Worst Behavior

Album: Nothing Was the Same (2013)
Charted: 89
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Drake calls out his doubters on this song where he discusses the transition from being a budding actor and rapper, to being a Grammy-winning superstar:

    "This ain't the son you raised who used to take the Acura at 5 a.m.
    To go and shoot Degrassi up at Morningside."

    Degrassi was filmed at Centennial College in the Scarborough part of Toronto, and Drake would often have to get up at 5am to be there for his call time.
  • Drake tells all those detractors who doubted the young Aubrey Graham would make it on the hook:

    "On my worst behavior, no?
    They used to never want to hear us, remember?
    Muf---a never loved us, remember?
    Now You want to roll one."

    Drake is on his worst behavior to all those haters, who love him now that he he is rich and successful.
  • The song's soundscape was supplied by up-and-coming beatmaster DJ Dahi, with help from YMCMB producer Detail. Dahi was previously best known for his work on "Money Trees" from Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city album. He didn't get to see Drake lay his verses over his frantic instrumentation or Detail adding the Auto-Tuned ad-libs, but the young producer told MTV News that he was impressed with how it all turned out.

    "I feel like I got a lucky one because usually you just want to be in the process of the record, but at least I had a great foundation so when Drake had it and Detail did what he did to the joint it kind of just came together," Dahi said. "He was tellin' me that he needed something... that was going to be a different format for him. The process of him making the record was liberating, vindicating in some sense and it's cool to a part of that."
  • Drake's third verse where he talks about his luxurious life and compares his game domination to that of Serena Williams invokes Ma$e's verse from The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Mo Money Mo Problems." Biggie's entire song is an explanation about how money and success can lead to problems.
  • The 10 minute-long music video was filmed in mid-October 2013 in Atlanta and Memphis by Drake's frequent collaborator and fellow Toronto native, Director X. Rappers Turk, Juicy J and Project Pat , Drake's musician father, Dennis Graham, and the Toronto MC's OVO Crew members Obi and Ryan Silverstein all make cameo appearances in the clip.

    The visual opens with Dennis Graham delivering the song's opening verse at the Memphis studio where Al Green frequently recorded. Drake's drummer dad was raised in Memphis and is most noted for his work with rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis. Drake told Vibe magazine: "I've been hesitant to go to Memphis. It's tough there. I have a lot of family that I love very deeply, but it's tough to go around people who could use your help and you can't help everybody. As much as they love you, they're gonna come to you. It's like a guilt or a burden that comes over me, so I hadn't gone to Memphis in a long time. I been there for a couple of shows, but I was in and out. I kind of refuse to address my real thing that I have there, which is vast family."

    "Instead of just running from it, I just went and embraced it and shot this incredible, beautiful video with my beautiful family, and helped out as many people as I could while I was there," Drake continued. "Now I can't wait to go back. I feel I'm on good terms, and it's one part of my life I have to accept that'll never change. It's always going to be tough."
  • During an interview with Vibe Magazine, Drake was asked how much fun it was to write this song. He replied: "These sessions were probably the craziest nights of my life. When we had the completed 'Worst Behavior' and played it back for the first time, it was a crazy feeling. I just like making music like that. The cadences, seeing people get hype. All those last sessions were crazy. We did 'The Language,' '305 to My City,' 'Too Much' and 'Worst Behavior' all in the last two weeks. So I feel like I just caught the wave at the end."

Comments: 1

  • Cray Rae from AtlThis song gives me chills.. like I can feel what he felt
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

80s Music Quiz 1

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.