Drake Honors Bay Area Hip-Hop Legacy, References Late Friend Nadia on New ICEMAN Track

Drake is channeling Bay Area rap energy on his latest release. The 39-year-old artist taps into hyphy culture—the high-octane hip-hop movement that emerged from Oakland and San Francisco in the late 1990s and early 2000s—on "2 Hard 4 the Radio," a track from his ICEMAN project that dropped Friday, May 15.

The song carries emotional weight, as Drake includes a tribute to Nadia Ntuli, a longtime friend who tragically died in an ATV accident in 2021. Drake had previously dedicated his album Certified Lover Boy to Ntuli's memory. In the track, he acknowledges her loss while celebrating Bay Area pride, referencing iconic locations and the region's distinctive culture.

The record also nods to Mac Dre's classic Bay Area anthem of the same name, sampling its spirit and legacy. Drake paints vivid scenes of the region throughout the verses, name-checking Oakland and surrounding areas like Antioch—locally known as "the Yoc"—while capturing the energy and attitude synonymous with the Bay Area sound.

Beyond the regional homage, Drake uses the platform to deliver pointed criticism at producer Mustard. Drake suggests the hitmaker hasn't maintained his creative momentum since their collaborative work, referencing his 2014 collaboration with YG and pointing to earlier productions like Tyga's 2011 track. He also brings up Mustard's recent work with Kendrick Lamar, implying the producer's recent output doesn't measure up to his past catalog.

The track showcases Drake drawing from West Coast rap history while settling scores and honoring the people and places that shaped the culture.