Toosie Slide

"Toosie Slide" operates on two distinct levels. On the surface, it is a straightforward dance track explicitly designed for viral success on social media platforms like TikTok. The chorus provides simple, memorable instructions: "It go right foot up, left foot slide / Left foot up, right foot slide," making the dance easy for a global audience to replicate, especially during the COVID-19 quarantine when the song was released. This was a deliberate marketing strategy, as Drake commissioned dancer Toosie to create the choreography before the song's official release to ensure it would go viral.

However, beneath the catchy hook lies a darker, more complex narrative typical of Drake's lyrical style. The lyrics blend themes of luxury, danger, and paranoia. Lines like "Nike crossbody, got a piece in it" and "Two hundred shooters on my brother's block" allude to a life where wealth and fame coexist with constant threats. The term "slide" itself is a double entendre; while it refers to the dance move, in street slang, it also means to show up and potentially retaliate against an enemy. Therefore, the song juxtaposes the carefree nature of a viral dance with the gritty realities of street life and the pressures of stardom, creating a unique blend of pop accessibility and trap authenticity.

The song opens by setting a distinct visual: the artist is wearing black leather gloves without sequins and a jacket with buckles from the high-end brand Alyx. He carries a Nike crossbody bag that contains a weapon ("a piece"). He introduces the idea that while there is a dance associated with the song, its roots are in street culture. He then provides direct, simple instructions for the dance: "It go right foot up, left foot slide. Left foot up, right foot slide." The underlying message is one of smooth movement and control, asserting that regardless of the specific move, the ultimate action is to "slide." This can be interpreted both as dancing and as navigating through situations with ease and confidence.

The artist then draws a parallel between his own dancing ability and that of Michael Jackson, a recurring motif in the track. He offers both "thug passion" and "satisfaction," blending a gritty, street-oriented persona with the polished showmanship of the King of Pop. This juxtaposition is further emphasized with the line, "It's a Thriller in the trap where we from," merging the iconic, globally recognized pop culture reference with the harsh realities of his environment. The invitation to dance is repeated, reinforcing the song's central, interactive theme.

The second verse delves into the complexities of the artist's life, characterized by immense popularity and constant threats. He mentions having "two thousand shorties" who want to marry him and "two hundred shooters" on his brother's block, illustrating the dual pressures of fame and danger. He expresses a sense of paranoia, stating he has so many enemies ("opps") that he sometimes confuses them with one another. This highlights a life of constant vigilance. He reflects on his loyalty to his inner circle, noting that beyond his family, it's a matter of survival—"it's either you or me." The verse concludes by stating that this life has become too intense and deep, hinting at a plan to stealthily approach rivals' locations. This entire narrative of threat and survival is starkly contrasted with the simple, catchy dance instructions of the chorus, creating a layer of dark undertones beneath the song's accessible surface.

"Toosie Slide" was strategically created with viral potential in mind, particularly for the platform TikTok. The song was written by Drake (Aubrey Graham) and the producer Ozan "OZ" Yildirim. The creation process involved a unique collaboration with social media influencer and dancer, Toosie. Drake sent an early version of the song, which at the time only had a hook and one verse, to Toosie and asked him to create a dance for it. Toosie, along with fellow dancers Hiii Key and Ayo & Teo, choreographed the dance in about 45 minutes and sent the footage back to Drake. Drake loved the dance, finished the song, and named it "Toosie Slide" in honor of the creator.

The song and dance were teased on social media on March 29, 2020, before the official release, quickly going viral. Drake officially announced the single on March 31 and released it on April 3, 2020, as the lead single from his commercial mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes. The producer, OZ, is a frequent collaborator of Drake's, having worked on tracks like "Sicko Mode" and "Life Is Good". The music video was directed by Theo Skudra and was filmed in Drake's Toronto mansion while he was in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding another layer of cultural relevance to its release.

"Toosie Slide" employs several key symbols and metaphors to convey its dual meaning of accessible fun and underlying danger.

• The "Slide": The central metaphor of the song. On the surface, it's a simple dance move. However, in street and hip-hop vernacular, to "slide on" someone means to attack or retaliate, often with violence. This double meaning allows Drake to create a catchy dance anthem that simultaneously maintains his street credibility. The line "Basically I'm sayin', either way we 'bout to slide, ayy" reinforces this ambiguity, suggesting movement that could be either on the dance floor or against an opponent.
• Michael Jackson References: Drake repeatedly references Michael Jackson, rapping "I could dance like Michael Jackson" and alluding to "Thriller." This serves multiple purposes. It connects his dance to the undisputed King of Pop, elevating its cultural status. The line "Black leather glove, no sequins" is a direct, grittier inversion of Jackson's famous single sequined glove, symbolizing Drake's fusion of pop appeal with a darker, street-oriented edge.
• Luxury and Danger: The lyrics juxtapose high-fashion items like an "Alyx shit" jacket with weapons ("Nike crossbody, got a piece in it"). This symbolizes the constant tension in Drake's life between immense wealth and the ever-present threats that accompany it. His opulent mansion, showcased in the music video, becomes a luxurious fortress where he is isolated during a pandemic, reflecting both his status and his vulnerability.

The emotional atmosphere of "Toosie Slide" is intentionally complex, presenting a cool, detached, and confident exterior that masks underlying tension and paranoia. The dominant tone is one of nonchalant swagger. Drake's melodic, almost-lazy vocal delivery, combined with the smooth, mid-tempo trap beat, creates a feeling of effortless control and laid-back confidence. It's a sound designed to feel cool and imitable.

However, this surface-level calm is juxtaposed with lyrical content that hints at a more turbulent inner world. Verses about having "two hundred shooters on my brother's block" and the paranoia of not being able to distinguish between enemies introduce a sense of underlying threat and anxiety. This creates a mixed emotional landscape where the carefree fun of a dance challenge is tinged with the seriousness of a high-stakes lifestyle. The music video, featuring Drake alone in his vast, opulent mansion during quarantine, visually captures this feeling of gilded isolation—a state of being both powerful and lonely.

"Toosie Slide" had a massive and immediate cultural impact, primarily driven by its strategic success on TikTok. Released in April 2020, during the height of global COVID-19 lockdowns, the song provided a perfect soundtrack for a world stuck at home, leading to a viral dance challenge. The hashtag #ToosieSlide garnered one billion views on TikTok in just two days, making it the fastest music trend to reach that milestone on the platform at the time.

Commercially, the song was a huge success. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Drake's seventh chart-topper. This achievement made Drake the first male solo artist in US chart history to have three songs debut at the number one spot, tying a record set by Mariah Carey. The song's music video, which showed Drake quarantining in his lavish Toronto mansion, also went viral, offering a glimpse into his life while reinforcing the theme of social isolation.

Critically, the song was seen as a masterclass in marketing and understanding contemporary music consumption, even if some critics found the song itself to be musically safe or formulaic. It solidified the power of TikTok as a music promotion tool and demonstrated Drake's unparalleled ability to tap into and shape popular culture.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Toosie Slide" are crafted for a hypnotic and easily digestible experience, reflecting its purpose as a dance track. The song's structure relies heavily on a simple, repetitive chorus with a straightforward rhythm that mirrors the dance steps it describes. The lyrical rhythm is deliberate and paced, with clear pauses that emphasize the instructional nature of the hook: "It go right foot up, (pause) left foot slide / Left foot up, (pause) right foot slide."

The rhyme scheme is relatively simple, primarily using couplets (AA, BB) and near rhymes to maintain a smooth, conversational flow. For example, in the pre-chorus, Drake rhymes "sequins" with a slant rhyme "piece in it" and pairs "shit" with "get it." This relaxed approach to rhyme keeps the focus on the rhythm and the central message.

The song is set in common time (4/4) with a mid-tempo beat, characteristic of modern trap and hip-hop. The interplay between the chanted, rhythmic lyrics of the chorus and the more fluid, melodic rap verses creates a dynamic texture. This structure allows the song to function as both a dance instruction and a more traditional Drake track, balancing its viral ambitions with his established artistic style.

"Toosie Slide" showcases a blend of musical and literary techniques designed for maximum catchiness and layered meaning.

• Musical Techniques: The song is built on a minimalist trap beat produced by OZ, characterized by stuttering hi-hats, a sparse snare, and a prominent bass drum. This intentionally simple arrangement leaves ample sonic space for Drake's vocals to take center stage. His vocal delivery is melodic and chant-like, particularly in the chorus, making the dance instructions easy to remember and recite. The tempo is mid-range, creating a relaxed, confident groove that is easy to dance to. The overall production is clean and polished, fitting for a pop-rap crossover hit.
• Literary Techniques: The primary literary device is double entendre, particularly with the word "slide," which refers to both a dance move and a violent confrontation. This creates a subtext of menace beneath the song's playful exterior. Drake employs allusion frequently, most notably referencing Michael Jackson to anchor his dance in pop history and Alyx Studios to signify his connection to high fashion. The lyrics use a direct, instructional narrative voice in the chorus ("It go right foot up..."), which is a technique common in line-dance songs like the "Cha Cha Slide," making it highly participatory. The verses shift to a more personal, narrative style, detailing the pressures of fame and paranoia with lines like "Got so many opps, I be mistakin' opps for other opps."