Drake has had a prolific 2023. This year, he toured North America and released his eighth studio album, For All The Dogs, along with a Scary Hours Edition. Despite the mixed reactions, Drake continued to dominate as both a solo artist and as a collaborator. His project included appearances from SZA, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Chief Keef, Bad Bunny, and more. Already, he's lined up the first few months of 2024 for his upcoming co-headlining tour with J. Cole. However, between his own releases, he's contributed numerous rap and sung guest verses throughout the year. Today, we are ranking each of Drake’s features in 2023 from worst to best. Take a look at the list below.
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6. Young Thug - “Parade On Cleveland”
Drake is the very first voice on Young Thug’s Business Is Business, although he contributes twice to the tracklist. A somber and melodic intro, “Parade On Cleveland” is fitting for Thug’s first release since his indictment for racketeering-related charges against the YSL collective. Handling both a short verse and the song’s chorus, Drake makes multiple references to Thug’s incarceration. He sings lines like, “soon as I’m fresh out the box like a Tic-Tac." Drake also proclaims that there will be a “parade on Bleveland as soon as I get home” before the song transitions into a collect-call between him and Young Thug. Although it is a solid album opener, “Parade on Cleveland” ultimately pales in comparison to their second collaboration on Business Is Business, as well as Drake’s other 2023 features.
5. Popcaan - “We Caa Done”
OVO signee Popcaan kicked off 2023 with a “Song Of The Summer” contender. “We Caa Done” brings Drake into the world of dancehall, a genre he has tackled on numerous occasions. While Drake does not contribute a full verse, he floats over the instrumental as he steals the show on the song’s chorus. The uplifting production allows plenty of space for Popcaan to provide his auto-tuned melodies, while Drake contributes a catchy chorus and carefree ad-libs. He sounds incredibly comfortable over dancehall, lending infectious vocals to the feel-good track.
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4. Nicki Minaj - “Needle”
This year saw the reunion between Drake and Nicki Minaj on the Pink Friday 2 highlight, “Needle.” The dancehall-fused track sees Drake opting to sing a heartfelt yet festive verse and chorus. He likens his love interest to a needle in the haystack of life while catchily singing, “I just wanna pull up the Maybach and bend your leg back.” Drake’s verse and chorus effortlessly assist Nicki Minaj in embracing her Trinidadian roots on the sincere yet danceable track. “Needle” differs from Drake’s previous features on Nicki Minaj tracks, but still showcases the duo's timeless chemistry.
3. J Hus - “Who Told You”
One of 2023’s most anticipated collaborations saw Drake featuring on J Hus’s latest album, Beautiful And Brutal Yard. “Who Told You” is a summertime banger that displays both artists’ greatest strengths. Hus provides his signature afroswing cadences and humorous yet charming lyrics while Drake finds his pocket in the P2J-produced instrumental. He “knows the vibes,” weaving between rapping and singing about dancing with Lilah Pi. On “Who Told You,” Drake matches J Hus’s breezy afro swing flow as they ask, “who told you gangsters don’t dance?”
2. Young Thug - “Oh U Went”
Drake’s other 2023 feature on Young Thug’s album is significantly more upbeat. “Oh U Went” includes a lively and soulful trap beat produced by Metro Boomin. While Thug rides the beat with ease, it is Drake who steals the show. He flexes on other rappers in true Drake fashion, spitting bars like, “I got more soldiers than a military / I got more stones than a cemetery / I got more streams than y'all in February.” He also spits some clever punchlines like “If a n***a really try to jam me, get jammed first like the countdown.” It is a short yet effective verse as Drake makes his mark on “Oh U Went,” contrasting his style with Young Thug’s to make a standout moment on Business Is Business.
1. Travis Scott - “Meltdown”
Undoubtedly Drake’s best feature of 2023 is his verse on Travis Scott’s “Meltdown.” One of the instant favorite guest appearances on Utopia, Drake and Travis recreate their magic that they had on songs like “Sicko Mode,” “Company,” and “Portland.” “Tensions is definitely rising,” Drake warns listeners as he declares that it is “T time” before spitting one of his most menacing verses. With an aggressive whisper, he flips the various phrasings of “T time” and tells his opps that they are “scared of the 6.” His villainous verse sends shots at Pusha T and Pharrell, reigniting his 2018 beef with the former. Drake’s show-stopping verse is accentuated by an ominous beat with triumphant horns and Star Wars lasers. His verse raises both the tension and the lyrical bar incredibly high with one of his meanest verses in recent memory.
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