Search & Rescue (song)

"Search & Rescue"
Single by Drake
ReleasedApril 7, 2023 (2023-04-07)
Length4:32
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Bnyx
  • BeautifulMvn
  • SadPony
  • Curtis
Drake singles chronology
"Spin Bout U"
(2023) 		"Search & Rescue"
(2023) 		"Who Told You"
(2023)
Visualizer
"Search & Rescue" on YouTube

"Search & Rescue" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released through OVO Sound and Republic Records as a single on April 7, 2023. Drake wrote the song with producers Bnyx and BeautifulMvn, SadPony, and Wesley Curtis, and co-producers Lil Yachty and 40.

The song received attention for sampling a quote from Kim Kardashian in a 2021 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, in which she discussed her divorce from Kanye West.[1][2] The song debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of April 22, 2023.[3]

Background

Drake posted a preview of the then-titled "Rescue Me"[4] on his Instagram on March 25, 2023.[5] On March 31, the full track premiered on The Fry Yiy Show, part of his Sirius XM radio station "Sound 42".[6] On April 6, the rapper announced the song release and posted the artwork.[7] It depicts a headshot of Drake and Too Hot to Handle star Sabrina Zima wearing black motorcycle helmets.[8]

On March 26, 2023, a day after Drake posted a preview of the song, rapper Lil Durk posted an Instagram story saying "@champagnepapi if you reading this it ain't too late".[9] It would later be revealed that this post was in reference to Lil Durk's verse on the song, as a version featuring him would leak online on June 11, 2023.[10] The early version omits Drake's second verse for a verse from Lil Durk. Lil Durk also provides adlibs throughout the song.

Composition

Over a rhythmic and "laidback" keyboard loop, Drake expresses his desire for a woman to save him from his current lifestyle.[11] The rapper also recites what he is looking for in a partner, including "ambition, patience, honesty, and trust".[12]

The song marks the first and second collaboration between Drake and producers BNYX and Sadpony respectively, the latter following "Jumbotron Shit Poppin", taken from Her Loss (2022).[13] The New York Times described Drake's performance as "hovering above a morbid, anxious piano figure".[14]

The track most notably gained attraction for sampling a dialogue between Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner,[15] taken from the 2021 season finale of Keeping Up with the Kardashians that sees the former talking about the divorce from Kanye West.[1]

Chart performance and impact

In the United States, "Search and Rescue" debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of April 22, 2023. The song was blocked from the top spot on the chart by Morgan Wallen's "Last Night".[3]

In August 2023, Kim Kardashian attended a Drake concert in Los Angeles, where she 're-created' the dialogue sampled in the song by yelling the sampled quote “I didn’t come this far, just to come this far and not be happy, remember that!”[16]

The song was ultimately not included as part of the rapper's For All the Dogs album released in 2023.[17]

Critical response

In a review for Complex, writer Jordan Rose gave a critical review of the song. Rose argued that pre-release interest surrounding the inclusion of the Kardashian quote—coupled with early and ultimately false speculation that Kardashian was the woman pictured on the cover—overshadowed the song itself. While praising the song's production ("It’s well-produced, thanks to Philadelphia beatmaker BNYX") in line with other "ominous beat selections" made by the rapper, he argued the song "doesn't land because of its weak verses and all the weird trolling in between".[18]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Search & Rescue"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[49] Platinum 70,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[50] Gold 20,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Rindner, Grant (April 7, 2023). "Inside the Latest Chapter of the Kanye West-Drake Beef". GQ. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Rose, Jordan. "Drake's Kim K Stunt Fell Flat". Complex. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Billboard Hot 100: Week of April 22, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (April 7, 2023). "Drake – "Search & Rescue"". Stereogum. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Ellington, Andre (March 26, 2023). "Drake Details His Ideal Woman In New Song Snippet". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Rose, Jordan (April 7, 2023). "Drake's Kim K Stunt Fell Flat". Complex. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (April 6, 2023). "New Drake Song 'Search & Rescue' Arriving Tonight". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "TikTok - Make Your Day". www.tiktok.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "Lil Durk Sends Cryptic Message to Drake Via His Instagram Story". HNHH. March 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "Lil Durk's Cut Verse from Drake's "Search & Rescue" Leaked". HNHH. June 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Galindo, Thomas (April 7, 2023). "Drake Releases First Song of 2023 Titled "Search & Rescue"". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Maheshwari, Disheeta (April 7, 2023). "Drake releases controversial song 'Search & Rescue' featuring Kim Kardashian and Kanye West; Listen". Pinkvilla. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Strauss, Matthew (April 7, 2023). "Drake Shares New Song "Search & Rescue": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  14. ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (April 7, 2023). "Drake Surprises With a Kim Kardashian Sample, and 11 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Mier, Tomás (April 7, 2023). "Drake Releases Kim Kardashian-Sampling 'Search and Rescue'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (August 14, 2023). "Watch Kim Kardashian Re-Create Her 'Search & Rescue' Quote at Drake's Los Angeles Concert". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  17. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (October 6, 2023). "Drake Releases 'For All the Dogs' Album, With Assists From Bad Bunny and Kevin Durant". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 15, 2024. The album was preceded earlier by the release of the singles "Search & Rescue," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April (but is not included on "For All the Dogs")
  18. ^ Rose, Jordan. "Drake's Kim K Stunt Fell Flat". Complex. Retrieved May 15, 2024. 2023-04-07
  19. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  20. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  21. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  22. ^ "Drake Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  23. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". Tracklisten. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  24. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  25. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  26. ^ "Drake Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  27. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  28. ^ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 15. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LAIPA. April 16, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  29. ^ "2023 15-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  30. ^ "Drake Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  31. ^ "This Week's Official MENA Chart Top 20: from 07/04/2023 to 13/04/2023". theofficialmenachart.com. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. April 18, 2023. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  32. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  33. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  34. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". VG-lista. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  35. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  36. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 15-2023". The Official South African Charts. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  37. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  38. ^ "Drake – Search & Rescue". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  39. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  40. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  41. ^ "Drake Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  42. ^ "Drake Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  43. ^ "Drake Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  44. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  45. ^ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  46. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  47. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  48. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  49. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  50. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Drake – Search & Rescue" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 25, 2024.