Released: 2024
“Push Ups” by Drake is diss track packed with power-packed verses and subliminal shots towards towards Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin.The song is a manifestation of Drake’s lyrical prowess and is laced with indirect messages, egoistic claims, and career insights, while critiquing other artists and industry practices, incorporating some cultural references and personal experiences.
In the intro, Drake challenges his detractors with a dismissive “Ayy,” setting the scene for the aggressive verses to follow. The first verse starts Drake’s assertive narration. He highlights his global appeal, stressing his popularity in Japan, and dismisses those artists who can’t match his international status. He takes a jab at artists claiming to be ‘big steppers’ with small size shoes on, potentially hinting they aren’t as formidable as they present themselves.
When Drake says, “Top told you, ‘Drop and give me fifty,’ like some push-ups,” he could be referencing Top Dawg, the founder of the record label Top Dawg Entertainment. Drake suggests that artists have to prove their worth, similar to doing push-ups to demonstrate physical strength. The line “What’s a prince to a king? He a son, nigga” is a clear claim of Drake’s dominance in the music industry, putting others beneath him in the hierarchy.
In the chorus, Drake uses the metaphor “give me fifty” to refer to his expectation that competing artists should deliver their best work if they want to compete with him. This adds weight to the song’s title “Push Ups,” implying artists need to put in more work to be in his league.
The second verse continues Drake’s confrontational tone, with lines like “I don’t care what Cole think, that Dot shit was weak as fuck”, a direct jab at J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar (Dot) for their perceived criticism. Drake also mocks artists who have had one or two successful songs, raising the bar with his massive and enduring popularity in the music industry.
The outro once again reemphasizes the overall theme of the song, as Drake cautions his competitors to not provoke him further, signifying the potential repercussions, using the metaphor “don’t wake the demon up”. The repetitiveness of the phrase “Drop and give me fifty” throughout the song hammers home his point.In essence, “Push Ups” by Drake is more than just a song; it is an audacious statement of dominance, a challenge to his rivals, and a testimony of his reign in the hip-hop scene.
