Songfacts®:

• This track finds Drake interpolating some of the lyrics of Juvenile's 1998 hip-hop classic "Back That Azz Up." Both Juvenile and the song's producer Mannie Fresh left Cash Money Records after claiming they were cheated out of money, so it was a surprise to see them giving permission for one of their former record label's stars to rework their song. Fresh explained to The Boombox that it was the politeness of Drake's request that persuaded him. "We spoke about it before he recorded the song," said Fresh. "I even sent him some beats. I know my history and business of it kind of makes it crazy because who he is signed with. But Cash Money reached out to me and handled their business in a professional way. Drake called and made sure to say, 'Get in touch with Mannie, give him whatever he wants and make sure the business is straight.' That's all I've ever asked for. I never had a problem with Cash Money. I just had a problem with the way they did business."
• Speaking with Billboard magazine, Juvenile said he thought Drake "killed his version." He explained: "His version is more like an R&B song and my song is more like a club record. I think he was creative in taking it somewhere else. I ain't necessarily think he was going make the song exactly like me. It's like R&B with a rap twist."
• Toronto-based R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd co-wrote this song. He told Complex magazine: "That whole hook was me. That's probably the only song I wrote for Take Care. The rest of it was just s--t I was going to have for [his mixtape, House of Balloons]. He really wanted to incorporate my sound, which was inspired by his sound. It's not like, "Oh, I had the 'new sound.'" It was just easier for him to relate to me, because it was his sound with an edge. It was that Toronto sound."
• The song is about how a girl's past relationships were preparation for hooking up with Drake. He sings to someone who could be a stripper or a lover, telling them how much he wants them. The lyrics show Drake's confidence and swagger, but also reveal his longing.
• "Practice" entered the UK Singles chart for the first time when it debuted on the listing dated January 14, 2024. This was because of a viral TikTok trend that used the song as a soundtrack for various challenges and dances. It eventually peaked at #27.