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Drake’s “November 18th” Is Our Subtle Reminder That Winter Is Coming

November 18th, as a date, has been cemented into the collective mindset of hip-hop. It serves as our yearly Drake reminder. Sort of like a Drake alarm clock. When November 18th arrives, we recognize at once that December is around the corner; cool weather will soon prevail. We also recognize that Drake song. We take a moment to revisit it, to recall where we were when we first heard So Far Gone, perhaps to reflect on our own personal achievements, our growth or lack thereof. In the same way Drake’s “November 18th” served as a sort of benchmark in his early career, an evaluation of time-passed and an ushering in of a soon-to-be new era with Young Money, we as fans can treat the song as a our personal benchmarks, year-in, year-out. 

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John Shearer/BBMA2017/Getty Images

Drake’s AM/PM song series, consisting of records titled with both a time and a place, has resulted in some of his most highly-favoured loose cuts to date. These songs typically showcase an empowered yet vulnerable Drake, and they arrive either before or after an important career move, such as an album release. These songs not only clearly demarcate a time and a place– where and when Drizzy recorded them– they also reference some sort of notch within the artist’s career as a whole. While the series would evolve into a place where Drake would address subtle beef, flex his latest increase in wealth, or generally muse on life, the first instalment in these open journal entries was something a bit less direct, but still monumental as far as its place within the history of Drake’s career. 

As the story goes, J. Prince’s son, Jas Prince, flew Drake into Houston on this fateful day in 2008. It was this same day that Drake finally connected with his soon-to-be mentor, Lil Wayne. “November 18th,” as the date would soon be immortalized in song, was a result of this visit, despite no outright reference to it. Instead, the record is more a reflection of the city itself; a day in the Houston lifestyle. 

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Drake and Jas Prince, 2010 – David Becker/WireImage/Getty Images

The song was reportedly recorded post-break-up, which occurred prior to Drake heading down to Houston– the break-up in question acts as the preceding song to “November 18th” within the context of So Far Gone, “Let’s Call It Off.” “November 18th” later leads us into “Ignant Shit” with Lil Wayne– the outcome of their initial meeting and formally hinting at the deal to come. While “November 18th” offers us a quick snapshot into a singular moment in time within Drake’s early rise, it’s also interesting to zoom out from there and look at the song within the tracklist of So Far Gone. This offers the listener further context within a broader story Drake is telling; So Far Gone is multiple journal entries, not only spanning the singular day of November 18th, but weeks. Ultimately, the break-up, Houston, Lil Wayne are inextricably tangled– if one had not happened, it’s possible the other would not have occurred either, and similarly so for the tracklist of So Far GoneSomehow, “November 18th” is more than just a record with a date titled after it, it’s a delicate reminder of life’s constant onwards march, and the domino pattern that can occur within our individual lives, should we let it. The collection of songs that make up So Far Gone are not only building blocks for Drake’s artistry, they allowed the listener to see his career unfold, in a sense. 

Where songs that followed within the AM/PM series in earnest, such as “4 PM in Calabasas” and the most recent entry, “March 14,” are a bit of a drag, with slow-moving purposeful beats that incorporate a slight boom-bap element, “November 18th” is a shocking chopped and screwed sound– at least, it seemed shocking at the time. A Toronto-born rapper, over this heavy, lean-drenched beat? The song neatly offers a slice into what made the mixtape so brilliant at the time of its release, what drew us to it. All the elements are there.

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Drake kicking off Houston Appreciation Weekend, 2014- Bob Levey/Getty Images

The record, produced by DJ Screw, samples a DJ Screw song (which itself samples Biggie) thus adding to its veracity under the Southern music umbrella. It’s approachable, where true chopped-and-screwed music might have been too intimidating to an unsuspecting, pop-leaning listener. “November 18th” simply runs with the idea of H-town inspiration, and enough melodic undertones to persuade a wide range of hip-hop and r’n’b fans. The production is sleek and cold, appropriately matching the weather on the date in question, and Drake mirrors this style in his approach to the vocals. The Canadian artist doesn’t land harshly on top of the beat, instead, he lightly glides over it, all the while flexing his singing chops and his heart-on-his-sleeve style —  at a time when we were not yet used to either. The song then converges in this strange chopped-and-screwed-r’n’b space, a clear ode to some of Drake’s biggest influences and the sounds that would come to dictate his career. Ultimately, it’s these exact sounds that would create Drizzy’s own unique strain of influence for the next generation of rappers to follow in his footsteps.

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AFRIMA President speaks on fostering collaboration within African music community as BridgeAfric launches in Malawi |

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The President/Executive Producer, All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, Mike Dada, would be sharing his thought at the BridgeAfric’s Southern Africa launch in Malawi on March 23, 2024.

It is in continuation of promoting and showcasing African artistes, providing them with platforms to reach a global audience beyond their home countries,

BridgeAfric is a revolutionary initiative aimed at connecting African artistes and industry professionals across the continent led by the dynamic Victoria Nkong.

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With the theme; importance of fostering collaboration within the African music community, Dada would be speaking on the significance of working together in promoting African music on a global scale.

In his statement, the AFRIMA President noted that there are potential for growth and success that come from uniting artistes, producers, and other stakeholders in the industry.

Dada, who lauded BridgAfric for its efforts in connecting Malawians artistes with industry professionals, helping them to build their careers and reach a wider audience, said he is committed to supporting initiatives like BridgAfric that empower African artists and promote the rich diversity of African music. He believes that by working together, they can create a more vibrant and inclusive music industry that celebrates the talent and creativity of artists from across the continent.

“This is very significant for the growth, development and promotion of the arts and music industry in Africa, especially when you look at it from the point of view of collaborations, the Malawi music industry and connecting to the center of the journey of the ongoing movements and the development of the African industry to the global audience,” Dada submitted.

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South African billionaire commits suicide

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A South African billionaire, Markus Jooste has committed suicide as he was found dead with a gunshot wound near Cape Town.

It was reported that the billionaire shot himself in the head while taking a walk just few minutes from his Stellenbosch home.

The former Steinhoff CEO had been involved in an accounting fraud scandal as he got a hefty fine on Wednesday.

Police are investigating, stating that no foul play is suspected.

“It is alleged that the victim sustained a gunshot wound at around 1520 (local time) at Kwaaiwater and succumbed to death on his way to hospital,” Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said in a statement.

Jooste’s death comes after a fine from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority for false financial statements linked to Steinhoff’s near-collapse in 2017 due to accounting irregularities. 

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El-Rufai Speaks On Dumping APC For SDP

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A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has denied rumours of his planned defection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai made an unexpected appearance at the SDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

The National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Musa Gabam, and other chieftains of the party received the former Kaduna governor.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday issued by his spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai said he only visited the SDP headquarters to return a visit to the party’s chairman.

The former Minister said Gabam was among his friends who took part in the break of the Ramadan fast (Iftar) at his house in Abuja on Tuesday.

El-Rufai said he is known for being open and forthright, adding that his political decisions would not be subjected to speculation.

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