In the closing days of the year, Drake wants the last word in 2019. He drops a new song and music video with an eyebrow-raising title “War.” The OVO compilation inclusion (embedded below) declares armistice with one artist Drizzy was rumored to be in a rift with. It also takes a few jabs at his ongoing opponents.

From the opening bars, Drake references his affiliate Chubbs allegedly breaking the jaw of hit-making producer Detail. He continues, taking more shots, “Used to look up to a man from certain ends with tune on repeat / Thought he was a bad boy, then ’til man got pinched, and man went PC / Man went PC just like Dell and Windows, some man been those / Before I was ever around Kendall’s, I was at ends though, dreamin’ up Enzo’s.” The bars call out a snitch that Drizzy once looked up to, and strike the gossip columns by referencing to hanging out with Kendall Jenner, sister-in-law to perceived foe Kanye West. ‘Ye has already made it clear that he feels Drake’s lyrics about family and lyrics about Calabasas street directions have been too close for comfort. “The woman I do end up with has to be a bad girl just like Munchy / Can’t have no pretentious ting when I know this road gets bumpy.” Mentions of “bad girl” and “bad boy” fan the flames that Drake is subliminally addressing Puff Daddy and Rihanna, respectively. He has had controversial public encounters with each. In October, RiRi showed up for Drake’s birthday party.

Drake Accuses Pusha-T Of Snitching In A New Song Celebrating The Raptors

For years, Drake and Pusha-T have had an ongoing war of words, with the battles reaching a fever pitch in 2018. In that year, the two traded scathing diss records, with Pusha-T revealing to the world that Drake had fathered a secret child and taunting 40, Drake’s longtime friend a producer, who is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Pusha’s response came after Drake referenced Push’s fianceé in his own battle record. The rumor mill speculated that Drake had a response record that would “end Pusha’s career,” but he was allegedly told not to release it, by Rap-A-Lot founder J. Prince.

On “War,” Drake spits some venom that suggests he still owes Pusha one, despite not releasing what he recorded in 2018, and he will eventually strike. “I don’t do well with people makin’ disses or makin’ threats / Woi-oi, man got flown like private jets, for way-way less/ I know you tryna get one down on us ever since then it’s been stressed / ‘Cause you know the reps dem owe you one and we always pay them debts.”

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However, in a song about war, Drake makes it clear that he and The Weeknd squashed any lingering tensions. “And the boy that sound like he sang on Thriller, you know that’s been my ni**a / Yeah, we just had to fix things, family, six tings, we can’t split up,” he raps after listing his entourage. The Weeknd just released video single “Heartless” as he ramps up to 2020.

However, after making good with Abel, Drake is back in the war room. “As for the rest of the game, I’ll do man dirty, man’ll get two-time / To me, that’s just our side, I don’t really care who rides on whose side / Ring 10 shots to the poolside, never seen none of these grown men outside.” On the ski slope (in the video directed by Theo Skudra), Drake is in the mood to spit cold game at opponents, even without saying names. In the ensuing lyrics, he makes it known that subliminal attacks are by design. “Everyone I know has code names, anyone I’m beefin’ with is a no-name / Ni**as can’t even win home games, they just gotta fall in line like Soul Train.”

Drake Fires Back At Puff Daddy & Joe Budden With His Hardest Rhyme In Years (Audio)

In 2019, Drake and Meek Mill put their truce to art in a grandiose music video. Even while at odds, Drizzy also acknowledged Kanye West’s hand in his musical breakthrough a decade ago. However, when it comes to some other dealings in his life, the war remains ongoing.

This song appears on El-Kuumba Tape Vol. 1, a collab’ between OVO’s Oliver El-Khatib and Kuumba International. “War” plays just before 43:00.

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New music from Drake is currently on the official Ambrosia For Heads Playlist.