Whenever a new Drake project drops, Torontonians delight in unpacking the local references Aubrey always sprinkles into his lyrics and liner notes. It’s almost as if the instant Drake pens a nod to the street you grew up on, you become 6ix certified, receive an owl chain in the mail, and get to add “ovo” to the beginning of your Instagram handle.
As per usual, Drake manages to lace If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late with a few geographical mentions that would seem insular to anyone living north of Vaughan. We combed through Drake’s lyrics, and mapped all of the relevant Google Street Views From The 6ix for your convenience.
1. “Know Yourself” - 15 Fort York, Toronto
“Know Yourself” - 15 Fort York, Toronto
“Yeah, this that Oliver, 40, Niko shit man. 15 Fort York shit, ya know.”
Drake often references Apartment 1503 in 15 Fort York as being the place where everything started to take off for him. He and Noah “40” Shebib did most of the tracking for So Far Gone in Apartment 1503, where 40’s room doubled as a studio space. If you’re a rapper prepping your breakthrough mixtape, and you want to capture some of that residual magic, you can rent a one bedroom in 15 Fort York today for just $1400 a month.
2. “Energy” - Kennedy Rd, Scarborough
“Energy” - Kennedy Rd, Scarborough
“I got real ones livin’ past Kennedy Road. I got real ones with me everywhere that I go.”
Drake has made it known that he has major love for the East, co-signing Scarborough’s Reps Up crew, recruiting Not Nice for the outro on “From Time,” and even having a replica of Habibz, a Scarborough shisha lounge, included on his Toronto-themed birthday cake. He also seems to be picking up on the East-side manner of speech, which means that pretty soon, you’ll be able to watch YouTube compilations of “The Best Cyattie Vines Of The Week.”
3. “10 Bands” - Hazleton Hotel, Toronto
“10 Bands” - Hazleton Hotel, Toronto
“I been on a mission haven't left the condo. This that OVO that SZN this that new Toronto.”
Drake sold his 3,600-sq.ft, 22nd-floor suite at 1 St. Thomas St. for a cool $3.75 million last year, so he’s had to find a new place to hang out when he’s in the 6ix. The hand-written liner notes for IYRTITL pay thanks to Yorkville’s Hazelton Hotel, which seems like an appropriately lavish place for Drake to rest his head when he’s in the city. On a related note, we’re pretty sure it costs at least 10 bands a week to live there. It’s definitely a step up from the Intercontinental.
4. “You & The 6” - Weston Road, Scarlett Road, Toronto
“You & The 6” - Weston Road, Scarlett Road, Toronto
“Do you remember back to Weston Road, Scarlett Road?”
If this touching tribute to Drake’s mom didn’t make you well up with tears and resolve to call your parents more often, you’re merely a mechanical robot, masquerading as a warm-blooded human. Before moving to Forest Hill, Drake lived with his mom in the less-affluent Weston Road area in Toronto’s west end until the sixth grade. He even played for the Weston Red Wings, if you ever doubted his Canadianosity.
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6. Liner Notes/Thank Yous - Foxtrail Crescent, Woodbridge
Liner Notes/Thank Yous - Foxtrail Crescent, Woodbridge
"But this tape is for you when you worked at La Vie En Rose and lived on Foxtrail or whatever that street was called."
Drake drops quite a few Toronto references in the hand-written liner notes for IYRTITL, from Club Paradise to listing nearly every Raptor, but one dedication rises above the others. Is Nadia who worked at La Vie En Rose the new Courtney who worked at Hooters on Peachtree? Okay, so Woodbridge isn’t exactly 6ix eligible—the GTA suburb might be more aptly described as the 9ine, since their area codes are 905 and 289. Regardless, we had to track down Foxtrail Crescent to see what kind of a commute Nadia had to deal with.
