Drake and 40 have proven themselves to be one of hip-hop’s trusted musical partnerships, with the pair having shaped the signature OVO sound as we’ve come to know it. And while many have attempted to downplay the extent of their creativity, what with ghostwriting accusations frequently lingering over the 6ix God’s head, 40 has done his part to quell those unfortunate narratives. In an extensive interview with Rolling Stone, 40 opened up about one in particular, clarifying the extent of The Weeknd‘s involvement on Take Care.
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“There’s, like, 22 songs on Take Care. He contributed on four of them,” confirms 40, alluding to Weeknd’s writing credits on “Crew Love,” “Shot For Me,” “Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude,” “Practice,” and “The Ride. “There are 18 other songs on there where that guy was nowhere to be found, right?” he continues. “So it’s like, ‘Yeah, cool and you contribute to a few records on Take Care. Significant records, sure, but it was a few. It wasn’t a lot.’ It’s a common misconception. I made that whole album. I saw Abel maybe two days. I was in there for like a year.”
Clearly, 40 isn’t down for those attempting to downplay his camps’ creativity and vision. Especially seeing how deep the whole Weeknd rumor seemed to cut, sowing discord between the once-cordial collaborators. In any case, it’s water under the bridge, and while it’s unlikely that the pair will ever work together like they once did, it can be understood that Take Care is Drake’s album regardless of those who aim to diminish its value. For more from 40, including his response to Pusha T‘s MS bar, check out the full interview at Rolling Stone.
