Drake has a longstanding love for Dubai. Not only has the rapper spent plenty of his downtime enjoying many of the city’s delights, he has also let his fondness of the emirate seep into his lyrics.
And the Canadian star dropped a new EP, Scary Hours 2, on Friday, with yet more lyrics dedicated to Dubai. Through his many visits in the past, Drake has developed a close relationship with Dubai's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan, as well as Sheikh Mansoor, sons of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
On track Lemon Pepper Freestyle, which features Rick Ross, Drake refers to his close relationship with the royals.
“And that’s facts, Hamdan Mohammed like my third cousin (facts) / Mansoor Mohammed like my real brother (facts) / Dubai embrace me like a Emirati (facts),” he raps.
In a 2015 Instagram post, Drake also referred to Sheikh Mansoor as his brother, sharing a picture of the pair on a yacht with Dubai Marina in the background.
“Finally found my long lost brother," the rapper wrote.
It is not the first time he has referred to Dubai in his music. In the track Free Smoke, from 2017 More Life, Drake says: "I want to move to Dubai, so I don't never have to kick it with none of you guys."
He also mentions the city in Sacrifices featuring Young Thug. "I got Dubai plates in the California state," he states.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
