Songfacts®:

• On October 6, 2023, Drake released his eighth studio album, For All The Dogs, which, despite hitting the Billboard 200 at #1, had critics throwing shade. Rolling Stone's Mosi Reeves called it "meandering," and Business Insider pronounced it "worst Drake album ever." Many fans also vibed it less than his past projects.
  
  Six weeks after dropping For All The Dogs, Drake released For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition, a pimped-up version with an extra six tracks. One of those is "The Shoe Fits," where Drake claps back at the haters who say he's lost his rap mojo.
• In the song, Drake addresses his haters directly, making it crystal clear he's evolved and he isn't here to please everyone. Drake also airs his views on the critics giving him the side-eye. He takes aim at what he sees as issues - like toxic relationships, fake gangsters posing with handguns, and folks losing touch with reality.
• The phrase "if the shoe fits, wear it" is an idiom that means if the accusations stick, own up. The phrase is often a classic defensive move, suggesting the accused isn't guilty if the accusations don't fit.
  
  The title doesn't appear in the lyrics. It's more like a metaphorical flavor that connects to the song's themes of calling out hypocrisy, self-reflection and facing personal truths. It's a nudge, saying if the lyrics hit close to home, embrace it.
• The idiom is thought to have originated in the United States in the 18th century. The earliest known example of the phrase is from a 1773 newspaper article in the New York Gazette & Weekly Mercury. The phrase is used in response to an accusation that had been made against a person. The author of the article writes, "Why should Mr. Vanderbeck apply a general comparison to himself? Let those whom the shoe fits wear it."
  
  Cinderella might have had some influence on the saying. In the fairy tale, Cinderella is able to marry the prince because her foot fits into a glass slipper.
• Drake wrote "If The Shoe Fits" with Julius Thomas, Vinylz, and the song's producers, Ovrkast and Lil Yachty.
  
  Dominican-American songwriter and producer Vinylz is close to Drake's in-house producer, Boi-1da. His first placement on a Drake song was "5AM In Toronto" and his subsequent credits include "No Friends In The Industry," "Jimmy Cooks" and "Rich Flex."
  
  Atlanta rapper-singer Lil Yachty and Oakland-based rapper and producer Ovrkast also teamed up to produce "Red Button" for For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition.