Pain 1993 Explained

Pain 1993
Artist:Drake featuring Playboi Carti
Album:Dark Lane Demo Tapes
Released:May 1, 2020
Recorded:2019–2020
Label:
Producer:Pi'erre Bourne

"Pain 1993" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released as the tenth track from Drake's fifth mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes, on May 1, 2020.[1] The song was written by Drake and Playboi Carti, alongside American record producer Pi'erre Bourne.

The song debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake's 38th Hot 100 top 10, matching Madonna for the most in the chart's history. For Playboi Carti, it became his first top 10 entry, besting the number 29 peak of 2017's "Magnolia".

Background

In early April 2020, Drake teased a collaboration with Playboi Carti during an Instagram live session, sharing a snippet of the track and its title.[2] The song is a tribute to fashion designer Ian Connor, who was the manager of Playboi Carti and had previously worked with hip hop artists ASAP Rocky and Kanye West. Connor himself first teased the track in June 2019. "Pain 1993" marks Drake and Carti's first collaboration.[3]

Critical reception

HotNewHipHop noticed Drake "brings his usual effortless delivery," while Playboi Carti "introduces his baby-voiced madness to a wider array of hip-hop and pop fans."[4] In Pitchfork, Matthew Strauss deemed it the "stand out track" on the mixtape, and noticed it "offers a beat that glimmers like sheet metal." Strauss stated Carti "hypes Drake for the new song's first half... Then, when it's [his] turn, he doesn't upstage Drake so much," concluding "Drake and Carti blend their styles while still bouncing off each other, creating a hybrid that's distinct but new."[5]

Commercial performance

The song debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake's 38th Hot 100 top 10, matching Madonna for the most in the chart's history. For Playboi Carti, it became his first top 10 entry, besting the number 29 peak of 2017's "Magnolia".[6]

Charts

Chart (2020)Peak
position
France (SNEP)[7] 50
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[8] 22
Italy (FIMI)[9] 62
Lithuania (AGATA)[10] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 17
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 69
US Rolling Stone Top 100[13] 4

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Drake and Playboi Carti's "Pain 1993" . XXL.
  2. Web site: Drake teases collaboration with Playboi Carti on Instagram live session. NME.
  3. Web site: Drake & Playboi Carti's "Pain 1993" Is A Tribute To Fashion Designer Ian Connor. Genius. Eddie Fu . Jacques Morel Jr. . Russel Abad . Joe Ali . Delisa Shannon . May 1, 2020. May 3, 2020.
  4. Web site: Drake & Playboi Carti Finally Release "Pain 1993". HotNewHipHop.
  5. Web site: "Pain 1993" [ft. Playboi Carti]]. Pitchfork.
  6. Web site: Doja Cat's 'Say So,' Featuring Nicki Minaj, Tops Billboard Hot 100, Becoming Their First No. 1 Each. Billboard. Trust. Gary. May 11, 2020. May 12, 2020.
  7. Web site: Top Singles (Week 19, 2020). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. May 11, 2020.
  8. Web site: Tónlistinn – Lög. The Music – Songs. is. Plötutíðindi. July 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514180008/http://plotutidindi.is/lagalistinn/. May 14, 2020.
  9. Web site: Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 19. Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. May 8, 2020.
  10. Web site: ALBUMŲ TOP100. lt. AGATA. May 8, 2020. May 9, 2020.
  11. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. May 11, 2020. May 9, 2020.
  12. Web site: Veckolista Singlar, vecka 19. Sverigetopplistan. May 8, 2020.
  13. Web site: Top 100 Songs, May 1, 2020 - May 7, 2020. Rolling Stone. May 7, 2020.