Drake has been at the top for a while but last night, the Young Money emcee reminded fans that he really did seem to come out of nowhere in 2009, but it was hard work that put him in the spotlight.

Apparently, the rapper was so excited to share new music that he released his lead single, 'Started From the Bottom,' on Friday evening to everyone's surprise. Earlier this week, there were reports he would drop the track on Grammy night, more than a week from today.

On his October's Very Own site, he explained why he chose to debut the effort.

"I didn’t feel I needed any interviews or radio or press to launch this song," he wrote. "It felt right to come back to the site that I started on and release it to the people that started here with me. Judging by this post, the tour that we’ve been planning, the conversations about new songs and album artwork…I think it’s safe to say we’re back together again."

On the track, Drizzy adopts a more monotonous flow than he's known for, although he does break into a quick melody -- as he's known to do -- towards the song's end. His cadences are longer between bars but in a sense it's fitting to the production behind 'Started.'

Beatsmith Mike Zombie is responsible for creating one of the darkest beats we've heard the Toronto emcee spit over. The track is far from that poppy, energetic sound we've heard from Drake in the past.

And Drizzy spits pretty aggressively. "Started from the bottom now we here, started from the bottom now my whole team f---ing here," he raps on the hook.

The first verse revisits his grind to build a career while living at home with his mom and having to borrow his uncle's car to get around. In the second verse, Drizzy goes hard at the doubters who allude that his success has been "bought" or handed to him. "We just want the credit where it's due / I'ma worry 'bout me / Give a f--- about you / Just as a reminder to myself / I wear every single chain / Even when I'm in my house," he spits.

If this is the track Drake started with, we're curious to know the direction of his upcoming LP.

Listen to Drake's 'Started From the Bottom'

 

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