The Boy Is Back: Why a Summer of Drake Might Be What Hip-Hop Needs

During last year’s Fourth of July, Kendrick Lamar set off more than fireworks when he released his now-ubiquitous video, “Not Like Us.” The seething retort against Drake not only rattled the 6 God and his disciples but unequivocally lunged Lamar into God mode. What followed was an unrelenting onslaught: a cinematic Super Bowl performance, a resounding Grammy sweep, and a 13-week Hot 100 triumph with “Luther.” Lamar’s indomitable reign has only intensified in the months since courtesy of his Grand National Stadium Tour alongside SZA. TDE’s 1-2 punch has landed devastating haymakers with Mike Tyson force while the rest of the rap game scrambles for hits.

This year’s Fourth of July rang a little differently: Lamar’s former lyrical combatant Drake entered the ring with ruthless intentions of his own, releasing “What Did I Miss?” After quietly piecing together a solid comeback campaign consisting of his chart-topping $ome $exy $ongs 4 U album with PARTYNEXTDOOR — as well as that set’s breakout hit, the No. 2-climbing Hot 100 smash “NOKIA” — Drizzy could be masterminding his biggest heist yet: The Summer of Drake.

Hip-hop needs this, in more ways than one. Aside from “Luther” running the tables on the Hot 100, the only hip-hop song to go No. 1 this year was Travis Scott’s “4X4,” which lasted only a week on top and dropped out of the top 40 the next frame. Though Playboi Carti’s Music album dominated the Billboard 200 and served as a career win for him, none of the set’s singles had longevity inside the top 10 of the Hot 100 either. And while we do have a platter of braggadocious bars being served this month in Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, alongside a possible reunion between Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist for Alfredo 2, Lamar and Drake remain the genre’s main characters. Together, “Luther” and “NOKIA” have kept the genre’s pulse alive through the first half of 2025.

Now, with Drake firmly in album mode and gearing up for a historic three-day set at Wireless Festival beginning this Friday (July 11), the cards appear stacked in his favor. Sonically, “What Did I Miss?” is a solid rap return for Drake, who’s otherwise spent the year entrenched in his R&B bag. Consider it a shootaround for the rapper: a volley of barbs, an entrancing beat-switch, and some biting shots against one of his former NBA homies.

Upon its release, “What Did I Miss?” rocketed to the top of Spotify and Apple Charts. Whether it can secure a high debut on the Billboard charts in typical Drake fashion remains to be seen. Still, the rollout, complete with Drake blasting snippets from an Iceman rig truck all over Toronto — was pretty dope. Couple in his upcoming U.K. Tour with PND and the looming OVO Fest, Drake could be positioning himself for a strong return.

Would it be enough to dethrone Kung Fu Kenny? That’s tough to chew on, considering the god-tier run Lamar has delivered over the last 365 days. Still, we can’t dismiss Drake’s hitmaking prowess and ability to shake the culture. Even after Lamar’s drubbing, Drake snuck back into the conversation with “NOKIA,” which wasn’t just a Billboard hit, but was an instant party starter and social media gem. Meanwhile, a song like “Somebody Loves Me” hasn’t secured the Hot 100 spotlight like its predecessor, it’s a song that continues to light up the social media scoreboard and nightclubs — and has been slowly climbing back up the chart for weeks after its initial debut and fade, re-entering the Hot 100’s top half last week.

Do we want introspective raps from Drake on Iceman? Yes. But we also need a little bit of 2018 Drake when “In My Feelings” and “Nice For What” rang off in every speaker. Just like how Jay-Z ran the summers during his reign, it doesn’t feel right when The Boy isn’t clocking in from June to September. Maybe a little dose of Aubrey is what the game needs just about now.