A History Of Drake & Kanye's Collaborations

Kanye first brought up the possibility of a collaborative project with Drake a year or so back, revealing that the project, which was merely an idea at that point was at one point titled Wolves. At the time, Kanye wasn't too confident that the album would ever happen, but when he made a surprise appearance at Drake's 7th annual OVO Fest on Monday, he got the conversation going once again, confirming that a collaborative project between the two rapper was on the way. 

Following Ye's announcement, we've decided to go back through the small but interesting collection of work the two have done together. From videos to production credits, to unreleased songs. Take a look through, and let us know what you expect from the project (if it ever comes out) in the comments below.

The first time Drake and Kanye ever joined forces was actually not an entirely musical collaboration. Kanye was enlisted to direct the video for Drake's 2009 breakthrough single, "Best I Ever Had," and as most Kanye videos have been, it was both memorable and divisive. The clip followed Drake's coaching of a women's basketball team, as he picks out skimpy uniforms, and teaches them how to stretch, ultimately leading to the team not really knowing how to play. It was a humorous take on the song's "you the fucking best," concept, but whether its satirical approach was a success or failure was a point of debate at the time.

"Forever"

The first time we ever heard Drake and Kanye West on a track together was "Forever," a crew track also featuring Lil Wayne and Eminem, released in promotion of Lebron James' More Than A Game documentary. It was a weird time in hip-hop; the peak of the short-lived hashtag rap craze, and as a result, Drake's verse has aged poorly ("Swimming in the money, come and find me, Nemo"). While it may not be their best work together, "Forever" is important in putting Drake on a track with a collection of big league artists, where he and Ye could make eye contact for the first time. It was the understudy shaking hands with the creator, and the start of what would be come a friendly but also competitive relationship between the two.

"Show Me A Good Time" and "Find Your Love"

The influence of Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak was fairly out in the open on Drake's So Far Gone, with the Toronto rapper at one point even choosing "Say You Will," the opening track from Ye's confessional LP, to rap over on his own "Say What's Real." Therefore, it only made sense for Kanye to supply Drizzy with some 808s-esque beats on his on his official debut album, Thank Me Later, supplying the some distorted, synthetic sounds to both "Show Me A Good Time" and "Find Your Love." Jeff Bhasker and No ID, who each co-produced a handful of records on 808s, are also credited on the songs, and "Find Your Love" in particular sounds like something from the cutting room floor of the album sessions. These records are a testament to the compatibility of the two rappers, each not afraid to embrace melody or more emotional topics in their music.

"All Of The Lights" and the unreleased remix

If you listen very closely, you can hear Drake's "All Of The Lights" harmony buried in the mix of Elton John, La Roux, The-Dream, and many more, but he's much more prominent in the remix, a demo that leaked around the time of the album. Along with Lil Wayne and Big Sean, Drake has a full 16 on this version of the song, proving that he and Ye were still working together at this point in time. While it's hard to top the original version, Drake sounds very comfortable on the maximal beat, showing he can keep up with Ye at his most extravagant.

"Blessings"

Following My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Drake and Kanye retreated to their respective corners for a few years, becoming more competitive than ever. Kanye has even said that Watch The Throne was a response to his awareness of Drake's threatening come-up, and he'd later admit that Drizzy had a couple of summers on lock. After making an appearance at OVO Fest, the two joined forces once again, and returned on-record with "Blessings," a Big Sean track that Kanye decided to hop on at the last minute. It became a hit, showcasing the power the two have as a team, and perhaps planting the idea of a possible joint project.

"30 Hours"

Kanye like to keep his recording sessions as collaborative as possible, and as a result, the writing credits on his albums can be pretty dense. A look through The Life Of Pablo's fine print shows that Drake had a hand in "30 Hours," and as one of the album's best tracks, particularly from a writing perspective, it bodes well for further collaboration between the two. It also has us thinking about what Drake could've done with a full 16, there's certainly room for one.

"Pop Style," "Feel No Ways," and "U With Me?"

Kanye's most obvious contribution to Drake's VIEWS era was "Pop Style;" the original version of which featured himself and Jay Z. It's probably the best indication of what a Drake and Kanye joint album might sound like at this point in time. Less obvious are Kanye's production contributions to the album, being credited as a co-producer on both "U With Me?" and "Feel No Ways." Among many other contributors to the songs, it's impossible to know exactly what Ye put forth, but given that they are two of the strongest songs on the album, it's nothing if not a good sign.