Drake's "Shabang" Sparks Latest "ICEMAN" Viral Challenge

BY Aron A.
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Mar 4, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors ambassador and rap artist Drake celebrates a basket by his team against the
Mar 4, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors ambassador and rap artist Drake celebrates a basket by his team against the Portland Trail Blazers at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Trail Blazers 117-115. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images/USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Maneesh on the beat...

Most people won’t admit it, but let’s be honest: Drake came through with some heat on ICEMAN. Janice STFU” spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, with many people expecting it to be the song of the summer. However, if social media has any say in what ends up dominating the coming months, there’s another record on ICEMAN that’s likely to give “Janice STFU” a run for its money: “Shabang.

The song’s already garnered plenty of attention for Toronto-based producer Maneesh On The Beat, who has worked with Drake in the past. But the amount of love the song’s gained on platforms like Instagram and TikTok has spawned a brand new viral challenge. 

The song, which boasts production from Maneesh On The Beat and 40, stood at #4 on the Hot 100 last week and likely will continue climbing the chart. The viral challenge sees fans video-editing items, like drinks, appearing out of thin air during the hook of the song where Drake raps, “Maneesh on the beat, shabang/ All of my opps, they dead.” The challenge is garnering attention from celebrities like Summer Walker and even Joe Jonas.

Drake Scores Third Week On Top Of The Charts

Evidently, we’re seeing Drake return as the reigning king of the summer this year. The release of ICEMAN has marked his latest #1 album, and it has retained that position for the third week in a row. Although his two companion albums, Maid of Honour and Habibti, have slid down the charts, it feels like we will probably see either one of them spike in sales at some point in the summer. 

Check out the collection of videos of people doing the “Shabang” challenge above and sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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