In a statement released after Drizzy leaked the song titled 'Life of the Party', the Outkast member says the version of the song he wrote his verse to did not contain the Drake diss.
- Sep 6, 2021
AceShowbiz - Andre 3000 a.k.a. Andre Benjamin has spoken up after Drake leaked his unreleased collaboration with Kanye West, which takes a shot at the Canadian superstar. In a statement released after the song made its way out without Ye's authorization, the Outkast member explained why the song did not make the cut into "Donda".
"A few weeks ago Kanye reached out about me being a part of the 'Donda' album," Andrew said in the statement to Variety. "I was inspired by his idea to make a musical tribute to his mom. It felt appropriate to me to support the 'Donda' concept by referencing my own mother, who passed away in 2013. We both share that loss."
"I thought it was a beautiful choice to make a clean album but, unfortunately, I didn't know that was the plan before I wrote and recorded my verse," he added of why the track did not make it onto the final cut of the album. "It was clear to me that an edited 'clean' format of the verse would not work without having the raw, original also available. So, sadly, I had to be omitted from the original album release."
The "Hey Ya!" hitmaker went on noting that the version of the song he wrote his verse to did not contain the Drake diss. "The track I received and wrote to didn't have the diss verse on it and we were hoping to make a more focused offering for the 'Donda' album but I guess things happen like they are supposed to," he continued.
Refusing to take a side, he also weighed on the feud between Drake and Kanye, "It's unfortunate that it was released in this way and two artists that I love are going back and forth. I wanted to be on 'Certified Lover Boy' too. I just want to work with people that inspire me. Hopefully I can work with Kendrick on his album. I'd love to work with Lil Baby, Tyler and Jay-Z. I respect them all."
Drake leaked the song titled "Life of the Party" on SiriusXM's Sound 42 show. In the track, Kanye raps, "I put Virgil and Drake on the same text, and it wasn't about the matching Arc'teryx or Kid Cudi dress/ Just told these grown men stop it with the funny s**t."
He also hints at a collaboration that never came to be as he spits, "Thought we was the new Abu Dhabi/ Told Drake don't play with me on GD and he sent that message to everybody/ So if I hit you with a 'WYD,' you better hit me with, 'Yessir, I'm writing everything you need.' "
Rolling Stone reported that "Life of the Party" was first played at a private "Donda" listening party in Las Vegas before being cut from Kanye's official album. It's unclear how Drake managed to get his hands on the unleased song.
