Jumpman - Intellectual

Air Jordan’s logo is the Jumpman, and its namesake, Michael Jordan, wore #23 during his NBA career. When Drake posted a picture of himself with Future on Instagram, speculation about a collaboration between the two artists began.

“Up to something,” coupled with leaving the country, implies some kind of illegal activity. In the What A Time to Be Alive vlog, Drake and Future’s crews are in Atlanta. Since Drake’s Canadian, it’s likely he really did spend a few weeks in the United States to record the project. The felony? Dropping this tape on the rap game unannounced.

Like drug addicts, Drake’s fans can’t wait for their next full length album dosage. Whilst no concrete release date has been set for his huge project, Views From The 6, Drake continues to drop hints that it is on it’s way.

At this point, Drake is as recognizable in hip hop as Michael Jordan is in sport. Both are titans of pop culture. Both have such distinctive characteristics (Drake’s voice, the Air Jordan symbol) that introductions are not necessary.

Metro Boomin, however, is not quite at that level, although he has been a central player in the formation of the ATL Trap sound. He is credited as the executive producer on What A Time to Be Alive, as he produced or co-produced 7 of the 11 tracks on the project, including this one. Drake also shouted young Metro out on “Scholarships.”

Drake’s treatment of the lower classes is picked up by Future, who plays with the basketball theme of the track, and vetoes this girl’s attempt to join his entourage. Don’t forget Future has incredibly high standards. If you’re lacking, you won’t be put on rotation.

NBA games air on TNT. Drake is regularly seen courtside during games. Flexing with his lint roller…

In 2013, Drake was named the ambassador for his hometown team, the Toronto Raptors.

Nobu is worldwide chain of high quality Japanese restaurants, with this particular reference to the West Hollywood location, designed by world renowned architect David Rockwell. Renting one of the dining rooms out for a private dinner is a sure sign of wealth. Their website doesn’t list a price. If you have to ask…

Additionally, Nobu sounds like “no boo”, and could be considered a continuation of the previous line, suggesting Future doesn’t like to take women on dates.

Nobu gets a solid following with the hip-hop crowd. Drake referenced it on “Who Do You Love”:

And man shout my nigga Game he just rolled through / Eatin' crab out in Malibu at Nobu

An allusion to Usher’s popular song, “U Don’t Have to Call.” Usher’s known for being an exceptional dancer, so it makes sense for Drake to emulate him, as Drake famously attempted at OVO Fest 2014.

Incidentally, a version of “U Don’t Have to Call” made its way on to Erykah Badu’s stellar 2016 release “U Cain’t Use My Phone,” a concept-mixtape of telephonic songs, which may have taken as its jumping off point Drake’s other massive hit of the year, “Hotline Bling.”

“If Young Metro don’t trust you” is a sample taken from Uncle Murda’s song “Right Now.” On the chorus of “Right Now,” Future drops this line. Here, it is used as Metro Boomin’s production tag, similar to DJ Mustard’s “Mustard on the beat, ho!”

Halloween is in October, thus, referring to October’s Very Own, as seen on “I’m the Plug.”

Taliban represents the trap music movement. The name was popularized in hip-hop by The Diplomats back in 2003, but Metro Boomin revitalized it after reminding his Twitter followers of a lyric from “Rubber Band Man” by T.I.:

“Freeband Taliban” is a song by Future and Stuey Rock and Metro sometimes uses “Taliban” as a hashtag in his tweets.

Notably, the reference to the Taliban was removed from the censored version of the song and was also omitted from Apple Music’s ad featuring Taylor Swift.

After Drake’s famous line on “Back To Back”:

You gon' make me buy bottles for Charlamagne
You gon' make me go out of my fuckin' way

He continues the reference (and confirms the sneak Meek diss) by alluding to the hashtag #IDontKnoNothing, popularized by Charlemagne collaborator Wax.

He “doesn’t know nothing,” which means he knows something. A dig at the wealth of double negatives in rap music. This concept has been reiterated by Drake on several occasions, such as the outro of his song “Used To” and his verse on “HYFR.”

Producer DJ Mustard has made countless hits off his Bay Area sound. His songs typically reside around the 95 BPM range. He’s also hit on a sound that is incredibly popular and stuck with it, unflinchingly.

As it turns out, DJ Mustard’s favorite rapper is Drake.

Although Jordan Brand usually only collaborates with athletes, they’ve repeatedly collaborated with Drake. His Jordan collection includes OVO-themed colorways of classic models: the 8, 10, and the 12.

Robitussin is a brand of cough syrup that can be used to make an alternative version of syrup (lean), with DXM, but though this is a odd reference by Drake to stay with the rhyme scheme, there is a Robitussin Syrup with Codeine in it:
ROBITUSSIN AC guaifenesin/codeine.

Robitussin rhymes wonderfully with “up to something”, but with the wealth of Actavis references on the record, and given its discontinuation and the fact it is difficult to obtain legally, Drake is stepping clean around those he can’t trust.

It’s also a reference to Jordan’s famous “Flu Game” during the 1997 NBA Finals. Just before Game 5, Jordan was barely able to sit up due to severe food poisoning. He managed to complete the game and dominate it for the Bulls, completing one of the most iconic games of basketball of all time.

Drake also fake coughs three times to start this line, implying that he isn’t sick enough to warrant taking Robitussin, but that he still wants to take Robitussin to feel the effects of the high.

“Magic City” is the name of a famous Atlanta strip club, known for being the place where:

Fortunes rain from the rafters, where women with impossible bodies call the shots, and where a DJ who spins your track can make you a star.

It’s an exclusive strip club for rappers and producers to meet, listen to live music on stage, and get crazy intoxicated. DJ Esoco’s set is on a Monday night, so it’s likely Drake and Future stopped by while recording the mixtape.

Future is a frequent visitor to this spot, and in fact jumpstarted his career by getting publicity from playing his music at the club:

Consider the rapper Future. Not five years ago, Future was virtually unknown. He used to hang out at Magic City every week, back near the DJ booth. Esco started playing Future’s music. Esco started playing his music a lot. Eventually Future started to dominate Magic City. And when he started dominating Magic City, suddenly he was played on the radio; suddenly he signed a major record deal. Suddenly, Future became a guy who gets engaged to Ciara and takes her to sit in the front row at Milan Fashion Week.

Future’s relationship with dealing is storied and extensive, and it is a persona he is unwilling to part with. He’s earned enough money to leave the trap life alone, but it’s a hobby and a passion for him, so he keeps his hand in the game.

If Future has the means to drop $60k on a Monday at a strip club, he no longer requires his trap house income.

Future’s relationship with Ciara ended in 2014. The breakup has turned messy with aggressive exchanges between him and her new boyfriend, Russell Wilson.

Future has stated that he didn’t actually break up with her, he just called off their wedding.

The celebrity denied that he broke up with the “I Bet” singer, instead saying that he just called off the wedding after some disagreements on the direction of the actual wedding planning.

This line plays on the expression, “When I say ‘Jump!’, you say ‘How high?’” It is typically used to convey a sense of dominance.

Drake is either a mentor, or a dominant lover in this situation. He echoed the same sentiment on “Preach”,

I’ve got to do some reflecting
I’ve got to find me one out here that is good at taking direction

A much calmer mindset focused on cultivating a relationship rather than cultivating a dominant sexual situation.

Drake shouts out fellow Toronto rapper Mo-G’s song “Still,” which has its own dance. Drake mimics the dance in his “Energy” video.

San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili shoots left-handed, so that hand will always be raised on his followthrough. Drake actually shoots right-handed, but we get the feeling he won’t be hitting threes anytime soon.

Former NBA center Dikembe Mutombo is widely regarded as one of the best shot-blockers of all time. He was well-known for his “finger-wag” gesture after blocking a shot. The ladies “reject” Drake’s competition much like Dikembe denied shots on the court.

Rumor has it, Dikembe once entered a Georgetown club and said “WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO?” We can imagine Drake getting away with something similar.

Jordan is a confirmed Drake fan, with their sneaker collaboration dating back to 2013. The OVO Jordan 10’s are set for a re-release after their April debut, and Drake joins some distinguished alumni in the “I’ve got Jordan on the text” school.

Of course Drake’s love of basketball has led some corners to claim he is the perfect basketball wife.

Future’s Bentley Flying Spur has the same colorway as the San Antonio Spurs: black, white, and silver.

He also owns a Rolls Royce Phantom, so you can never catch up to him like defenders couldn’t stop Michael Jordan’s fadeaway jumpshot.

Drake has deep ties with Memphis, his father’s hometown and a regular haunt of his during childhood.

I miss Memphis, Tennessee, my cousins, my dad
The simplistic beauty that all of them Southerners have.

Equating his drug dealing skills with that of Michael Jordan’s sporting ability could be fraught with danger, but time and time again Future has claimed to be an expert trapper. His current drug intake would suggest he’s getting very high off his own supply, and the imagery of guns laying about and money everywhere doesn’t feel romantic at all; it feels like hard-boiled ghetto life.

Liquid is never far from Future’s mind, or body. And picking up girls at a strip club isn’t easy, even when you are the plug. Flooding a chain is even harder. It might be easy to flood a big faced Rolex, but a chain is more difficult.

Anything can be done for the right price though…

A cup full of dirty sprite and a chain iced out with diamonds is a surefire way to impress the opposite sex.

Chanel N°9 and Chanel N°5 are luxury perfumes by French designer Coco Chanel.

Chanel N°5 is still produced today and is considered a standard in luxury perfume. Chanel N°9 has not been produced since the early 1900s and is very rare, sightings are even rarer.

Additionally, “Chanel No. 9” is also an expensive combination of high-quality cocaine, pure ecstasy, and Special K that produces waves of euphoria lasting for hours.

An incredibly considerate gesture. Drake has the girl’s car parked for her so she doesn’t have to worry about parking. Parking is evidently at a premium, despite his huge acreage. The driveway is most likely packed with cars due to Drake’s exuberant loins.

Codeine is a depressant, whilst Adderall is a stimulant. Combining the two is called “Speedballing,” and results in a specific high.

Such is Future’s dependence on these drugs, he requires an abnormal amount of codeine to feel “normal” in order to function. To balance, and to actually be able to move around and rap, he pops Adderall to provide energy.

He actually does seem to care. As he recently said on The Breakfast Club, “{It’s} too much. I need to stop. Now. For my sons that’s listening, I’m about to stop.”

Future wears his wealth. Whether he is draped in designer clothing or weighed down by flooded chains, there’s a bank account worth of cash hanging off his body.

According to Celebrity Net Wealth, Future is worth 30 million dollars. Since a “rack” is worth 1,000, that’s 30,000 racks Future has to count.

Drake is no stranger to lacing women with expensive items. Céline is a high end French fashion label, and Drizzy has been known to indulge in the odd lobster and steak. On the flip side, women below the Drake stratosphere are treated to fast food.

Women that seek to diss Drake turn their twitter fingers in to chicken fingers, made even more potent by Meek Mill’s conspicuous absence.