Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage
While at ComplexCon, Travis Scott’s A&R Sickamore discussed the making of ASTROWORLD, revealing that Drake’s contribution to the hit track “SICKO MODE” came in at 2 a.m. on the day the album was released.
The panel, titled “New God Flow: How to Make a Rap Album in 2018,” also featured Raekwon and No I.D., and was hosted by Everyday Struggle’s Wayno. Sickamore also described each of Scott’s albums as a season of a television series, meant to showcase his artistic and personal growth.
The last-minute submission of Drake’s verse could be a possible explanation for the track’s disjointed opening, where Drake appears to begin a verse only for the beat to change abruptly and Scott to start rapping. Nowadays, many artists release music on streaming before it comes out physically, allowing them to make last minute alterations, and even change records after they have been officially released.
Kanye West has done this frequently, adjusting albums of his like The Life of Pablo after they are initially posted. Teyana Taylor at one point promised to do the same with K.T.S.E., though it wound up not materializing.
Drake made updates to his record Scorpion, including putting out a new mix of the JAY-Z collab “Talk Up” and adding vocals from Lil Wayne to “In My Feelings.”
In his verse on “SICKO MODE,” Drake references Sheck Wes, Devin Booker, and Liz Cambage:
Lost my respect, you not a threat
When I shoot my shot, that shit wetty like I’m Sheck (Bitch!)
See the shots that I took, (Ayy) wet like I’m Book (Ayy)
Wet like I’m Lizzie
I be spinnin' Valley, circle blocks ‘til I’m dizzy (Yeah, what?)
While Drake did turn in his verse at the last possible moment, he appeared in the song’s extravagant, CGI-heavy video, which was directed by Scott and Dave Meyers.
Genius broke down the meaning of “SICKO MODE” in the episode of Song Stories below.
Read all the lyrics to “SICKO MODE” and the rest of Travis Scott’s discography on Genius now.
