The 2015 hit R&B single “Hotline Bling” is performed by Drake. The Canadian rapper and singer released the song digitally on July 31, 2015, and it became one of the defining pop-culture hits of the decade.
Drake, whose birth name is Aubrey Graham, presents the song as a reflective account of a former relationship and the changes that follow a breakup. Its melodic vocals and minimalist production helped it reach listeners beyond rap audiences. Producer Nineteen85 built the track around a sample of Timmy Thomas’s 1972 song “Why Can’t We Live Together.”
“Hotline Bling” later appeared as a bonus track on Drake’s 2016 album Views. It reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became Drake’s first major hit to receive an equally strong identity through its music video.
Director X’s colorful video featured Drake dancing in a stark geometric set, creating scenes that quickly became internet memes and parodies. Covers and imitations sometimes cause confusion, but the original recording and credited performance belong to Drake.