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Rb Hip Hop

OVO Affiliate Preme Celebrates Drake’s ‘Nokia’ Success: ‘They Said We Were Dead’

After the release of the music video, "Nokia" has shot up the charts.

Drake
Drake
Norman Wong

Preme, one of Drake‘s oldest friends and collaborators, has weighed in on the recent success of the Toronto rapper’s song “Nokia.”

He recently tweeted a screenshot of Apple’s Top 100: Global chart showing that “Nokia” has taken over the No. 1 spot, beating out Kendrick and SZA‘s “Luther,” and proclaimed that Drake is here to stay as he referenced his much-publicized UMG lawsuit, K-Dot’s Super Bowl halftime performance, and pundits that said Drake should take a break from dropping music.


“They said we were dead,” he said. “They said it was over. They said Super Bowl was checkmate. They said he should take a few years off and disappear. Back on top even while beefing with the label and it’s only April! This why y’all hate the boy.”

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Later he added, “The best revenge is success.”

“Nokia” has gotten a bit of a stimulus package from the release of the music video. This song is now headed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is the song’s peak so far since it debuted at No. 10 the week of March 1, 2025.

Filmed using IMAX cameras, the video received some mixed reviews, most notably from popular streamer Kai Cenat who suggested the video should’ve featured vibrant colors as opposed to the black and white aesthetic Drake decided to go with instead. “We’re looking for color, we’re looking for arcades, we’re looking for roller skating rinks,” he said, “That’s what it gave me. We’re looking for going to modern day to as soon as the beat changes, we’re in the ’90s now. You see the vision?”

Directed by Theo Skudra, “Nokia” currently has 7 million views on YouTube and counting.

This article first appeared on Billboard U.S.

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Great Lake Swimmers
Robert Georgeff

Great Lake Swimmers

FYI

Music News Digest: National Music Centre Opens OHSOTO’KINO Recording Bursary for Indigenous Artists, Great Lake Swimmers Hit The Road

Also this week: Toronto's Our Music Festival returns for a third edition, Wavemakers: Music Futures Conference & Showcase launches in Halifax.

OHSOTO’KINO is an Indigenous programming initiative from the National Music Centre focusing on three elements: creation of new music in NMC’s recording studios, artist development through a music incubator program and exhibitions via the annually updated Speak Up! gallery. The OHSOTO’KINO Recording Bursary program is open to First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists. Two submissions — one for contemporary music, one for traditional genres — will be awarded a one-week recording session at Studio Bell to produce a commercial release. The deadline to apply here is March 1. Past recipients of the bursary include Juno winner Joel Wood, Twin Flames and PIQSIQ.

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