"Toosie Slide" is a song by Canadian rapper

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

from his commercial mixtape ''

Dark Lane Demo Tapes ''Dark Lane Demo Tapes'' is a mixtape by Canadian rapper and singer Drake. The mixtape is a compilation of songs that were released on SoundCloud or leaked on the internet, as well as new songs, and is considered a "warm-up" to Drake's sixth stu ...

'' (2020). It was released as the lead single on April 3, 2020, through

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

and OVO. The song is titled after social media influencer Toosie, who had previously helped the song go viral. A video was released alongside the song, showing Drake

quarantined A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...

, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. He also demonstrates the Toosie Slide dance in his

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

mansion. The song debuted at number eighteen on the US

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

before debuting at number one on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart the next week, making Drake the first male artist to accomplish three number-one debuts.

Background and promotion

On March 29, 2020, social media influencer Toosie uploaded a clip showing him and his friends doing a dance challenge called the "Toosie Slide" while parts of the song are playing in the background. The dance was described as a "modern day '

Cha Cha Slide "Cha Cha Slide" is a song by American artist DJ Casper. The song was released as a single in August 2000, and spent five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, peaking at the position of number 83. It continued to be a chart ...

' by DJ Casper" and went viral after it was introduced to the app

TikTok TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is an international version ...

by Toosie, Hiii Key and Michigan duo

Ayo & Teo Ayleo Bowles and Mateo Bowles, better known as Ayo & Teo, are a duo of dancers and musicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They have appeared in music videos for Usher's "No Limit" and Chris Brown's "Party". Their hit single "Rolex" peaked at numbe ...

. When it was subsequently shared on other social media pages, people considered possible involvement by Drake. He hinted at an impending release, saying "I'mma drop soon since ya'll got it going insane". Drake then took to his social media on March 31, 2020, to declare the song as his and revealed that it would be released the following Thursday at midnight, on Friday, April 3, 2020. American rapper

Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...

revealed via Instagram that Drake wanted him on the song, calling himself a "dumbass" for not sending his verse back.

Production

The song was produced by Turkish-Swiss producer Ozan Yildirim, professionally known as OZ, who previously collaborated with Travis Scott on 2018's " Sicko Mode", featuring Drake. In 2019, he again worked with Drake on the songs "Omertà" and " Gold Roses", the latter being a

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

single, featuring Drake. Just prior to "Toosie Slide", OZ produced another Drake-featured track,

Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...

's "Life Is Good". As with most of his productions, OZ makes extensive use of

hi-hat A hi-hat (hihat, high-hat, etc.) is a combination of two cymbals and a pedal, all mounted on a metal stand. It is a part of the standard drum kit used by drummers in many styles of music including rock, pop, jazz, and blues. Hi-hats consist o ...

s and a

snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...

on "Toosie Slide". The song also contains

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

kicks paired with Drake's "melodic" chorus.

Composition and lyrics

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

song, "Toosie Slide" is a "seductive confection engineered to cause an Internet stir", containing "stuttering

cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...

s, a couple

kicks" and "elliptical set of beats", leaving room for Drake's lyrics to take the spotlight, which he delivers with "melodic bars". Lyrically, Drake reflects on his "inner pressure", shouting out his friends, flirting with his many admirers and promising "a hot summer of music". He also gives dance directions for the song's titular dance, rapping "It go right foot up, left foot slide/Left foot up, right foot slide/Basically I'm saying, either way we 'bout to slide, aye". Drake makes numerous references to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

throughout the song. Drake said, "When I first made that song, I was only talking about the

moonwalk Moonwalk may refer to: Space travel * Moonwalk, an excursion on the Moon, see Moon landing ** For a specific event, see List of spacewalks and moonwalks 1965–1999 ** For a specific person, see List of people who have walked on the Moon *Extrave ...

. But Toosie made a dance to that shit, I didn't know it was gonna be a dance song like that". The song has been compared to "

Cupid Shuffle "Cupid Shuffle" is a song by Cupid (singer), Cupid from his 2007 studio album ''Time for a Change (album), Time for a Change''. It has spawned a popular line dance and has drawn comparisons to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide". In the United States, th ...

" by

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

, the

Electric Slide The Electric (better known as The Electric Slide) is a four wall line dance set to Marcia Griffiths and Bunny Wailer's song "Electric Boogie". Choreographer, pianist and Broadway performer Richard L. "Ric" Silver created the dance in 1976 fro ...

dance by Richard L. "Ric" Silver, and "

" by DJ Casper, which has similar dance instructions. ''Billboard'' called it the "'Cha Cha Slide' of the

generation".

Critical reception

"Toosie Slide" generally polarized critics. Alphonse Pierre of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

'' noted that despite Drake's ability of never needing "to chase a hit", for the first time it "feels like he's a step behind" and went on calling the track "strictly a business decision". Micah Peters of The Ringer was highly critical of the song as well as Drake's marketing ploys, comparing him to the

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

supervillain

Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...

. Peters further called producer OZ's production "airy, barely there", the

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

"awkward syllabic balance" and said "Toosie Slide" feels marginal in the same way "

God's Plan God's Plan may refer to: Theological concepts * God's plan, or the Will of God * Salvation, the saving of a soul from sin and its consequences ** Plan of salvation, a Christian concept describing God's plan to save humanity ** Plan of salvation ( ...

" did, "and doubtlessly, it'll also walk to no. 1".

Ann Powers Ann K. Powers (born February 4, 1964) is an American writer and pop music critic. She is a music critic for NPR and a contributor at the ''Los Angeles Times'', where she was previously chief pop critic. She has also served as pop critic at ''The ...

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

had a similar notion, labelling the song "a bit of trivial fun that will probably become an inescapable hit on the strength of its marketing and its catchy chorus". Conversely, Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' named it among the most essential releases of the week, and said "Drake is smart to launch a self-fashioned dance craze in this era, but 'Toosie Slide' also showcases his skill of conjuring hooks and catchphrases out of thin air, which helped make him who he is today". Jessica McKinney of ''Complex'' also listed it as part of the "Best New Music of the Week", saying the song is not all gimmick and referenced the

, stating "it is worth listening to when you're riding around in the car or heading out for a quick walk around the block. Maybe someday we'll actually get to hear it in a club".

Commercial performance

The song debuted atop the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the chart dated April 18, 2020, becoming his eighth number one single on the chart and making Drake the first male solo artist in US chart history to debut three songs at number one. In the United Kingdom, "Toosie Slide" debuted at number two on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

on April 10, 2020 – for the week ending date April 16, 2020 – behind "

Blinding Lights "Blinding Lights" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd. It was released on November 29, 2019, through XO and Republic Records, as the second single from his fourth studio album, '' After Hours'' (2020). The song was written and produced by ...

" by

The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...

. After five consecutive weeks in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, "Toosie Slide" peaked at the top of the chart on May 8, 2020 – for the week ending date May 14, 2020 – dethroning " Times Like These" by

Live Lounge Allstars "Times Like These" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters. It is the fourth track from their fourth album '' One by One'', and was released as its second single on January 14, 2003. Composition The lyrics discuss how Dave Grohl felt "li ...

from the top and beating "

Say So "Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, ''Hot Pink'' (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, and Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym T ...

" by

Doja Cat Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat ( ), is an American rapper and singer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCloud as a teenager. Her song ...

to the top of the chart.

Music video

The accompanying music video was released on April 3, 2020, at a length of 5 minutes and 12 seconds. It was directed by Theo Skudra. The visuals prominently feature Drake dancing around in his

mansion, nicknamed "The Embassy", with a mask and gloves on while being in quarantine, due to the

. He simultaneously demonstrates the song's titular dance. At the end, the rapper is seen outside of his home with a firework show on his property. The video also features a tribute to the late

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...

. The choreography in the video was created by Toosie, Hiii Key and

who sent the footage to Drake. Originally, the dancers were supposed to appear in the video. However, plans were cancelled due to the

Synopsis

The music video begins by showing quiet and almost deserted streets of the city, with no sign of cars, nor people moving around. The empty streets signify the quietness of the cities in the light of the lockdowns that have been enforced by governments globally to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus among citizens. The video then shows Drake in an

antechamber A vestibule (also anteroom, antechamber, or foyer) is a small room leading into a larger space such as a lobby, entrance hall or passage, for the purpose of waiting, withholding the larger space view, reducing heat loss, providing storage space ...

, showcasing his many awards sitting in trophy cases; through the door, a painting of China's

Chairman Mao Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

is seen hanging on the wall. Drake then passes by a table covered with the basketball jerseys he is usually seen wearing courtside, including one emblazoned with the name "Bryant", honoring the late American basketball star, Kobe Bryant, who had died earlier in the year from a

helicopter crash A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

, on January 26, 2020. The scene then cuts to a foyer, as the rapper passes two blinking "Four Foot Dissected Companion" sculptures by American artist and designer

Kaws Brian Donnelly (born November 4, 1974), known professionally as Kaws (stylized as KAWS), is an American artist and designer. His work includes repeated use of a cast of figurative characters and motifs, some dating back to the beginning of his c ...

. The rapper is then seen sitting on "the biggest kitchen island .. and the camera pans toward the long dining room table. Drake continues moving through darkened rooms where portraits of "lost and distanced" heroes, including

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...

Tupac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

and

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

, hang on the wall. He dances through a door to the pool area, which features "neon lighting and cabana-like décor". The video concludes with Drake in total darkness, "only his white sneakers visible against the eerily black

sky". Fireworks erupt afterward, and the camera pans back to show the entirety of Drake's 35,000-square-foot, $100 million Toronto estate. In the video, Drake is seen wearing a hoodie and a "super rare" Fall/Winter 2001

Raf Simons Raf Jan Simons (; born 12 January 1968) is a Belgian fashion designer. Beginning in furniture design, Simons launched his own menswear label in 1995. He was creative director at Jil Sander (2005–2012), Christian Dior (2012–2015), and Calvin K ...

Riot Riot Riot Camo

Bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...

, an item

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

wore regularly during 2014 and 2015. A

Bösendorfer Bösendorfer (L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH) is an Austrian piano manufacturer and, since 2008, a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation. Bösendorfer is unusual in that it produces 97- and 92-key models in addition to instrument ...

piano is seen, which has a violet "Flowers and Skulls" print cover by Japanese artist

Takashi Murakami is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine arts media (such as painting and sculpture) as well as commercial (such as fashion, merchandise, and animation) and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts as well as co ae ...

. There is also a shot of what appears to be a recording contract, ready to be signed on Drake's dining-room table. Sources:

TikTok dance challenge

Over 4.5 million videos have been made on

using the song, with a combined 6.8 billion views as of June 2020. These videos usually consist of users dancing to a snippet of the song. The hashtag #toosieslide garnered over 5.7 billion views. It was the fourth biggest TikTok song for April 2020. The song peaked on April 20, 2020, garnering over 250 million views on videos made to the song that day.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...

. *

Aubrey Graham Aubrey Drake Graham ( ; born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper and singer. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited for popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop. He gained recognition by ...

– vocals, songwriter * Ozan Yildirim – songwriter, production *

Noah "40" Shebib Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...

– mixer * Noel Cadastre – assistant mixer, recording engineer * Chris Athens – mastering engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Drake songs 2020 singles 2020 songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Drake (musician) songs Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Denmark Number-one singles in Greece Number-one singles in New Zealand Number-one singles in Portugal Number-one singles in Singapore Songs written by Drake (musician) Republic Records singles OVO Sound singles Trap music songs UK Singles Chart number-one singles Songs written by Oz (record producer)

Background and promotion

Production

Composition and lyrics

Critical reception

Commercial performance

Music video

Synopsis

TikTok dance challenge

Credits and personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

References