Drake’s ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour Prompts A Bittersweet Inquiry

Armon Sadler
·8 min read
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A live Drake show will always be enjoyable. Because of how much good music he has delivered throughout his career, fans walk away pleased that they can enjoy their favorite songs in an arena full of people who know every single lyric. And his usual emphasis on performing new music only elevates the experience.

This current tour, It’s All A Blur, is different. It is his first tour since 2018’s Aubrey & The Three Migos. In that time, he released three albums, two mixtapes and re-released his seminal So Far Gone for DSP consumption. With so many new songs to capitalize on, it was ultimately noticeable how just 13 of the 43 he performed during his Tuesday (July 25) stop at Madison Square Garden were released between 2019 and the present.

Coincidentally, on Christmas 2019, Drake told Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson and Brian “B. Dot” Miller that his goal with each new album was to create songs that resonated so much that he would never have to end his live shows with anything from older projects. Being able to close each Aubrey & The Three Migos show with “God’s Plan” showed that he accomplished that goal.

For It’s All A Blur, he not only ends with “Legend,” the opener from his 2015 mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, but also opens with “Look What You’ve Done,” the passionate ode to important people in his life from his 2011 album Take Care. At the Philadelphia stop on Monday (July 31), he ended the show with 2017 deep cut “Teenage Fever,” and revealed he would change his closing song moving forward throughout the tour. Presumably, these will come from early records in his catalog. This is all more telling than people may realize.

Obviously, there is nothing wrong with performing classics. People want to hear older tracks like “Say Something,” “Headlines,” “Marvin’s Room,” and “Know Yourself.” He also performed multiple hits he’s racked up since his last tour, like “Laugh Now Cry Later” and “Way 2 Sexy.” Still—30 out of his 43-song setlist were tracks from before 2020, which isn’t his usual M.O.

When he performed at The Apollo Theater in January, Drake opened that show with “Over My Dead Body” and ended with “Legend.” It was fitting; that was his first solo live show since performing alongside Kanye West at Los Angeles’ The Forum in December 2021. He was three months removed from his sixth album Certified Lover Boy, and the majority of his setlist was dedicated to highlighting songs from that LP, since he hadn’t toured it. The Apollo show was more intimate than the arenas he is used to and better suited for a journey down memory lane.

His appearance at Dreamville Fest in April was in front of a larger crowd, but the setlist was almost identical to the one he did at The Apollo. What fans may not have realized on those two January nights and that slightly warmer April evening, was that he was foreshadowing what could come to fruition after this tour.

Drake hinted at wanting to retire at 35 years old on the Views track “Weston Road Flows” in 2016, but later confirmed on Rap Radar that it was more of a fun bar than an actual intention. He spoke about how much he loves making music and living the rapper lifestyle. He shared a similar sentiment during an August 2022 interview with Nicki Minaj on Queen Radio. Yet, just six months later during a conversation with Lil Yachty, he said, “I feel like I’m kind of introducing the concept in my mind of a graceful exit.”

It is important to note that, in that February conversation with Yachty, he did say that he wasn’t ready to retire at that moment. He still has an interest in making interesting projects. However, his tune did change in just six months—after his successful November 2022 collaboration album with 21 Savage, Her Loss and polarizing dance-inspired album Honestly, Nevermind. Drake hadn’t released music at such a consistent rate since his 2015-2018 barrage of If You’re Reading This, What A Time To Be Alive, Views, More Life, and Scorpion.

The only years he has actually “taken off,” which for him means not releasing a studio album or new mixtape, are 2012, 2014, and 2019. And here he is again, promoting his forthcoming album For All The Dogs. Only, he is marketing it as “old Drake”— the archetype that some fans have asked for as he’s continued to experiment. Now, it seems like he is either giving in or taking a well-deserved victory lap.

The Degrassi actor’s 2020 to 2023 output made many feel like he wasn’t slowing down anytime soon, but a deeper dive evokes the opposite feeling. While many naysayers may credit that to him “not having it” anymore or recognizing the game has passed him by, there was a sense of fulfillment that came with the words he said on stage at MSG.

He spent a portion of the show discussing being appreciative and grateful. He acknowledged the things people go through with their families, employers, finances, and aspects of their lives that they want to change before encouraging fans to greet one another and express love. “That’s the way we stay alive,” he said. “We can’t be cool and tough all the time. A thousand things can take you off this Earth, don’t let it be hate.” While this speech was salient, in hindsight, it feels like he was talking to himself.

Drake’s life appears luxurious, from the mansion to the plane to the expensive trips. However, working at the rate he has, it would be impossible to not be tired. There are also the challenges fans are aware of, and the things he keeps private. That moment at MSG now feels like he was looking in a mirror.

After bookending the speech with “God’s Plan” and “Child’s Play,” photos of Drake’s five-year-old son Adonis appeared on the titantrons during “Wait For U.” While fatherhood appears awesome now, fans can’t ignore how we learned about his son: via a beef with Pusha T in 2018 where his family and friends got caught in the crossfire. Even one of the most braggadocious, impenetrable rappers in history has weak spots, and those became apparent in the heat of that feud. Drake has understandably been a target for a lot of his career, given his stature. He has played the villain, reverted to the nice guy, and now toes the line between both roles. That in itself sounds exhausting.

At the end of the show, he paid homage to fashion designer Virgil Abloh, a close friend who died in Nov. 2021. This led to another speech about loving the people around you and keeping their memories alive when they are gone. Drake then transitioned into how happy he was to look good in front of his mother Sandra Graham, who joined him onstage during “Look What You’ve Done.” She was visibly emotional, shedding tears as she kissed his cheek before disappearing beneath the stage. His father Dennis Graham was present too, though Drizzy surmised that he was probably drunk somewhere.

It’s also worth exploring another difference on the It’s All A Blur Tour: no surprise appearances by artists to perform during Drake’s sets. J. Cole joined him during the Montreal leg of the tour, but only because 21 Savage is not allowed to cross the border. Lil Yachty opened the MSG shows in the place of Skillibeng. Meek Mill walked out with him, much like several other rappers and celebrities have on this tour. However, Meek did not actually hit the stage. This tour has been all about Drake and his journey, which adds to the “final chapters” feeling.

While he ended the MSG show announcing that For All The Dogs will be “coming soon,” something in the air made the entire spectacle feel like this journey he and his fans have been on will be ending soon. Given his work ethic and how easily he can make a record that people enjoy, it is undeniable that he can continue on for any period of time. Still, there is something about the depth of his musings and the nostalgia-leaning setlist that makes it feel like people should prepare for their beloved Drake to take on a reduced schedule. That’s if he’ll even be an active presence in Hip-Hop at all after this album.

On “Fireworks,” the opener to his 2010 debut album Thank Me Later, Drake rapped: “My dreams are who I’m racing with/ But you can see I’m pacing it so that I’m always chasing it.” The It’s All A Blur tour feels like an acknowledgment that he is closer than ever to his finish line, and he is fully okay with it. The dream was realized—arguably, years ago. Now, he can gracefully exit and ride into the sunset on his own terms.

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