careful” initiates the overall the theme of the song being, “How can I explain myself?”–negated by the fact that Drake is telling these take no prisoners dames that there is no need to explain themselves–in short, women are being nice for what? It’s not as though they’ve ever gotten much in return for that nicety. So why not just own up to “showin’ off” ’cause “it’s alright.” The only thing that’s not alright with it is that Drake seems to feel the need to assert this right for women as the empowered penis that he is. Sure, it’s great to have a man on the side of feminism for once, but Drake’s overzealousness can come on strong–sleazy even–at times, as when he notes, “You ain’t stressin’ off no lover in the past tense, you already had them.” It’s like he’s lying in wait to be the sloppy seconds if it means a taste of that bad bitch nectar. His knack for flattery persists as he paints the picture, “You know dark days, you know hard times.” Ergo, doesn’t a girl deserve to put her body/any other success that can be broadcast on blast for enduring all this bullshit? Drake’s expression of appreciation for women who aren’t afraid to use the power of the digital age (a.k.a. belfies on Instagram) to get ahead is, of course, likely to be one of the early summer anthems. It isn’t just asking what women should feel the need to be nice for, but also speaks to the evermore shattered notion that a female has to be soft and subdued–catch more flies with honey–in order to get what she wants, which, in this instance Drake speaks of, is attention. Unfortunately, one can’t help but think Drake is being nice for something with this video. More to the point, it wouldn’t be surprising if it turned out to be an undercover casting call for his latest girlfriend.
