The Drake Vocals T-Shirt: Did They Arrive?

Did the Drake vocals come in yet? is a phrase that became popular in 2017 when DJ Khaled kept asking this question about his upcoming 10th studio album, Grateful. The album was set to feature several famous artists, including Drake, and Khaled was evidently excited about the prospect of collaborating with the Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Khaled's repeated question sparked a meme and even inspired fan art.

DJ Khaled's branding and marketing strategy

The phrase "Did the Drake vocals come in yet?" originated from DJ Khaled, who asked this question in a series of Snapchat and Instagram videos. The videos were a promotional strategy for his forthcoming studio album, "I Changed A Lot". This marketing campaign not only generated free promotion for his album but also caught the attention of teenagers and young people worldwide, who began mimicking him.

DJ Khaled is a master of branding and marketing, and his success can be attributed to the following strategies:

Dominate one medium

Khaled focused his efforts on Snapchat, posting daily updates and dominating the platform. He utilised other social media platforms but ensured that Snapchat was the primary channel for his newest content. This strategy allowed him to connect with his fans and show his true colours, creating an authentic connection with his audience.

Keep your message consistent

Khaled understands the importance of consistency in marketing. By consistently associating himself with specific topics or themes like "We the Best" and his hip-hop and rap music, he has established a strong brand identity. Consistency helps to create a clear understanding of what he represents and makes his brand more recognisable.

Maintain key attributes and signals specific to your brand

Khaled incorporates catchphrases and key signals, such as "Key to life," "bless up," and "let's see what's for breakfast," into his social media content. This strategy has proven powerful, as his followers have adopted these phrases, spreading his marketing message far and wide.

Show your real side

Khaled showcases his real life, including his breakfast choices and workouts, connecting with his fans on a personal level. This approach has been successful in attracting new fans and changing the opinions of some haters, as people want to see what happens behind the scenes.

Create emotional connections

Khaled understands that marketing is about capturing emotion and creating moments. He promotes his albums by emphasising their magnitude and importance and explaining the inspiration behind them. This strategy establishes a genuine emotional connection with his audience, taking them on a ride they can relate to.

Collaborate with the best

Khaled is known for his collaborations with top-tier artists such as Jay-Z, Drake, and Chris Brown. By partnering with the best in the business, he has created a track record of radio anthems and cult classics. Collaboration has been a key factor in his impressive career trajectory.

Cross-promote your brand

Khaled is a promotion pro, utilising various marketing strategies to get his brand out there. He effectively cross-promotes his brand through partnerships with companies like T-Mobile and Zappos and leverages social media to reach new audiences.

Drake and DJ Khaled's collaboration history

The phrase "Did the Drake vocals come in yet?" was popularised by DJ Khaled in a series of Snapchat and Instagram videos, in which he asked whether Drake's vocals had been sent for a new track. This led to a trend of teenagers mimicking Khaled's question.

Drake and DJ Khaled have collaborated on numerous occasions, with their partnership described as always resulting in "bangers". Their first collaboration was on the track 'Fed Up' from DJ Khaled's fourth album, 'Victory', which was released in 2010. The song features a stellar line-up of artists, including Usher, Young Jeezy, and Rick Ross, in addition to Drake.

In 2012, the duo collaborated on the track 'I'm On One', which was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The song, which also featured Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

DJ Khaled and Drake continued their successful collaboration with the release of 'No New Friends' in 2013, which featured production from some of Drake's go-to beatmakers, including Noah "40" Shebib and Boi-1da. In 2016, they teamed up once again for the club banger 'For Free' from Khaled's Grammy-nominated album 'Major Key'.

The duo's most recent collaborations came in 2020 with the singles 'POPSTAR' and 'GREECE', which both debuted in the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 and went double platinum. The songs appeared on Khaled's twelfth studio album, 'Khaled Khaled'.

In 2022, DJ Khaled announced on Instagram that he and Drake were working on new music, calling their records "special" and saying that their collaboration would be released in a certain way.

DJ Khaled's album 'Grateful'

The phrase "Did the Drake vocals come in yet?" is a reference to a series of Snapchat and Instagram videos posted by DJ Khaled in 2017. In the videos, Khaled asks if the vocals for a new track have arrived yet. This led to a successful branding exercise, with teenagers around the world repeating the phrase.

DJ Khaled's tenth studio album, "Grateful", was released on June 23, 2017, by We the Best Music Group and Epic Records. The album is a double album and features a wide array of artists, including Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Khaled's frequent collaborator, Drake.

"Grateful" is an ode to fatherhood, with Khaled's son, Asahd, who was born in October 2016, featuring heavily on the album. Asahd is pictured on the cover and acts as the executive producer. Khaled explained on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' that his son's visceral reactions to songs helped dictate the album's production. Asahd also appears on the cover art for four of the album's singles and is the subject of three of the 23 tracks.

The album's lead single, "Shining", was released on February 12, 2017, and features Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The song contains a sample of Osunlade's "Dionne", which itself samples "Walk the Way You Talk" by Dionne Warwick. "Shining" peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "I'm the One", was released on April 28, 2017, and features Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne. "I'm the One" debuted at number one in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, becoming Khaled's first number-one single in the US. The third single, "Wild Thoughts", was released on June 16, 2017, and features Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. "Wild Thoughts" contains elements of Latin pop and contemporary R&B and debuted at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two.

Other tracks on the album include "To the Max", featuring Drake, which peaked at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot 100; "On Everything", featuring Travis Scott, Rick Ross, and Big Sean; "It's Secured", featuring Nas and Travis Scott; and "I Love You So Much", featuring Chance the Rapper.

"Grateful" received generally favorable reviews, with an average score of 61 out of 100 on Metacritic. It was also a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and becoming Khaled's highest career first-week sales at the time. The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in January 2022, making it DJ Khaled's best-selling album.

Drake's popularity

The phrase "Did the Drake vocals come in yet?" was popularised by DJ Khaled, who asked the question in a series of Snapchat and Instagram videos, referring to whether Drake's vocals had arrived for a new track he was producing. This led to teenagers around the world mimicking the phrase, and it even inspired T-shirts.

Drake's first three albums, "Thank Me Later" (2010), "Take Care" (2011) and "Nothing Was the Same" (2013), each debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and spawned several Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles. His fourth album, "Views" (2016), broke several chart records. It led the Billboard 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks and contained the US number-one single "One Dance", which has been credited for helping to popularise dancehall and Afrobeats in contemporary American music. "Views" was followed by the double album "Scorpion" (2018), which included the three US number-one singles: "God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings".

Drake's influence on pop culture is also notable. He is often praised as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, particularly for his integration of singing and rapping. He is credited with popularising R&B sensibilities in hip-hop and leading the "Canadian Invasion" of the American charts, alongside artists like Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. Drake is also known for popularising phrases like "YOLO" ("You only live once") in the United States and coining the term "The Six" in reference to his hometown, Toronto.

In addition to his musical success and business ventures, Drake's popularity is further evidenced by his impact on social media, fashion, and gambling. He has been ranked by Complex on their "Best Rapper Alive Every Year Since 1979" list multiple times and is often the subject of internet memes, such as the "Drake curse", which jokingly refers to his support for sports teams or individuals who subsequently lose.

DJ Khaled's social media presence

DJ Khaled is known for his strong social media presence. In the mid-2010s, he gained wider recognition as a public figure due to his activity on social media platforms, particularly Snapchat and Instagram. A series of Snapchat videos in which Khaled detailed his "keys to success" went viral, and he became an "internet phenomenon", described by some as a "living meme" or "meme in human form". This newfound online recognition translated into musical success, with his ninth studio album, Major Key (2016), debuting at the top of the Billboard 200 and receiving a Grammy nomination.

Khaled's social media presence is characterised by his booming voice, "motivational" abstractions, and numerous catchphrases. He has stated that he prefers to communicate via his own social media platforms rather than through traditional interviews, as this allows him to "say what I want to say anytime I want".

One of the phrases that brought him particular attention on social media was "Did the Drake vocals come in yet?", which he repeatedly asked in a series of Snapchat and Instagram videos. This phrase, which Khaled used to refer to whether Drake's vocals had been recorded for a new track, became so popular that it inspired a range of merchandise, including T-shirts.

Frequently asked questions