When “Off That” from The Blueprint III first gave mention of a feature by Drake, fans were livid at the notion that him and Hov would be on a track together and expected history. As the song plays out, however, the rising star is on the song, but he is only utilized for the hook.
Many opinions have weighed in on an absent 16 bars as some have speculated that Jigga was afraid to get roasted on his own song by a new dude. Others have stated that he might be a little bitter that he couldn’t get the rapper on Roc Nation and gave him the hook as some sort of weird punishment. People have become very critical of the Brooklyn rapper since his days with Eminem on “Renegade” as they doubt his ability to stand up against another formidable rapper.
Timbaland, whose camp was responsible for the initial leak of the album, opens up to let people know that there actually was a verse by the young rapper that was actually not used. Speaking with MTV the super producer dishes out some info on his feelings with Drake only having the hook.
“I know what the kids want…That’s what I bring to the table. I bring that umph outta him. Listen to the album. I bring something outta him…You gotta ask him [why the verse is gone]. It should have been [on there]…But I thought, to me, we took [Drake] out of his element. But he said that was good to him. I said, ‘Oh, Shyte, let’s go back and get him in the verse.’ But that ain’t my project. If it was up to me to redo it, I’d redo it that way.”
What’s funny about Timbo saying that he knows what the kids WANT is the fact that his leaks made everyone initially HATE the album. Each and every one of his beats received close to no love from most as people were already prepped to raise their signs and protest against Jay.
The reason as to why the verse was kept out, only Jay knows, but it’s far too late to bring up the past now as the album is out. In other words, we off that.
