The Problem with Drake & Taylor Swift

Summary

This video script explores the enduring success of music icons Drake and Taylor Swift, comparing their impact to the McDonald's Happy Meal of the music industry. Despite facing criticism, they have maintained relevance across generations. However, the script questions if their music has become formulaic, suggesting that while they enjoy massive popularity, they may have reached a creative plateau compared to contemporaries like Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar, who continue to redefine musical boundaries. The discussion touches on the artists' brand image, their relationship with their audience, and the challenges of aging in the public eye.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Drake and Taylor Swift are compared to McDonald's Happy Meals, appealing to mass audiences with endless output.
• 🌟 Despite criticism, Drake and Taylor have stayed relevant over their nearly 20-year careers, attracting fans across generations.
• 🎶 Their music is consistent, often focusing on themes like breakups, love, and youth, which resonate with a wide audience.
• 💡 Unlike contemporaries like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, who push artistic boundaries, Drake and Taylor maintain a familiar style.
• 👨‍🎤 The script criticizes Drake and Taylor for not evolving artistically and staying within their comfort zones.
• 🔄 Drake and Taylor's music often revisits the same tropes and clichés, sticking to a 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality.
• 💰 Both artists have signed massive deals with Universal Music Group, making them important franchises for the company.
• 🤔 The script questions whether the repetitive nature of their music limits their potential and relevance.
• 👁️ Critics argue that while Drake and Taylor are popular, their music lacks the depth and innovation seen in other artists.
• 🎭 The video concludes that as fans grow older, they might outgrow the music of Drake and Taylor, which remains targeted at a younger audience.

Q & A

What is the main comparison made between Drake and Taylor Swift in the script?

The script compares Drake and Taylor Swift to a McDonald's Happy Meal, suggesting that they are the epitome of the music industry's mass appeal, with a focus on maintaining a youthful image and producing endless output that remains popular despite criticism.

How does the script describe the careers of Drake and Taylor Swift?

The script describes their careers as having managed to stay relevant for nearly 20 years, cultivating massive fan bases across different age groups, and reaching unprecedented heights of fame and fortune.

What criticism is leveled against Drake and Taylor Swift in terms of their music?

The criticism is that their music, while successful, lacks depth and innovation, often relying on tropes and cliches, and that they seem content with maintaining their established brand images rather than pushing boundaries.

How does the script contrast Drake and Taylor Swift with other artists like Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar?

The script contrasts them by highlighting how Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar continue to redefine boundaries and explore new sounds, challenging themselves and their audiences, whereas Drake and Taylor Swift are seen as sticking to a formula that has made them successful.

What is the 'tortured poets' and 'for all the dogs' controversy mentioned in the script?

The 'tortured poets' and 'for all the dogs' controversy refers to the public criticism Drake received for the lyrics and themes in his music, which some perceive as shallow and repetitive, and the ensuing rap beef with Kendrick Lamar.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between Drake and Taylor Swift's music and their audience?

The script suggests that their music is designed to appeal to a broad audience, including younger listeners, and that they have created an expectation of what their music should be, which they feel compelled to meet with each release.

How does the script discuss the business aspect of Drake and Taylor Swift's careers?

The script discusses their careers as not just being musicians but also as brands and franchises, particularly after signing deals with Universal Music Group, which has led to a focus on maximizing profits through constant releases, tours, and merchandise.

What is the script's view on the potential for Drake and Taylor Swift to change their musical direction?

The script implies that there is a possibility for them to change their musical direction, but it also suggests that they may be constrained by the expectations of their brand and the need to maintain their popularity with a wide audience.

How does the script address the issue of aging and its impact on the perception of Drake and Taylor Swift?

The script addresses the issue by noting that as they age, their attempts to maintain a youthful image and sound may become less convincing, and that their audience may struggle to relate to them as they grow older.

What conclusion does the script draw about the future of Drake and Taylor Swift's careers?

The script concludes that while Drake and Taylor Swift may continue to be successful, their audience may need to let go and accept that their music may not always align with their own evolving tastes and interests.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 The Perpetual Youth of Pop Icons

This paragraph discusses the phenomenon of Drake and Taylor Swift's enduring popularity, likening them to the McDonald's Happy Meal of the music industry. They are seen as symbols of never growing up, with a constant output that has kept them at the top of the charts for nearly two decades. Despite criticism, they continue to be massively successful, but the script suggests that this success may have come at the cost of artistic growth, comparing them to static brands like McDonald's or SpongeBob SquarePants. The paragraph questions whether fans have outgrown these artists as they continue to produce music that appeals to a wide audience but lacks depth or innovation.

05:01

🤔 The Creative Stagnation of Superstars

The second paragraph delves into the expectations placed on artists like Drake and Taylor Swift, suggesting that their immense success has created a formula that they feel compelled to follow. It contrasts their approach with that of artists like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, who are praised for their willingness to explore new themes and sounds in their music. The paragraph criticizes Drake and Swift for their reluctance to take risks and for producing music that feels safe and familiar, despite the potential for more profound artistic expression. It also touches on the repetitive nature of their music and the lack of evolution in their themes and lyrics.

10:04

🔄 The Repetitive Cycle of Commercial Success

This paragraph continues the critique of Drake and Taylor Swift's music, highlighting the repetitiveness of their themes and the formulaic nature of their songwriting. It discusses the artists' reliance on their established brand to maintain relevance, rather than pushing creative boundaries. The paragraph also addresses the business model of these artists, suggesting that their omnipresence in the media and constant release of new material can be overwhelming and alienating for some fans. It implies that the need to cater to a younger audience may be limiting their artistic growth and contributing to a sense of stagnation in their music.

15:05

📈 The Power and Limitations of Brand Loyalty

The final paragraph reflects on the role of Drake and Taylor Swift as brands within the music industry, particularly their relationship with Universal Music Group. It discusses the implications of their massive deals with the company and how their status as franchises influences their creative output. The paragraph suggests that the need to maintain their brand image and satisfy commercial interests may be hindering their artistic evolution. It concludes with a personal reflection on the difficulty of letting go of these artists as they continue to produce music that feels increasingly disconnected from the needs and desires of their aging fan base.

Keywords

💡Drake

Drake is a Canadian rapper and singer who is described in the video as a consistent and massively successful figure in the music industry. He is compared to a McDonald's Happy Meal, symbolizing his widespread, mainstream appeal and consistent output. Despite criticisms, his ability to stay relevant and successful is highlighted.

💡Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter known for her ability to stay relevant across different generations. Similar to Drake, she is likened to a McDonald's Happy Meal for her mainstream appeal and ability to consistently produce popular music. The video discusses how she maintains her image and appeal despite criticisms.

💡McDonald's Happy Meal

The McDonald's Happy Meal is used as a metaphor for Drake and Taylor Swift's music careers. It represents something that is consistently popular, widely appealing, and reliable, but also criticized for its lack of depth and complexity. The metaphor highlights their commercial success and mainstream acceptance.

💡Relevance

Relevance refers to the ability of Drake and Taylor Swift to stay significant and influential in the music industry over nearly two decades. Despite changing trends and new artists emerging, they have maintained large fan bases and continue to be major figures in popular music.

💡Criticism

Criticism is discussed in relation to the music and personas of Drake and Taylor Swift. The video highlights how both artists receive substantial criticism for their music's perceived lack of depth and for not evolving artistically. Despite this, they continue to achieve commercial success.

💡Artistic Evolution

Artistic evolution is contrasted between Drake and Taylor Swift, and their contemporaries like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. The latter are praised for pushing boundaries and evolving their sound and themes, while Drake and Taylor Swift are portrayed as sticking to familiar, safe formulas that guarantee success.

💡Fan Base

Fan base refers to the dedicated followers of Drake and Taylor Swift. The video discusses how these artists have cultivated massive fan bases that span different age groups, helping them maintain their commercial success and relevance despite criticisms and changing trends.

💡Commercial Success

Commercial success is a major theme, emphasizing how Drake and Taylor Swift have achieved significant financial and popular success. This success is attributed to their ability to produce widely appealing music and maintain a strong connection with their audiences.

💡Mainstream Appeal

Mainstream appeal refers to the widespread popularity of Drake and Taylor Swift's music. Their ability to produce hits that resonate with a broad audience is likened to the ubiquitous appeal of McDonald's Happy Meals, making them mainstays in the music industry.

💡Brand

The concept of a 'brand' is used to describe how Drake and Taylor Swift have become more than just musicians; they are complete brands with commercial interests, consistent images, and loyal consumer bases. Their music and public personas are meticulously managed to maintain their brand appeal.

Highlights

Drake and Taylor Swift are compared to McDonald's Happy Meals, representing their ubiquitous, never-aging appeal in the music industry.

Both artists have managed to stay relevant over nearly 20 years by appealing to both their original fans and younger generations.

Their music is characterized by simplicity and relatability, resonating with a wide audience, but it often follows familiar tropes and themes.

Drake and Taylor Swift have created a constant brand image, similar to how McDonald's, SpongeBob, and Nike remain consistent in our minds.

Despite their massive success, their music has been criticized for lack of innovation and repetition of the same themes.

The artists are likened to brands that must constantly adapt to maintain their popularity among younger audiences.

There is a perception that they avoid tackling deeper or more challenging topics in their music, unlike contemporaries like Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar.

Drake and Taylor Swift are seen as part of a cycle of perpetual youth and commercial success, which might not resonate with older fans seeking more mature content.

Both artists have secured lucrative deals with Universal Music Group, emphasizing their roles as major entertainment franchises.

Their constant presence in the media and music industry can feel overwhelming and repetitive to some fans.

Critics argue that their music has become formulaic, sticking to a proven method rather than exploring new artistic directions.

The video highlights how both artists have massive fan bases that support them regardless of the quality or innovation in their music.

The transcript discusses the pressures and expectations that come with maintaining a high level of fame and success over a long period.

Despite criticisms, both Drake and Taylor Swift continue to achieve significant commercial success with each new release.

The comparison to other artists who have pushed boundaries highlights the perceived missed opportunities for artistic growth in Drake and Taylor Swift's careers.

Transcripts

this is Drake and Taylor Swift and this

is a McDonald's Happy Meal what do they

have in common Never Growing Up made

them

billions Drake and Taylor Swift are the

McDonald's Happy Meal of the music

industry just choose which toy you want

with your burger they're the biggest in

the business their output is endless and

no matter how much criticism is thrown

their way it feels like nothing can stop

them over their near 20-year careers

they've managed to stay relevant with

people not only their age but also have

cultivated these massive fan bases with

groups of people who weren't even bored

when their first singles charted but as

they continue to reach these new

unprecedented Heights of Fame and

Fortune it does feel that it's been at

the cost of what could have been while

their contemporaries like Beyonce and

kendar continue to redefine the

boundaries in which stars their level

can break through Jer and Taylor swi are

seemingly content with who they are

almost like how McDonald's will always

be McDonald's SpongeBob will always be

SpongeBob and Nike is Nike even as we

get older as brand images in our heads

they remain a constant but Drake and

Taylor are human beings that mentally

and physically age I mean sure they have

tricks to keep them young and fresh but

in watching them attempt to keep their

secret formula intact their flaws have

begun shining through the cracks the

problem with Drake and tayor Swift isn't

that they're lazy the problem is that at

a certain age you realize McDonald's

isn't good for you today we're going to

be answering the questions of what is

the problem with Drake and Taylor's

music what separates them from other

superstars of today their brand and most

importantly have we outgrown them so uh

yeah Taylor's last album suck I put Care

on sh like Amazon Distribution Center

hell really hate to call on brosi for

the Dirty Work I rather do it by myself

Taylor swith could sell a blank disc and

do 2 million first week and if the

torture poets Department showed us

anything it's that it doesn't matter

what this girl does the fans will

support it I think a lot of levelheaded

critics and listeners are puzzled by it

gargantuan runtime aimless production

and uninspired lyrics and while it's

clear certain Outlets definitely gave

writing duties to in-house swifties to

avoid any backlash or to be rewarded by

Taylor retweeting are posting the

reviews on her Twitter the weekend the

album drop seemed to bring Taylor

discourse to an all-time high in a year

that already had a lot of Taylor with

discourse in it and where the firers

brought the Taylor it's been at the feet

of Aubrey for some time especially in

the last year whether as most death sayi

Drake makes music for shopping at Target

Joe button's array of criticisms for for

all the dogs or their day in the court

of public opinion is here and maybe for

good reason because listening to the

torture poets toin and for all the dogs

and hearing lyrics like touch me while

you're broke play Grand Theft Auto and

feel like I'm by cuz you're one of the

guys girl is kind of insane when you

consider that both these people can run

for president well actually not Drake

cuz you know uh

Canadian throwing all those together

it's made me look a lot closer at not

only those albums but everything they've

ever put out and I started to notice

something why you got to fight with me

at cheesec you know I go there I think

it's safe to say that Drake and Taylor

Swift enjoy making music for the masses

and why wouldn't they a lot of perks

come with being as big as the pope Money

Power Respect but most of all an

audience and as a creative the idea of

someone listening to your music or using

your voice as a vessel for their own

feelings it's a pretty powerful thing

and it's not like their grip on the

music industry doesn't make any sense

their Simplicity and every man every

girl relatability have always been a

part of the appeal they did this when

they both were cosplaying as Southern

Americans and they managed to still do

it today from their private jets also

side note did you know Taylor Swift was

from pen Vania and not like Nashville or

the South like she grew up an hour out

of Philly genre hopping riding waves

collaborating Coast finding whoever's

popping at the moment they've done it

all but it's clear that the music no

matter what tints applied to it all

follow very similar tropes and cliches

the good old if it ain't broke don't fix

it mentality and going through the

discographies you could start dropping

the songs at the same couple of buckets

like you got the breakup songs theck all

the haters anthems the love songs the

party songs You Belong To Me In Marvin

room about being the better option for

someone but so are rich baby daddy in

fortnite just you know with a senior

citizen discount their sounds may change

here and there but only within the

confines that they've created for

themselves it's almost like they noticed

a long time ago that operating these

areas of playlist and living in this

constant state of coming of age and

heartbreak and youth not only will

resonate with the youth who control what

is and isn't popular but those

hopelessly romantic teenagers and jaded

lover boys who never grew up past those

days and went on to become nostalgic

adults and speaking of nostalgic adults

checking my my last video and the sty

ification of pop music but only after

you watch this one because you know we

got to keep the retention up and while

you're at it hit the Subscribe button

hit the like button I do these videos

about pop culture and Niche topics that

I really enjoy but also so that my

friends and family don't have to hear me

yap on and on and on about things like

Drake and Taylor Swift like just listen

to the radio stop being a maniac but

there got to be some soul out there that

also likes this type of thing so

definitely hit like And subscribe and uh

let's get back to the show but I don't

know at this point I'm just starting to

see it more as wasted potential like I

was talking to a friend the other day

and they were like I like Drake the way

he is I don't want Drake getting

political why would I ever want that and

not that I'm looking for his thoughts on

inflation or the military-industrial

complex but I think an album about being

a child of divorce and then yourself

becoming a single father as the biggest

rapper in the world would be I don't

know unique but also relatable it made

me think more deeply about what we want

and expect from artists versus what they

could offer us like we loved graduation

but we didn't know we needed 808 and

heartbreak The Beatles stopped touring

and do shows so they could focus solely

on themselves and making the best music

and they did Imagine for real didn't

tell Tyler creator with Jimmy IV told

them about house music it's almost like

Drake and Taylor's fwip became so big

and so successful that they created an

expectation of what their music needs to

be and they feel every release need to

check off every box I mean Drake's even

G on to say this I mean I don't think

I'm going to be able to ever make like a

12 13 song album but only because I have

to do two things every album I have to

give the people that I like to hear the

singing enough to hold on to and I have

to give my I have to give Braun enough

bars for him to you know that and even

when they attempted to go left it's not

like they weren't diving into topics

they hadn't already explored at nauseum

or had let someone else go in the house

first to see if it was safe and for as

much as I enjoy those albums you're only

left wishing they've taken it further

especially in an age when they're

sharing the Superstar label with stars

like Beyonce and uh we're going to get

to that just let me cook for a second

hello again friend of a friend I don't

think there's two people you could put

up against Taylor Swift and Drake that

disprove the idea more that Artistic

integrity needs to be sacrificed in

exchange for streams and soldout tours

than Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar we've

seen Beyonce go from pop diva to one of

American music's great deconstructors

with her last three albums exploring

everything from genre to race to

feminism to love to family to even music

and American history and this is coming

from a woman who's 25 years in has three

kids and more money than God I think the

beauty of the last last three Beyonce

albums is just how hungry she sounds the

ideas are pulsating from every corner of

every track and what she's bringing to

the table at times is so grandiose and

so maximalist and so thought out that

the only thing I could do while

listening to a song like Yaya of cowboy

Carter for the first time was cry not

because she was striking an emotional

cord or she hit home because to me as a

music fan I was listening to one of the

biggest artists alive craft this massive

Rock country crossover track talking

about everyday people and the struggles

they go through with lines like whole

lot of red in that white and blue

history can't be erased like come on

even if it's not her life today it feels

like someone's speaking through her

she's painting these incredible visuals

in my head not only because she won't

drop a music video but because

everything is so detailed sonically it's

unlike anything I've ever heard her do

before and something I can never

interchange with a cut off four or

self-titled or lemonade it's that kind

of artistry that shows you the true

power of what popular music can acheve

aieve just like the discography of

Kendrick Lamar which is aim to dive

deeper and deeper into who Kendrick

really is good kid Mad cities glimpse

into his life as a young adult growing

up in Compton to pimp a butterflies

grappling with Fame Fortune searching

for answers Dam's Reflections on Destiny

and life's choices and of course Mr

Mor's exploration of his savior complex

childhood traumas infidelity and

fatherhood ultimately those artists go

places that can only exist on those

specific albums by those specific

artists like could you imagine Mr morale

and the big steppers Drake or Taylor

Swift's Renaissance I got gambling

issues that's on me you see like that

would be fire this is what I'm talking

about this kind of reinvention this kind

of introspection from agent celebrities

is what separates the Beyonce and

Kendricks from the tayor and Drakes two

people using their platforms to shine a

light on an array of different topics

exploring new sounds and challenging

themselves every step of the way and in

that they've grown and continued to grow

with their audience you know instead of

whatever the hell's going on here oh

here we go again the voice is in his

torture poet department is like if one

of those monotone Tik Tock Day in the

Life about living in a major city things

was a 2-hour album I mean what else can

I say that hasn't been said already

about this it's a snoozefest thanks and

help to its lifeless and mundane

production which in my search for

something to grasp on to on this album

only Amplified the repetitive lyrical

content and by the end of his 2hour

experience I was deflated I was tired

and I just did not give a [ __ ] I don't

care about the British guy you thought

you were going to marry I don't care

about the other British guy you dated

who made some of my favorite songs I

don't care about your haters because you

have a billion dollar I don't care about

your fubba Kim Kardashian anymore I just

don't care anymore because I've heard

you do this again and again and again

and again and again and again and again

for years and before you go well what

about all the other artists who only

write love and breakup songs what about

Ariana Grande what about frag ocean what

about scissor I mean one come on but two

volume they aren't releasing 20 plus

song albums all the time they aren't

re-releasing their entire catalog of

Music they aren't now on a multi-year

erors tour they get the benefit of the

doubt because our time with them is so

limited Taylor's created a business

model where you can't get away from her

she's inevitable and for some not even

some most it's a glorious time but for

others I don't know it feels kind of

suffocating because with this person

constantly right in front of me it

becomes hard to not notice everything

like how repetitive the music is not

even lyrically but from like a music

theory standpoint or even how backhanded

her intents and accountability have

always sounded or how often she revisits

the same themes and topics or even how

she dresses to evoke the feeling of a

teenager Coming of Age normally I'd say

this is me looking way too much into

things but part of the Taylor flip brand

is to look this deeply into everything

and in that I can't help but notice the

assembly align she's created of

different versions of this Cinderella

story where she's just waiting for this

happy ending because the world is full

of evil stepmothers and step sisters and

false prince charmings that's drama that

will and always will sell records even

when you're again 35 years old and fly a

private jet to Costco and she's not even

hiding it she wears it on her sleeve but

that's what the torture poets department

and the arist tour and the Taylor's

versions are Taylor Swift

unapologetically being the Taylor Swift

we've known since Taylor Swift Taylor

Swift All is fair in love in poetry like

she says but at a certain point what are

you even fighting for it's similar

criticism I have for Drs for all the

dogs while yes I think works a lot more

than the poets thing did but at a

certain point it feels like I'm only

visiting places I've already been a

thousand

[Music]

times fight is over wa wait where we

land oh we landed

at breaks 2024 has been wild to say the

least in what many would call Hip Hop's

greatest battle Drake was taken down by

Kendrick Lamar it ended in what felt

like an Avengers endgames finale Drake

drops his 8 Minute red button diss Track

Family Matters it's got Drake at the

peak of his powers catchy hook barring

up over a Jill beat shooting in all

directions and then that Masterpiece of

a third beat comes in kri just open his

go hand onmy right now it was

unbelievable for about 20 minutes

Kendrick drops meet the grams and then

the next night drops not like us and it

was over it's like if Drake is

McDonald's Kendrick was that superizm

documentary you watched in health class

because what Kendrick was able to do in

the course of about a week to Drake was

take everything he's done the way he

acts his biggest missteps bad habits his

age and just Shine the Light on them all

Shine the Light on his inauthentic music

and Persona Shine the Light on his

obsession with his image whether that be

the certain things he might have done to

change his look or y's influence on his

fashion of music to help him appeal the

younger crowds Shine the Light on his

misogyny Shine the Light on his weird

history with women younger than him he

shine the light in this non-stop

partying and gambling especially now

he's a father and then introducing the

idea that there may be another secret

kid that he has all Kendrick had to do

to beat Drake was just remind us who

Drake is a 37-year-old Manchild who

can't let go of his youth now I don't

believe that Drake is a PDF file or that

he's hiding another kid I think there

was a lot of allegations thrown around

this beef because it was rap beef and

salacious things will always win just

like what Drake said about Kendrick but

his actions his behaviors now as an

again 37-year-old man haven't done him

any favors the fact that we didn't even

put it past him that he may have another

secret kid tells us everything we need

to know about our relationship with

Drake these days he's an unreliable

narrator spinning the tail of why me

when you can trace all the issues back

to what he's done even Kendrick going as

far as he did with Drake is because

Drake took it there by bringing up his

fiance and his kids whether or not

whatever summer Vibes are coming going

to hit is still up in the air but I mean

he's already rapping over the BBL Jersey

be with sexy red like it's a joke to him

he's already out there doing featur he's

making public appearances at concerts

and he's back in Turk partying there

wasn't some long Hiatus or Kanye exile

to go make a masterpiece nah it's just

business as usual again and I think

ultimately he's going to be fine cuz all

he has to do is drop another in my

feelings or a tussy slide or a money in

the grave like he did in the year in

chains that follow the pushup beef that

trick worked on me when I was 21 but

there was a whole generation that had to

go through a similar come to Jesus

moment back then too and now I'm here

Rel listening to March 14th and Rel

listening to that amazing outro you know

where it DRS over the piano I'm like so

that was a

lie at this point it's been made clear

by both Drake and Taylor Swift that

there is no interest in the world that a

lot of us are heading towards there

isn't an interest in challenging Their

audience beyond the music they've

repackaged for us over the last two

decades because Drake and Taylor Swift

the brands are intrinsically tied to

being young and like most brands they

have to adapt they have to cater to the

audiences that keep the lights on in the

music industry so that that's why Drake

is rapping about being in the club with

21-year-olds that's why he only talks to

Meme interviewers and streamers why he

Subs his famous x's on songs like an

18-year-old would on a Noto cryptic

Instagram story why he resorts to name

calling on social media when it comes to

anyone that questions him or how sailing

not so subtly makes references to the

famous celebrities she's dated or the

feud she's had with them in efforts to

villainize them or repost positive

reviews of her lat his album to Signal

the media Outlets that if you like her

she'll bless you with traffic and if you

don't she knows the fan base she has

behind her will always come to B for her

or how she's down bad or titling songs

but daddy I love him or I can fix him I

really can when you look at them from

this view it's all starting to feel so

high school because that's the audience

they know they need to keep their grip

on the nostalgic adults will still go to

an erys tour but we need the kids to

keep streaming we need the kids to be

posting about us on social media we need

to keep the illusion alive that we're

just like you and it's not just what

they want you to think it's what

Universal Music Group wants you to think

as well

well

yeah out Taylor Smith and Dr Gan to

Universal music group and if you've been

living under a rock or maybe you know

about one but not the other at the end

of the 2010s the music industry was at a

pretty pivotal moment where Independence

was on the rise and some of the

superstars were suddenly free agents and

there was a lot of talk about what was

going to happen if a drake or a Taylor

said I'll do it myself Taylor's

reputation and Drake scorpion were their

final albums on their deals with who

they came into the industry with in the

first place and now it's time to reup

they both were already associated with

Republic records of umg through their

prior deals but now they literally could

do whatever the hell they wanted and

long story short they both signed two

massive deals with universal music group

and Republic records and Drake has been

pretty braggadocious in his music about

the deal because it's estimated to be

for around $400 million and DG would not

only be aligned with Drake musically but

also on his merchandise touring or

really any projects he was trying to be

a part of and from the looks of it

Taylor may have also signed a similar

deal while she's kept a lot of it under

wraps I did some poking around on the

terms and services on our online store

and umg is involved with her merchandise

and touring as well so now when I talk

about these people as Brands that's what

they are it's like Disney owning Star

Wars and Marvel or War Brothers owning

Harry Potter and DC Comics Drake and

Taylor Smith are the most important

franchises of universal music group and

as partners with them even if they have

creative control they all want to be

mutually beneficial to each other

because the money will always talk and

we know Drake and Taylor like their

money so the non-stop releases of Music

since 2018 the massive tours they've

been on the onsa of merchandise the

vinyl variant and remixes all make sense

because they aren't just musicians

anymore their IP their franchises their

brands and sometimes when a brand loses

its identity you can lose

[Applause]

[Music]

people age as a mother and time is our

greatest foil getting old sucks these

last few years have been tough for me

because I never envisioned in my life

this far not in some weird depressing

way but I just never imagined being an

adult it was just a foreign concept to

me and now that it's here is hard what

Drake and Taylor Swift meant to me and a

lot of people my age is important you

can trace back many moments of my life

with their music soundtracking them and

to me that's the power of art but

getting older also means letting go and

realizing that some things just aren't

meant for you anymore 2024 feels like a

long time coming for a lot of our

relationships with drakeon Taylor Swift

and this video and the choice of pairing

these two artists together is because I

felt that throughout both sides of the

discourse surrounding them that I was

going through this similar Day of

Reckoning as a drake fan that a lot of

Taylor fans were going through in these

last few months as well thus you know

McDonald's Happy Meal in the end your

art is your art and I can't dictate what

they can and can't make because I'm not

them I'm just a dumbing idiot with a

camera and expecting that they're going

to come along with me for the ride it's

like me going on a diet and asking

McDonald's to make the food for my needs

now that's not realistic because

McDonald's doesn't need me and as I walk

out the door there's all already another

little kid ready to take my spot it's

all a cycle and Drake and Taylor Swift

are part of that cycle just like how

SpongeBob is still SpongeBob and Mario

is Mario and Winnie the

Pooh let's just pretend that doesn't

exist Winnie the Pooh is still Wy the

Pooh the problem isn't that they're lazy

or wasting their potential it's that I

you we are having trouble and letting go

of something that's not made for us

anymore and that's okay cuz he's part of

growing up but my God could I smack a

burger right now I tried with you

it's more the light than sleeping in and

getting high with you