Drake Really Loves Italian Food and Drinks
I promise this is not a way of telling you that I too, like Drake, have been to Carbone. But yes… I’ve been to Carbone.
But despite the fact that I’ve indulged in the much talked about spicy vodka rigatoni from Carbone that takes months to get a reservation to eat, I’d feel like a fraud if I called myself a huge fan of Italian cuisine due to my lack of real knowledge compared to my peers.
When I was growing up in Columbus, Ohio, going to an Italian restaurant would be considered fancy for us, and we hardly ever did. So my entry point into Italian cuisine was homemade spaghetti, with leftovers often being stored in a Country Crock butter tub. When I knew we were having spaghetti for dinner, I looked forward to garlic bread on the side, straight from the mass-produced freezer section at Kroger. There was nothing like that combo. But unfortunately, that’s where my understanding of Italian ended.
Until I moved to New York City five years ago, and had a world-changing epiphany:
Oh my god. I can now experience all the pasta shapes, sauces, seafood, and dishes I’ve been hearing Drake rap about for nearly a decade, albeit at a lower price point.
Where I lack Italian knowledge, I certainly make up for it in the knowledge of Drake’s career. Since first hearing him featured on Ransom by Lil Wayne in my freshman year of high school, his music has been a soundtrack to most of my life. One thing I’ve gleaned through his songs over the years is his affinity toward Italian food.
Whether it’s namedropping a restaurant that would break the common man’s bank account, expressing his love for a certain sauce, or even starting a viral trend of artists eating pasta straight from a Spotify streaming plaque — The Boy has consistently shown he’s a foodie to the utmost degree.
So because I promised you (my readers) that I wouldn’t just write about restaurant recommendations, and I just so happen to be a huge fan, I’ve decided to compile a list of all the times Drake has mentioned Italian food in his songs, or features throughout his career. This wasn’t easy, and I hope I didn’t miss anything.
Before we get into it, a few rules:
I’m ignoring mentions of pizza because when he mentions pizza it’s not about a specific kind of pizza and him enjoying it. So that means, “You can have my heart or we can share it like the last slice” and “My delivery has got me buzzin’ like the pizza man” don’t count unfortunately.
I’m also clocking mentions of Italian restaurants, and brands, such as the name of a store-bought noodle or sauce.
When it comes to wine, it’s usually French or Italian. I’ll use my discretion on which lines about wine get included.
The seafood of it all is really hard to nail down to Italian dishes specifically. Most of the mentions of seafood will be ignored unless there’s an obvious Italian connection. Maybe I should do a seafood Drake blog?
All songs have been linked to either Spotify or a YouTube link, for the songs that are deep cuts far before the times of the streaming era.
Please share this on your IG story, Twitter, or whatever, because this took a lot of time lol.
Okay, in chronological order… let’s get to the food.
2009, Do It Now:
“Lobster and shrimp and a glass of Moscato,
For the girl who's a student and her friend who's a model,
Finished the whole bottle and we gonna do it big like this.”
*Yes, Moscato originates from Italy, made out of Muscat grapes.
2009, Ignant Shit:
“It's all good, I'm goin' off like,
Lights when the show's over,
Make pasta, rent a movie,
Call hoes over”
2010, Do It All:
“Now my life is angel hair and pinot grigio,
Baby, forget about it”
I'm headed wherever this motherfucking jet is routed”
2011, The Motto:
“We got Santa Margherita by the liter,
She know even if I'm fucking with her, I don't really need her”
*Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, which Drake was referencing, is from Alto Adige is a region in northern Italy
2012, Stay Schemin’ (feature verse):
“Spaghetti bolognese in the Polo Lounge,
Me and my G from D.C., that's how I roll around”
2012, Poundcake / Paris Morton Music 2:
“After hours of Il Mulino,
Or Sotto Sotto, just talkin' about women and vino”
*Drake name-drops two of his favorite Italian restaurants in NYC and Toronto respectively. He loves Sotto Sotto so much, he recently posted a photo with a bomber jacket donning “Restorante Sotto Sotto Toronto" on the back.
2013, Tuscan Leather:
“I sip the Pora and listen to Cappadonna,
The fresh prince just had dinner with Tatyana”
*Pora is in reference to “Barbaresco Pora Riserva” which is an expensive Italian wine.
2013, The Language:
“I can't even listen, you whylin', I'd much rather sit here in silence,
I send all my money to banks in the islands and eat with Italians”
*Okay, he doesn’t mention a type of food or drink here, but if he eats with real-life Italians, this counts in my book.
2015, No Tellin:
“V-Live, I order that Alfredo pasta,
Then eat in the kitchen like I'm in the mafia”
2016, 4PM in Calabasas:
“My summer diet is just Rosé and calamari”
2017, Do Not Disturb:
“Last table left in Carbone, callin' plays on a rotary phone
I take a glass of Domina to go with me home”
2017, Free Smoke:
“Mama never used to cook much,
Used to chef KD,
Now me and Chef, KD,
Bet on shots for 20 G's”
*In the first mention of “chef KD” he’s referencing Kraft Dinner, which is what Kraft Mac & Cheese is called in Canada. Yes, macaroni is originally from Italy, so this counts.
2017, Family Feud Remix (feature verse):
“Angel hair at 2AM for Bey and Hov,
Just to show 'em how I treat the city like my humble abode”
2018, Diplomatic Immunity:
“Catering is from Giorgio Baldi, Robyn's favorite,
Shit is nice, but I prefer Madeo,
Calamari rings and tomato,
I got the sauce and now shorties keep claimin' preggo (Prego)”
*This is probably one of the best ones. Giorgio Baldi and Madeo are two ItaIian restaurants. Robyn in this case is referencing Rihanna. At the end, he drops a clever reference to Prego pasta sauce.
2020, Only You Freestyle (feature verse):
“Givin' out gifts like Santa, sippin' on Santa
Used to do lean and Wock',
Closet full up with designer, comin' like Panda Panda”
**Once again, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is what Drake is referencing in the first line. Also, a fun Designer reference.
2022, Spin Bout U:
“You know how it goes when they can't get a reservation up in Carbone,
They gon' tell you it's a chill night, tell you how they'd rather stay home”
2022, Middle of the Ocean:
“Long way from Sette Mezzo,
Meet Tommaso and Ernesto,
Short rigatoni with the pesto,
These verses are my manifesto.”
*This is insanely Italian.
Alright… if you’re reading this it’s time to eat 🍝
But seriously, if you made it this far, I sincerely thank you, this was a blast to put together. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Talk soon!
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