What’s Next by Drake Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Drive and Duality of Ambition
Lyrics
Ayy, ayy
Yeah
I’m makin’ a change today
The liquor been takin’ the pain away
I heard you was givin’ your chain away
That’s kinda like givin’ your fame away
What’s wrong with you?
I sit in a box where the owners do
A boss is a role that I grown into
I love you to death but I told you the truth
I can’t just be with you and only you
Yeah, I got one, Virgil got one and that there is the only two
Man, how many times have I shown improvement?
How many nights I been, whoa
Swervin’ them potholes
Not tryna fuck up the wheels on the road, okay
Funny how life goes
He thought he was sick, now we wipin’ his nose, okay
Soon as you give ’em your soul
You blow up and they say you’re selling your soul, okay
They want my life exposed
They wanna know about the highs and lows
Well, summer, all I did was rest, okay?
And New Year’s, all I did was stretch, okay?
And Valentine’s Day, I had sex, okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next
Okay? Okay? Okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next
Okay? Okay? Okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen, ayy, ayy
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen, ayy
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen
I’m makin’ a change today
The liquor been takin’ the pain away
I heard you was givin’ your chain away
That’s kinda like givin’ your fame away
What’s wrong with you?
I sit in a box where the owners do
A boss is a role that I’ve grown into
I love you to death but I told you the truth
I-
Ayy, yeah
I got one, Lori bought one and that there is the only two
Man, how many times have I told you the truth?
Man, how many nights I been, whoa
Swervin’ them potholes
Not tryna fuck up the wheels or fuck up the deals
I’m posted in Stockholm
It’s me, the owls and the twins, it’s only the real
I’m movin’ way too humble
Weezy had handed it off, I still got no fumbles
I’m on the hot one hundo, numero uno
This one ain’t come with a bundle
I’m in the Wynn, a million in chocolate chips
And that’s just how my cookie crumble
I put a skirt on a whip and a crown on the six
But there’s no need to dress up the numbers
Ayy, ayy, yeah
But I guess they must have they reasons
They wanna know how I’m livin’ my day-to-day life in the regular season
Well, summer, all I did was rest, okay?
And New Year’s, all I did was stretch, okay?
And Valentine’s Day, I had sex, okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next
Okay? Okay? Okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next
Okay? Okay? Okay?
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen, ayy, ayy
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen, ayy
We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen
I’m makin’ a change today
The liquor been takin’ the pain away
I heard you was givin’ your chain away
That’s kinda like givin’ your fame away
What’s wrong with you?
I sit in a box where the owners do
A boss is a role that I’ve grown into
I love you to death but I told you the truth
I-
In the landscape of contemporary hip-hop, few artists capture the zeitgeist with the nuanced aplomb of Aubrey Drake Graham, known monolithically as Drake. His song ‘What’s Next’ is no exception and exemplifies the tussle between the hedonistic and the meditative that has become a Drake signature.
With ‘What’s Next,’ Drake amalgamates his contemplative mien with his trademark bravado, creating an anthem that ruminates on success and the unforeseen trajectory that comes with it. It’s a lyrical reckoning of past, present, and the hazy silhouettes of what the future might hold.
Prophetic Musings of a Hip-Hop Visionary
From the get-go, ‘What’s Next’ feels like a confessional direct from Drake’s diary – a conversation starter with himself, musing on transformation. ‘I’m makin’ a change today’ isn’t just a line; it’s a proclamation to oneself about the necessity of evolution. With the ‘liquor been takin’ the pain away,’ Drake acknowledges the temporary salves we seek in the face of adversity and growth.
As he delves deeper, we see the burdens of fame and the trade-offs that it entails. This is much more than just a nod to excess and opulence; it’s a pondering on the transient nature of fame and the weights attached to it – where even giving away a ‘chain’ is symbolic of losing a chunk of one’s essence to the expectations of others.
The Relentlessness of Being On Top
Drake doesn’t just reside in the upper echelons of music—he is the echelon. ‘A boss is a role that I grown into’ speaks to this ascent but also to the loneliness draped around the pedestal of power. It’s a measured acceptance that leadership positions can be both empowering and isolating.
In these lines, we also witness the vulnerability that accompanies human connections (‘I love you to death but I told you the truth’), where one can’t simply belong to another without losing parts of oneself in the process.
Charting Success Through the Seasons
Drake’s lyrics often oscillate between a form of braggadocio and introspection, and in doing this, he presents his life in calendar form. ‘Summer, all I did was rest’ appears to be a metaphor for taking a breather, ‘New Year’s, all I did was stretch’ signifies preparation for what’s to come, and by ‘Valentine’s Day, I had sex,’ he’s perhaps indicating that even amidst the planning and plotting, one must find moments of intimacy and pleasure.
It’s a vivid painting of a life that continues inexorably in multi-faceted loops – rest, prepare, enjoy – and then start anew. This self-reflective yet forward-looking disposition chips away at the notion that an artist’s existence is merely a linear journey from nowhere to fame.
The Veiled Depths of ‘What’s Next’
Beyond the ostensible, ‘What’s Next’ plunges into the dialectic of destiny and decision-making. Drake gazes into the abyss of the future, aware that each choice will unfurl a different fabric of reality, and that irony itself is a constant companion (‘He thought he was sick, now we wipin’ his nose’).
By declaring ‘We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next,’ Drake isn’t just speculating on his future, but he’s also challenging the listener to question their assumptions about him and perhaps, by extension, themselves.
Lines that Linger in the Echoes of Pop Culture
Memorable. Quotable. Emblazoned on the tongues of the masses. This is Drake’s currency. ‘Life is good’ he’s declared before, and now with ‘What’s Next’ he punctuates his messages with a robust ‘Okay?’ It’s the verbal seal on the envelope of his thoughts, daringly awaiting the world’s response.
Rather than fading into the track’s conclusion, these lines linger, inspiring memes, captions, and social media statuses. They are the flagbearers of the track’s spirit, encapsulating the highs and lows, triumphs and trials, the rest, stretch, and moments of human connection that fashion Drake’s – and simultaneously, our own – complex reality.
