"Is this Charli shade or..." — Drake mentioning Tate McRae, Charli XCX, and BRAT Summer on Small Town Fame leaves internet confused

On February 14, 2025, Drake released his full-length album, $ome $*xy $ongs 4 U, featuring 21 tracks. One of the tracks, Small Town Fame, has garnered significant attention as the rapper name-dropped Tate McRae, Charli XCX, and her recent album BRAT Summer in his verse.

As a result, fans and pop culture enthusiasts are dissecting the lyrics, debating whether the reference is praise, a casual mention, or a subtle dig at Charli XCX. One X user commented:

"is this charli shade or...."

Moreover, some users on X questioned the relevance of the mentioned names, while others expressed confusion about the exact message Drizzy is conveying in the song.

"dont know what hes yapping about but it better not be a drag," a netizen on X commented.

"Drake really said mixing pop stars and rap lyrics like a playlist 🎶," one more user on X.

"this don't even make sense 😭😭," a third commented.

"Using their names to become relevant after being ended by Kendrick Lamar is another L for Drake," a netizen commented.

Furthermore, some users on X suggested that the Canadian rapper name-dropping all those artists was already a bold move, while others expressed their excitement, stating that they could not wait to hear the full song.

"Drake really knows how to stir the pot with those references! Can't wait to hear the full vibe of "Small Town Fame." 🎶✨," a netizen on X commented.

"Drake name-dropping Tate, Charli, and BRAT Summer—this track is already wild! 🔥🎶," one more user commented.

"Drake just made Tate McRae and Charli part of small-town fame history BRAT Summer sounds like a wild vibe too," a third wrote.

"Drake's name-dropping is everything! Shoutouts to Tate, Charli, BRAT," one more netizen commented.

As of now, the Canadian rapper has not yet addressed the ongoing online reactions to his song.

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Drake references Tate McRae, Charli XCX, and BRAT Summer in his latest track, Small Town Fame

The Canadian rapper (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Drake's Small Town Fame quickly garnered attention for mentioning Tate McRae, Charli XCX, and BRAT Summer in his verses.

The reference to Tate McRae occurs at the song's beginning, where the rapper seemingly parallels her rising fame and mainstream success with his own dominance in the industry.

The mention of Arizona may hint at McRae's North American presence, possibly referencing her Miss Possessive Tour, while the subsequent lines reflect pop culture and commercial appeal. The verse can be interpreted as follows:

"Poppin' out in Arizona / B*tch, I feel like Tate McRae / Vanilla ice and white ho*s, straight cake, uh / N*ggas love to talk, man, stack somethin'," Drizzy rapped.

The reference to English singer-songwriter Charli XCX and her album BRAT Summer follows shortly after McRae's mention. Here, the Canadian rapper appears to use wordplay, possibly referring to Charli XCX as a drug with the line "putting Charli up the nose."

This could be a metaphorical expression or a playful reference within the song. The verses can be read as follows:

"Puttin' Charli up her nose, X on her tongue / She been geekin' hard, she done had a BRAT Summer / PARTY pull up on the scene, black Hummer / You boys pull up to the six, we get the tax runnin' / Ayy, talkin' on her, oh, tryna prove somethin' / N*gga, whack somethin', pack somethin', do somethin'," Drizzy rapped.

While these interpretations provide a literal explanation of the verse, they may not be entirely accurate. As of now, the Canadian rapper has not clarified why he mentioned these artists or the true meaning behind the references.

Neither Tate McRae nor Charli XCX has publicly commented on the song.