Drake names song on new album after Young Thug’s Atlanta lawyer
Drake is in a loving mood. And on Valentine’s Day, he’s sharing some of his affection with none other than Brian Steel, the Atlanta attorney most notable for representing Young Thug in the lengthy YSL trial.
“Brian Steel” is one of 21 songs on “Some Sexy Songs 4 U,” the Drake and PartyNextDoor album that dropped today. Steel’s name was initially misspelled as “Steele” on the track list but later fixed.
The love didn’t end with the song title, though.
“Shoutout, Brian Steel, I’m too geeked for the guys/ Yeah, woah, I’ve been in the house, but I’m comin’ outside tonight,” Drake said on the opening verse.
Throughout the roughly two-minute track, the Canadian rapper uses Brian Steel and Young Thug’s jail release as a metaphor for “popping out with the guys” and leaving his lover at home. Last fall, Young Thug was released from Fulton County Jail after entering a guilty plea. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced him to 15 years of probation.
Young Thug is not featured on the song, however Drake has been a longtime friend and collaborator of the Atlanta rapper. Later on the track, Drake name-dropped Steel again: “Shoutout, Brian Steel/ Take off the cuffs.”
On Thursday, Steel told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he wasn’t aware of the song but he shared that he holds Drake in the “highest regard.”
“He’s so inspirational, intelligent, kind, considerate and generous. He’s a true leader and a great model for our community. I’m extremely humbled that he would spend any time thinking about me,” Steel said.
Judge Whitaker also got a nod on the track, though very brief. “Big Paige Reese/ She done freed up the Slime,” Drake rapped, referencing Whitaker’s role in releasing Young Thug from the trial.
The YSL trial officially ended in December — becoming the longest in Georgia’s history.
“Some Sexy Songs 4 U” is Drake’s first LP since his highly-publicized beef with Kendrick Lamar began last spring.
About the Author
DeAsia is a music and culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She focuses on the intersection of arts, culture and diverse communities, as well as how emerging social trends are being expressed through the lens of the Atlanta aesthetic. DeAsia's work can be seen in Pitchfork, Essence, Teen Vogue, Elle and more.
