AceShowbiz - Drake is courting controversy by crediting shamed rapper R. Kelly on his new album "Certified Lover Boy", and the Beatles have a surprise name check too.

The rapper's new album dropped on Friday (03Sep21) and the Canadian has sampled the Beatles' 1965 song "Michelle" on track "Champagne Party".

Late rapper Notorious B.I.G. and Right Said Fred also score mentions - with Drake using the Brits' "I'm Too Sexy" hit on his seventh album track, "Way 2 Sexy" - as does R. Kelly, who is currently on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

According to WhoSampled, Drake's stripper-celebrating track "TSU" uses the same musical intro as Kelly’s 1998 single "Half on a Baby".

Kelly is also a credited songwriter on the track as are Christopher Cross, Timbaland, and Justin Timberlake, due to the sampling of NSYNC's version of Cross' 1979 hit "Sailing".

A rep for Drake declined to comment to Rolling Stone about the sample. However, the credit was confirmed by multiple streaming services, Rolling Stone reports.

While the "I Believe I Can Fly" hitmaker's music has frequently been sampled over the years, this is its most high-profile usage since he was indicted on several charges of sex trafficking. Kelly is currently on trial in New York and is also facing both a federal trial and state charges in his native Chicago, Illinois.

According to Rolling Stone, "TSU" was written in 2018 - before the damning TV documentary "Surviving R. Kelly" aired and charges were filed against the "Sex Me" star.

Drake's decision to retain the "Half on a Baby" sample has drawn criticism on social media, but despite the controversy, "Certified Lover Boy" quickly rose to the top at iTunes overnight, bumping rival Kanye West's "Donda".

Kanye similarly shocked fans by crediting rocker Marilyn Manson - who's also been accused of sexual assault - and DaBaby - the rapper who faced backlash over his anti-LGBT comments earlier this year - on "Donda" tracks.