Drake Reveals the Release Date for "Tha Carter 5"

When Lil Wayne joined Drake for a show during the NBA All-Star Weekend, they announced the projected May 5 drop date.

Lil Wayne was just one of his guests when Drake played a Sprite-sponsored party at the House of Blues on the NBA All-Star Game weekend. He announced that Tha Carter 5 will drop May 5, then performed "Rich as Fuck" with Drake and 2 Chainz. I covered the show for Fader:

The show was part of a weekend of festivities surrounding the NBA All-Star game. Lil Wayne had his own party later that night, and Rick Ross, Yo Gotti, and T.I. were among the stars playing shows around town on the weekend. Drake drew a crowd that included LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and he joked that “if anybody wants to book me, talk to my manager Kevin Hart up there,” gesturing toward the balcony.

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Drake doesn't have the credibility issues he used to have, but they haven't entirely gone away. On the All-Star Game weekend, he seemed not quite starstruck, but more excited than he needed to by the company he kept. He ended the show by introducing Terrence Ross from the Toronto Raptors then was on the court with him Saturday night to help with a stunt during the slam dunk competition. When he performed, he bounced as if he couldn't believe everybody was there for him. That enthusiasm is endearing, and it's a place where he and his fans meet because he seems like one of them. If they were in his place, they'd do the same things and be just as excited. It also balances his on-record persona, which is more in line with the economic realities of his life.

But that persona is also a little offputting because it's hard to see it as completely real. Drake doesn't have to worry anymore about getting paid or getting laid, which makes the exuberance feel like false modesty at times, particularly when success and his desire for it has been his subject matter. His loyalty to Lil Wayne and Young Money/Cash Money Records is admirable, but by now he would be more credible if he met Weezy as the peer he is and not an arriviste. He's bigger than that now.