“Love All” is the fifth track on Drake’s 2021 album ‘Certified Lover Boy.’ The song features vocals by Jay-Z, marking their sixth collaboration together. In the song, both artists sing about showing love to all despite hoards of people who have come at their jugulars since day one!
‘Certified Lover Boy’ is the highly-anticipated sixth studio album by Drake, released on September 3, 2021. Drake talked about the album in July; “we aim for that head. We don’t aim to please. Certified Lover Boy on the way. And that’s for anyone in the way.” This is his follow-up project to his 2018 album ‘Scorpion.’
“Love All” gives songwriting credits to the infamous rapper The Notorious B.I.G., as the song interpolates lyrics from Biggie’s “Life After Death Intro” from 1997.
Listen to “Love All” by Drake Ft. Jay-Z
Buy ‘Certified Lover Boy’ album on Apple Music & Amazon
Drake “Love All” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Chorus
Drake starts off the song by saying that he never had a lot of something and he was always content with it. He cannot be talking about money. It does make sense if he is referring to his friends. When he was nobody in the industry he probably had very few friends. Now that he is a global superstar, he still must have only a few real friends.
Drake follows this up by saying that people don’t really care about you until you are dead. This sentiment has been a recurring theme in 2021. Nas said “They don’t give you one single rose while you can smell it” on “EPMD 2,” and Eminem said “You don’t get your flowers ’til you pushin’ up daisies” on his feature on “Walkthrough” by GRIP. Pay tribute to artists when they are alive and can actually be happy about the tributes given!
Can’t burn a bridge just to light my way
To burn bridges is to cut connections to your past–often signifies cutting connections with people from the past. Drake says life doesn’t work this way. A burning bridge will give some light and illuminate the path forward, but the bridge crumbles down with you on it. You cannot/should not forget the people from your past who helped you become who you are today.
Verse 1
In the first verse of the song, Drake sings about the heights that he has climbed in the music industry. He had to pass a lot of people to get here and he had to get help from a lot to reach the top. Even should he crash, there is a long way to fall down, which is both good and bad. Higher the climb, the harder the fall. But it also gives you time to do something about it.
Drake also tells us that he has run out of favors to give. He has been giving and giving ever since he got to the top and the number of friends he has does not match with the number of people he has helped.
We should sit down before shit turns ugly
We should sit down since you said things about me
With these lyrics, Drake sends a clear message to his haters and competition. He says they should probably have open communication behind the scenes before things get out of control. This could be a hint directed at Kanye West, too.
Verse 2
In the second verse, Jay-Z hops on the track. He starts off by saying that he has dealt with killers all his life and things have not changed a bit on that front even though he is a billionaire now. He says he tries to keep away from the hate and not get involved. It takes discipline to not get involved when he could and when he has the upper hand.
This ain’t the same Shawn that you knew once
I don’t shine shoes, uh, this ain’t what you want, no
Shawn Corey Carter is Jay-Z’s birth name and he is referring to the black man’s oppressed beginnings as shoe polishers for white men on the streets. While Jay-Z might or might not have done this himself, people like Hov have opened up many doorways for black men to survive and succeed in modern society.
Hov is glad that he has a small circle that he can trust and rely on. Family is an entirely different circle for him and he thanks them wholeheartedly.
Everybody want something
You know the price of everything but the value of nothing
When you get bigger, it feels as if everyone comes into your life to take away something from you. They only expect to take and don’t give anything back in return. Jay-Z, at this point in his life, does not need money or mentions, he needs people he can rely on. But this might be just asking too much in these capitalist societies.
Neither Drake nor Jay-Z harbors any resentment towards these people, but they have to chill down with their demands.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics on Genius.