Since 2015, “Hotline Bling” by Drake has been a huge part of mainstream culture. With an incredibly catchy hook and a music video that nobody would so easily forget, it easily reached the top charts and became a cultural phenomenon. But what is the story behind this iconic track? Drake opened up about what inspired him to write “Hotline Bling,” giving the world a window to look into his creative process and understand some personal experiences he has been through.
On August 6, Drake launched 100 Gigs, a site filled with 100 GB of unreleased music, videos, or other personal material. Of those, one named “Hotline Bling” folder excited everyone. This contains three clips from the music videos that will tell the story behind the song that once topped the charts.
Drake explaining the inspiration for “Hotline Bling” 😭
“We just finished f**king and her phone would be blowing up, so I saved her name in my phone as ‘Hotline Bling’”
PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZABUDF7DRM— XXL Magazine (@XXL) AUGUST 6, 2024
In the first video, Drake chills on a couch, casually smoking hookah, and repetitively listens to that familiar tune of “Hotline Bling.” He vibes with the music right from the beginning, repetitive in nature. After a little while into the video, he rises and begins dancing on the couch to the obvious feel of this beat that millions of fans would later come to love.
The second clip goes into the depths of how the song came about. In a candid video, Drake revealed that the song “Hotline Bling” is about him having a casual relationship with a woman. He was drunk when he explained how, after his intimate moments with the chick, her phone would immediately ring. So, he saved the lady’s contact information on his phone as “Hotline Bling.” The nickname stuck, and afterward, it became the title of his song. Drake even joked that “Hotline Bling” would be a dope artist name if he were a dancehall artist.
Footage of Drake in session making “Hotline Bling”PIC.TWITTER.COM/PHIZEMSTPW
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) AUGUST 6, 2024
Drake continued to say that the nickname was so catchy that it drew him in and made him feel it could make for something great in general. “And I looked at it today, I was like, ‘Hotline Bling’ is a sick name. That would be a sick artist name,” he explained, reflecting on the moment of inspiration.
He even talked to the woman the day he created the song’s title.
“I was talking to her today, I was like, ‘Yo, your nickname is such a good title for something.’ And then I just told her today, I was like, you know I did a song called ‘Hotline Bling,’ that’s crazy.”
“Hotline Bling” epitomizes the relationship between music cultures that need to create a different sound. It’s R&B and hip-hop-based but draws elements from dancehall and reggae—downbeat, tailored for the dance floor. The beat is highly minimalized to let Drake‘s vocals shine, and the hooks are catchy.
Drake opens up with the personal story behind “Hotline Bling.” It wouldn’t have an added layer of authenticity if he didn’t share that with the fans. So, he lets people connect to his music on another level by sharing experiences. It’s part of the reasons that he is compelling: not being afraid to show vulnerability and always being very transparent with the listeners.
Hotline Bling” became pop culture. Peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, it became a viral sensation. Released with an equally iconic music video by Director X featuring Drake’s very own dances, they would, in very little time, become a synonym for memes and parodies. The phrase “Hotline Bling” entered everyday vernacular—most of the time, it was used humorously to explain similar relationship situations.
Even though people’s reactions to “Hotline Bling” were mostly positive, reviews of the song turned out to be quite mixed. Some critics argued that the artistic video provided very meager content; this did not affect the liking of the thermostat. The track remained an attention-grabbing number, with its melody and lyrics easy to relate to. The song “Hotline Bling” also received several awards, like Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Song at the 2016 American Music Awards and two Grammys in 2017 for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Performance. All these became history in music.
Drake releases 100GB of unreleased music, videos & more PIC.TWITTER.COM/NMHDLJSFCK
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) AUGUST 6, 2024
Hotline Bling by Drake transcends a simple hit and becomes a look into the artist’s life and creative process. Sharing the story behind this song gave Drake an opportunity to connect with his fans by letting them in on what experiences and emotions he had while writing it. It is in this connection with the artist that “Hotline Bling” becomes timeless, remaining relevant years after the release date.
