Drake, one of the world’s top artists, is not shy about asking for musical favors, especially when it comes to talented individuals. During his It’s All a Blur Tour stop in Montreal, Canada, on Saturday (July 15), Drake surprised the crowd once again by bringing out J. Cole as a surprise guest, just as he had done the previous night.
During a brief intermission, Drake took a moment to address Cole’s upcoming album and asked the entire crowd to help him secure a feature on the project. “Maybe I could get on the album?” Drake eagerly inquired, prompting J. Cole to respond with an empathetic, “N-gga!”
Drake pleads with J. Cole for album feature during Montreal tour stop https://t.co/52WCdDsvQr pic.twitter.com/sTI6zgggxW
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) July 16, 2023
Drake continued, urging the Montreal audience to join him in petitioning Cole for a collaboration: “Can I get on the album? I’m going to ask in front of Montreal. ‘J. Cole, can we get on your album?‘” The audience added to the pressure, and Cole eventually relented, saying, “Say less, goddammit!”
Having successfully secured his spot on Cole’s album, Drake once again called on the audience to show love to his longtime friend and collaborator before he left the stage. He emphasized the dedication it takes to travel and perform for two nights in Montreal, expressing his appreciation for Cole’s commitment to both the art and the audience.
Additional footage from the concert showed J. Cole performing his cult classic song “No Role Modelz” and his verse on 21 Savage‘s 2018 hit “a lot.” Drake and J. Cole have had similar career trajectories since bursting onto the scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s. They have collaborated on several tracks, including 2010’s “In the Morning” and 2013’s “Jodeci Freestyle.”
During their first joint performance in Montreal on Friday night (July 14), Drake took a moment to recognize Cole’s greatness, proclaiming him one of Hip Hop’s greatest of all time. He introduced his friend to the crowd, saying, “[He’s] one of the greatest rappers to ever touch a microphone. I hope you enjoy yourself.”
While co-headliner 21 Savage was unable to attend both shows, presumably due to ongoing immigration issues, it is expected that he will return on Monday (July 17) when the It’s All a Blur Tour heads to Brooklyn, New York. The 56-date tour began in early June and has already made stops in cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and Boston. It will cover more cities in Canada and the United States before concluding in early October.
