The deeper Meanings behind Drake's #NiceForWhat Song and Video

This week, Drake released his newest single Nice For What. In my opinion, it's a bop. I like it. I downloaded it. It's an affirming piece on a hard working and unbothered woman, and that's the type of music I personally vibe to.

Then he has the nerve, the unmitigated gall, to drop one of the most powerful and beautiful collections of visuals of the year (in my humble but feminist opinion) for the song.

The video is directed by Karena Evans, a 22 year old Canadian actress and director who also happened to have directed Drake's God's Plan video.

The song itself features Big Freeda and samples classic Lauren Hill.

So many of my faves were in this video:

Tracee Ellis Ross

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Yara Shahidi

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Misty Copeland

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Letitia Wright

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Issa Rae

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Rashida Jones

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Other awesome ladies included in this video; Tiffany Haddish, Jourdan Dunn, Zoe Saldana, SYD, Michelle Rodriguez, actress Olivia Wilde, modeling twinsElizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta, actress Emma Roberts, and Bria Vinaite.

Here is the video for your enjoyment.

But I believe that this video and song maybe indicative of a deeper shifting in the collective psyche of the times.  Go with me for a minute, but I believe that Nice For What points to a direction we are going as a society.

First, it is a hip hop song. That is not to say that there has not been hip hop songs with feminist leanings, but post #MeToo and #TimesUp, multiple women's marches and movements, it is worth note that hip hop, a typically misogynistic and problematic music form is one of the first to drop a bop with not only lyrics that question that misogyny but attend it with a video filled with women who are in their own ways fighting against misogyny.

Second, the song is by Drake, yall. I love Drake, I have since "You the best" (I didn't have the opportunity to grow up with Degrassi, so forgive me). That being said, Drake is (or at least was for a majority of his musical career) the patron saint of fuckboys. For those who are unfamiliar to the term a fuckboy is defined by Urban Dictionary as "the annoyingly macho and bad mannered young man archetype, across each generation. Yet the current batch of them, thanks to smartphones and social media making the ability to lead an unproductive and narcissistic lifestyle especially easy, are particularly obnoxious."

So for Drake to have not only produced a song about an unbothered woman doing her and living her best life, it's a shocker, but a welcome one. Lyrics like "I've been peepin' what you bringin' to the table. Workin' hard, girl, everything paid for;First, last phone bill, car note, cable." showing this woman's work ethic, "That's a real one in your reflection. Without a follow, without a mention." expressing self validation in an era where people typically take to the big 3 (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) for validation, even the title Nice For What, challenging the assertion that women should simply be nice to men to be viewed as less of a threat to fragile masculinity, has me consciously vibing.

He is on a bit of a role with the release of God's Plan, that had most of us in tears for the philanthropy work and visuals attending this song. Admittedly, this could all be farce, after all, one of the hallmarks of a fuckboy is being an opportunist. But I choose to believe the best. Drake appears to have grown up so much with both of their pieces. He is seen in the Nice For What video maybe four times as opposed to the flood of powerful women featured, making it all about them. I say its growth. Keep it up Drizzy.

Thirdly, Drake uses a classic Lauren Hill song, Ex-Factor, a song from the now venerated album, The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. Anything Lauren Hill is on, I probably will love. Enough said.

Fourth, and maybe the most critical, the song is infused with Louisiana bounce beat featuring vocals reigning bounce queen, Big Freeda. This may not seem like a lot, but it means so much to anyone who is paying attention. Part of the misogy-noir of hip hop is the blatant, often violent hatred for the LGBTQ community. For Drake to release a song featuring a proud transgender woman not only combats said hatred, but it also adds to the facets of femininity featured in this song/video.

Finally, onto the video; this song and video is literally oozing with feminine glory. Karena Evans crafted vibranium with these visuals. The selection of some of the most intriguing, interesting, bold, funny, and brilliant women of or current times, staged and set in her own unique way highlighting the power, strength and beauty of diversity has me completely slayed.

Nice For What is a fun song, yes. Drake has given us our selfie captions for the next few weeks, and for that I personally am grateful. But it also reveals so much about where are going in in hip hop, in music, in popular culture, and, I hope, in our society.

What are your thoughts on the Nice For What video and song? Drop a comment! Let's chat.