Posted by June 16th was the day Drake surprisingly released the new album, Honestly Nevermind, and the hours after that were the ones where fans, and the music community in general, are going deep in analysing and understanding the meaning of the song lyrics. Falling Back was obviously the most analysed song because it’s the official single & video, and we went deep into it here. Sticky is another song from the album people is interested on, because it explains a lot about Drake’s life. Let’s delve into the meaning of the lyrics.
You can find the official streaming of the song here.
The meaning of Drake’s Honestly Nevermind
The new album has been presented on Apple Music by a long message written at night by Drake. We analysed the content of the message here, shedding a light on the meaning of the album in Drake’s life: basically, it’s about expressing anger and frustration against people who were not loyal at him. This song follows the same path.
Sticky: inside the meaning of the lyrics
The song starts with Drake describing his wealthy lifestyle and how it sometimes clashes with the way the rest of the world lives. There are reference to family expectations and differences, and also to the way he doesn’t like certain public events.
Homer hanging on my neck
The bracelet matches the set
My brother named his ting Nadal
Let’s stop all that back and forth over the ‘net
My mama wish I woulda went corporate
She wish I woulda went exec’
I still turn to a CEO so the lifestyle she respect
Ayy, two sprinters to Quebec
Chérie, où est mon bec?
They only givin’ n***as plus ones, so I never pull up to the Met
Homer is Frank Ocean’s luxury company, Drake owns an expensive necklace of that brand. On the other side, his brother is dealing with guns (that’s the way they refer to “their ting” in urban slang) and uses it regularly (the metaphor of Nadal going back and forth over the net). His mom would have preferred Drake to work as an employee, but she’s fine in being his own boss. The Met is a gala where many VIPs go, but Drake never went: he doesn’t like the idea to bring only one single guest.
The second verse goes more directly into the sentimental relationships. There is a girl, with whom probably Drake had a recent break up. We know about it also from Falling Back lyrics and Wait For U, the song he released recently with Future. In this song he refers to the fact that she may have regretted what she did and the way it didn’t work with him, because every song made by Drake now looks like he’s with another girl.
Shawty try to play it cool but
Now she wish she woulda stayed ’cause
Every song that I made is
Ringin’ like I got engaged (Yeah)
The end of the song seems a confirmation that he’s addresing his words to this girl. Asking her what she thinks about the whole situation. Mentioning her regrets. And bringing back the title of the song, sticky: because all these elements make the situation sticky, complicated, unfortunate.
How you really think that went for me?
N***as gotta do a fact check for me
When everything is put to rest
And everybody takes a breath
And everything gets addressed
It’s you alone with your regrets
All that pumpin’ up your chest
All that talk about the best
You know how sticky it gets
Going back to the general meaning of the lyrics, Sticky is about how things can get unpleasant when so many people look at you, as a famous person like Drake, and don’t fully understand you. This includes family, society and of course love partners, who sometimes find hard to manage the relationship with a famous person. There is frustration and pain in Drake words, in this as in other songs. But he’s committed to move on. And say all the things he has to say.
Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave
The complete lyrics
Ayy
Homer hanging on my neck
The bracelet matches the set
My brother named his ting Nadal
Let’s stop all that back and forth over the ‘net
My mama wish I woulda went corporate
She wish I woulda went exec’
I still turn to a CEO so the lifestyle she respect
Ayy, two sprinters to Quebec
Chérie, où est mon bec?
They only givin’ n***as plus ones, so I never pull up to the Met
You know I gotta bring the set
You know I gotta bring the G-Block
You know I gotta bring the D-Block
‘Causе you know how sticky it get (Ayy)
You know how sticky it get (Ayy)
You know how sticky it get (Ayy)
You know how sticky it gеt (Ayy)
She want me to play with that cat (Ayy)
She lovin’ how I’m makin’ her wet (Ayy)
You know how sticky it get (Ayy)
Ayo Eric, bring them girls to the stage
‘Cause somebody’s getting paid and
Free Big Slime out the cage
Shawty try to play it cool but
Now she wish she woulda stayed ’cause
Every song that I made is
Ringin’ like I got engaged (Yeah)
Love my guys, I wouldn’t trade (Ayy)
From the cradle to the grave (Ayy)
Gordo got me on the wave (Ayy)
Ant got me on the wave (Ayy)
Couple hits, now you brave, boy
You n***as better behave (What)
All that pumpin’ up your chest (What)
All that talk about the best (What)
You know how sticky it gets
Yeah
If I’m with two of ’em, then it’s a threesome
If she alone, you know she a freak one
If it’s an escort, it’s a police one
King of the hill, you know it’s a steep one
If we together, you know it’s a brief one
Back in the ocean you go, it’s a—
It’s a deep one
Forgave n***as in they feelings, lucky for y’all, we don’t do civilians
You say I changed, I say that I millions, I did
The toughest act to follow’s back on tour
Off-road Maybach, Pyrex trap
Virgil came back through the boy, damn
That’s somethin’ to me, n***as really had they back turned to me
I ain’t talkin’ my assistant when I say n***as down to pack somethin’ for me
Then they thought they had the trap set for me
How you really think that went for me?
N***as gotta do a fact check for me
When everything is put to rest
And everybody takes a breath
And everything gets addressed
It’s you alone with your regrets
All that pumpin’ up your chest
All that talk about the best
You know how sticky it gets
Like, we weren’t supposed to come up with something this clean
Like something happened
