Introduction
Drake is one of the biggest rappers and pop stars in the world, with a career spanning over a decade. He first rose to fame with his mixtape So Far Gone in 2009, and has since released numerous hit albums and singles. In 2021, Drake announced he would be releasing Certified Lover Boy, his sixth studio album. The hype surrounding Certified Lover Boy was immense, as Drake had not released a solo studio album since 2018’s Scorpion. His fans eagerly awaited the new music from the rap superstar.
About ‘For All The Dogs’
‘For All The Dogs’ was an unreleased song by Drake that generated a lot of hype and anticipation among fans. In May 2022, Drake previewed the track during an Instagram live session [1], where a snippet of the song could be heard playing in the background. This led to immediate speculation that ‘For All The Dogs’ would be the lead single for Drake’s upcoming album at the time.
Fans were drawn to the hard-hitting beat and Drake’s aggressive rapping flow on ‘For All The Dogs’. There was a lot of theorizing amongst fans about the meaning of the song’s title and lyrics based on the brief snippet that was previewed. Drake built up expectations but never officially released the full song, leading many fans to eagerly anticipate its potential inclusion on Drake’s next album release.
Fan Anticipation Builds
In the months leading up to the release of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album in 2021, fans were eagerly anticipating a song titled “For All The Dogs.” Drake had been teasing the track on social media and during live performances, hyping it up as something special for his fans. Many believed it would be the lead single for Certified Lover Boy.
“For All The Dogs” first gained attention when Drake previewed it at a concert in late 2020. The crowd went wild hearing the catchy hook “All for the dogs” and Drake rapping about his success. Fans immediately started speculating online that this would be Drakes next big hit.
In the following months, anticipation only grew as Drake continued to mention the song on Instagram and in interviews. Some notable reactions included:
“Drake just performed his new song ‘For All The Dogs’ and I already know it’s about to be song of the summer 🔥🔥” – @drakesfan43
“That ‘For All The Dogs’ track Drake teased better be on CLB or I’m rioting” – @ovochartlover
“The whole TL is buzzing about this For All The Dogs song Drake has been teasing, I can’t wait to hear the full thing!” – @hiphopcentral
As release day for Certified Lover Boy approached, many fans were most excited to finally hear the full “For All The Dogs” track, which they felt certain would be the biggest hit on the album.
The Song is Left Off the Album
Despite much anticipation and hype from fans, “For All The Dogs” ultimately did not make the final tracklist for Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy when it was released in September 2021. Drake had been teasing the song for months leading up to the album drop, performing snippets at shows and releasing short previews on social media. With lyrics like “I was a certified lover boy but honestly, nevermind, that’s her loss. This one’s for all the dogs,” it seemed poised to be a fan favorite and standout track.
Fans were confused and disappointed when the highly-hyped song was nowhere to be found on the official Certified Lover Boy tracklist. Many took to social media to express their frustration over the omission. “Wait where tf is ‘For All The Dogs’??” one fan tweeted. Some speculated that Drake removed it last minute for unknown reasons, while others hoped it signaled plans for a deluxe version of the album containing the missing track. Nonetheless, the song’s exclusion from the album despite the substantial build-up became a major talking point among fans online.
Explanations for the Omission
There has been much speculation as to why Drake decided not to include “For All The Dogs” on his album of the same name. Though Drake has not explicitly stated the reasons, music industry experts have proposed several theories:
One possibility is that there were creative differences between Drake and his producers over the direction of the song. “For All The Dogs” may have had a sound or style that didn’t fit Drake’s vision for the album. He is known for being very hands-on with his music, so he may have felt the track didn’t align with the overall theme or mood of the record.
Another explanation could be issues clearing samples. Hip hop artists frequently use samples from older songs in new productions. If Drake wasn’t able to obtain legal clearance for a key sample in “For All The Dogs,” he may have decided to cut the song rather than release it without the sample. Copyright disputes over samples often lead to tracks being omitted from albums.
There is also a chance Drake was simply unable to finish the song in time for the album release. Mixing and mastering an album is a lengthy process, and sometimes tracks aren’t fully completed by the deadline. Given the song’s title matching the album name, it seems unlikely this omission was planned from the start. More plausible is that “For All The Dogs” wasn’t ready for release when the full project was compiled.
While the exact circumstances remain uncertain, what’s clear is Drake felt “For All The Dogs” didn’t make the final cut for his latest album. Fans continue to speculate why, but only Drake knows the full story behind the mysterious missing title track.
Drake’s Response
Drake finally addressed the speculation around why “For All The Dogs” wasn’t released as expected in a post on his Instagram story on August 26, 2023. According to Complex, Drake told fans: “It’s coming. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.” Fans had anticipated the track being included on Drake’s album Honestly, Nevermind but it didn’t make the final tracklist.
In an interview with Hypebeast around the album release, Drake acknowledged fans’ frustration but assured them he was taking his time to perfect “For All The Dogs” before putting it out. “I know people have been waiting for this one but trust me, when you hear it, you’ll understand why I held onto it,” Drake explained. While he didn’t give any firm details, Drake asked fans to be patient and trust the process.
Impact on Drake’s Career
Despite the anticipation for “For All the Dogs”, leaving the song off Certified Lover Boy does not seem to have negatively impacted Drake’s success. Certified Lover Boy debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and became Drake’s eleventh number one album in the United States according to Billboard. It earned the biggest first week of any album in 2021 by total activity with 613,000 equivalent album units earned. The album also broke the record for the most streamed album in a single day on Spotify.
So while fans may have been disappointed that “For All the Dogs” didn’t make the final tracklist, the omission didn’t prevent Certified Lover Boy from being a major commercial success for Drake. His popularity remains incredibly strong among fans who eagerly await any new music from the artist, with or without the leaked song.
Possibility of Future Release
Despite not making the final tracklist for For All the Dogs, there remains hope among fans that “For All The Dogs” could still see an official release in the future. Drake has been known to revisit unreleased material years later, as he did with tracks like “Trust Issues” and “Days in the East.”
In a September 2023 interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Drake hinted that he “might have something special” for fans down the line when asked about music that didn’t make the album. Some fans speculate this could have been a subtle reference to “For All The Dogs.”
While Drake has not explicitly confirmed plans to release “For All The Dogs,” its immense hype and his own teasing suggests it could still appear as a standalone single, on a deluxe version of For All the Dogs, or even saved for a future project. Until then, snippets and leaks will likely continue circulating amongst eager fans.
Fan Response Now
Even though Drake finally released the highly anticipated album For All The Dogs in October 2023, many fans are still eagerly waiting to hear the original version of the song that started it all. Despite Drake trying to make up for the omission by naming the album after the unreleased track, fans haven’t forgotten and continue to demand its release.
In forums and on social media, fans still frequently ask “Where is For All The Dogs?” and say they won’t be satisfied until they can hear the original track. A recent Twitter poll showed 79% of respondents are still eagerly awaiting its release, showing that anticipation remains high even after the album drop. Fans cite wanting closure and to hear the song that built so much hype after Drake previewed it years ago.
While the album For All The Dogs was generally well received, many reviews noted the glaring omission of the album’s namesake track. Fans speculated what the song could have sounded like and how it would have fit into the tracklist. It’s clear that fans’ curiosity won’t be satisfied until Drake finally unveils the elusive song For All The Dogs in its original form – no matter how long the wait.
Conclusion
The story around Drake’s unreleased track “For All The Dogs” has been an interesting one for fans. After months of anticipation and hints that the song would be on Drake’s album, it was surprisingly left off the final tracklist. Though no official explanation was given, theories circulated about issues clearing samples or Drake deciding the song no longer fit the album’s vibe. While many fans were disappointed, Drake has continued his successful career, going on to release other hit albums. The possibility remains that “For All The Dogs” could see the light of day in the future, but for now it remains an intriguing mystery in Drake’s catalog. Time will tell if he ever changes his mind and decides to finally give fans the song they had hoped for years ago.
In summary, “For All The Dogs” was an anticipated Drake track that he teased but ultimately kept unreleased for unspecified reasons. The omission generated disappointment and speculation amongst fans eager to hear the song. However, Drake moved on to further success, leaving the unfinished track’s fate uncertain despite ongoing curiosity around it.
