As promised, Drake dropped a new song Friday night, a Lauryn Hill-sampling smooth groove called “Nice for What.” Along with the song came a video that features 20 famous (and kind-of famous but fabulous) women, most of them actresses or musicians: Olivia Wilde, Misty Copeland, Issa Rae, Rashida Jones, Jourdan Dunn, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tiffany Haddish, Yara Shahidi, Zoe Saldana, Letitita Wright, Bria Vinaite, Emma Roberts, Syd, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjarta. All are filmed separately.
Directed by 22-year-old Toronto native Karena Evans — who also helmed Drake’s clip for “God’s Plan,” which featured him giving away $1 million to various people and organizations in need — the clip doesn’t have a plot, just Drake performing while the ladies groove.
The song samples “Ex Factor,” one of the most popular tracks from the 1999 classic “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Drake previously sampled Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” from the same album, on his 2014 song “Draft Day.”
Drake announced the single was coming during a quick surprise appearance at a Toronto concert by Majid Jordan Thursday night,adding that his new album is nearly finished.
“The reason I’m here tonight is because I’m back in the city finishing my album,” Drake told the audience. “I’ve got a new single dropping tomorrow night, too, just in case you got some free time.” He also said he’ll be playing live dates this summer, and talked briefly about how proud he is of Majid Jordan and the “OVO family.”
The MC hasn’t released a full-length album since 2016 or even an extended work since the “More Life” mixtape just over a year ago, but as always he’s been active: He dropped a pair of new songs in January — “God’s Plan” and “Diplomatic Immunity” — and appeared in Migos’ hilariously ’70s-retro video for “Walk It Talk It.” He also premiered several new songs in a surprise appearance at a pop-up party in Memphis.
