First Person Shooter (song)
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = First Person Shooter
| type = single
| artist = Drake featuring J. Cole
| album = For All the Dogs
| released = {{start date|2023|10|24}}
| recorded = October 5, 2023
| genre = * Hip hop
| length = 4:07
| label = * OVO
| writer = * Aubrey Graham
- Jermaine Cole
- Matthew Samuels
- Anderson Hernandez
- Brytavious Chambers
- Michael Mulé
- Isaac De Boni
- Ozan Yıldırım
- Scotty Coleman
- Snorre Tidemand
| producer = * Boi-1da
| chronology = Drake
| prev_title = Rich Baby Daddy
| prev_year = 2023
| next_title = You Broke My Heart
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = J. Cole
| type = single
| prev_title = The Secret Recipe
| prev_year = 2023
| title = First Person Shooter
| year = 2023
| next_title = H.Y.B.
| next_year = 2024
}}{{External music video|{{YouTube|Xty2gi5cMa8|"First Person Shooter"}}|type=single}}
}}
"First Person Shooter" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring American rapper J. Cole. It was released through OVO Sound and Republic Records on Drake's eighth studio album, For All the Dogs. Drake and Cole wrote the song with producers Boi-1da, Vinylz, Tay Keith, FnZ (Michael Mulé and Isaac De Boni), Oz, and Coleman, alongside Snorre Tidemand. It is notable for reigniting Drake's decade-long feud with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar.
"First Person Shooter" debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake's thirteenth and Cole's first number-one song. It later impacted US rhythmic radio on October 24, 2023, as the album's fourth single. Its music video was released on November 15, 2023.
Background
During a Table for One special episode on October 6, 2023, a few hours before For All the Dogs was released, Drake confirmed that J. Cole would appear on the sixth track of the album, calling it "fourth quarter magic", and also revealed that he and Cole had "just got out from the studio",{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/tracewilliamcowen/j-cole-youngboy-never-broke-again-drake-first-person-shooter|title=J. Cole Says He Still Wants a Song With YoungBoy Never Broke Again on Drake Collab "First Person Shooter"|last=Cowen|first=Trace William|website=Complex|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023}} making it the final song to be recorded for the album.{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/j-cole-addresses-nba-youngboy-dispute-on-new-drake-collab/|title=J. Cole Addresses NBA YoungBoy Dispute on New Drake Collab|last=Galindo|first=Thomas|website=American Songwriter|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023}}
Composition
"First Person Shooter" features a "subtle-yet-triumphant" yet "high-octane" production that starts out with a "warped" vocal sample of Joe Washington's "Look Me in the Eyes"{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/1100567/Drake-J.-Cole-First-Person-Shooter-Joe-Washington-Wash-(Soul-Band)-Look-Me-in-the-Eyes/|title=Drake feat. J. Cole's 'First Person Shooter' - Discover the Sample Source|website=WhoSampled}} while both artists exchange a few bars. The second half of the song features a down-pitched looped sample from Snorre Tidemand's orchestral "Redemption."{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/1101771/Drake-J.-Cole-First-Person-Shooter-Snorre-Tidemand-Redemption/|title=Drake feat. J. Cole's 'First Person Shooter' - Discover the Sample Source|website=WhoSampled}} The "hard" and "playful" track was especially noted for its "futuristic and energetic" production that enabled Drake and Cole to showcase their skills.{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/721322-drake-j-cole-first-person-shooter-stream|title=Drake & J. Cole Aim For The Head On "First Person Shooter"|last=A.|first=Aron|website=HotNewHipHop|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023}} The track sees Cole reflecting on his continuous success, arguing that him, Drake, and fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar are the "big three" in rap music whereas he himself feels like Muhammad Ali. Another reference includes a comparison of both artists to a meme of two Spider-Men pointing at each other. Cole also says that he wishes to collaborate with fellow American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again later on the song, seemingly dismissing rumors of him dissing the rapper on his collaboration with rapper and album producer Lil Yachty on "The Secret Recipe", while he also confirms that his upcoming album, The Fall Off, is on the way.{{cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/j-cole-youngboy-never-broke-again-beef-first-person-shooter-drake/|title=J. Cole Addresses Beef With NBA YoungBoy on Drake's Album|last=Cummings-Grady|first=Mackenzie|website=XXL|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/jadegomez510/j-cole-drake-kendrick-lamar-big-three|title=J. Cole Calls Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Himself Rap's 'Big Three' on 'For All the Dogs' Track "First Person Shooter"|last=Gomez|first=Jade|website=Complex|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023}} In reference to his fame and commercial success, Drake later shouts out the Beatles and Michael Jackson, notably referencing how he was one song away from eventually tying the latter's record for most number-one US Billboard Hot 100 singles by a solo male artist.
= Response from Kendrick Lamar =
After hearing of J. Cole's "big three" lyrical claim, rapper Kendrick Lamar appeared on Future and Metro Boomin's single, "Like That", which was released in late-March 2024.{{Cite web |last=Cummings-Grady |first=Mackenzie |date=2024-04-04 |title=Kendrick Lamar Already Has the Best Verse of 2024 |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/kendrick-lamar-like-that-best-verse-2024/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=XXL Mag |language=en}} On his verse, he responds to Cole and Drake, rapping "Motherfuck the big three, nigga, it's just big me."{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Steven J. |date=2024-03-22 |title=Kendrick Lamar Disses Drake and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin's New Song 'Like That' |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/kendrick-lamar-drake-j-cole-like-that-diss-1235949672/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Critical reception
In a first assessment of the album, Kyle Denis of Billboard ranked "First Person Shooter" as the ninth best track of the album, writing that the duo had adopted an "elder statesmen" mentality while still presenting their "skin in the game", but while their attitude was seen as "braggadocious", both were holding back a little.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-for-all-the-dogs-best-songs-ranked-slime-you-out/calling-for-you-feat-21-savage/|title=Drake's 'For All the Dogs': All 23 Songs Ranked|last=Denis|first=Kyle|magazine=Billboard|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023|archive-date=October 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006194421/https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-for-all-the-dogs-best-songs-ranked-slime-you-out/calling-for-you-feat-21-savage/|url-status=live}} Rolling Stone{{'}}s Mosi Reeves stated that on the song, Drake is "thoroughly outclassed by J Cole" and that his lyrics are basic, several of them being "desultory lyrics where he discusses women like he’s stocking a meat freezer."{{cite web|last=Reeves|first=Mosi|date=October 7, 2023|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/drake-for-all-the-dogs-review-1234848477/|title=Drake Sounds A Little Tired of Being Drake On 'For All the Dogs'|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=October 7, 2023}} Writing for Clash, Shahzaib Hussain notes that "First Person Shooter" sees Drake "all shit-talking pomp and posturing."{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/drake-for-all-the-dogs/|work=Clash|title=Drake - For All The Dogs|date=October 6, 2023|access-date=October 7, 2023|last=Hussain|first=Shahzaib}}
Commercial performance
The song debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake's thirteenth and Cole's first number-one song on the chart, the former tying the record for most solo number-one songs by a solo male artist with Michael Jackson.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/drake-for-all-the-dogs-all-songs-hot-100-top-half-1235443806/|title=All 23 Songs From Drake's 'For All the Dogs' Hit Top Half of Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|last=Zellner|first=Xander|date=October 15, 2023|access-date=October 15, 2023}} In its second week, the song remained in the top ten in the US Billboard Hot 100 and fell to number eight.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-cruel-summer-number-one-hot-100-1235452093/|title=Taylor Swift's 'Cruel Summer' Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Becoming Her 10th Leader|last=Trust|first=Gary|magazine=Billboard|date=October 23, 2023|access-date=October 23, 2023}} The song debuted at number-one on the Billboard's Streaming Songs, marking Drake's 19th number-one on the chart.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "First Person Shooter" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023–2024) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|4|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/hip-hop-r-and-b-singles-chart/2023-10-16|title=ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=October 16, 2023|access-date=October 13, 2023}}
| 2 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Austria|38|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 18, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|2|artist=Drake|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Denmark|22|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 18, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|France|52|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 16, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|2|artist=Drake|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Greece International (IFPI){{Cite web |title=Digital Singles Chart (International) |url=https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html |access-date=2023-10-24 |publisher=IFPI Greece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024235652/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html|archive-date=October 24, 2023}}
| 5 |
| scope="row"| Iceland (Tónlistinn){{cite web|url=http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|title=Tónlistinn – Lög|trans-title=The Music – Songs|language=is|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=October 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015024046/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|archive-date=October 15, 2023}}
| 8 |
| {{single chart|Ireland4|7|date=20231013|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Italy|55|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Latvia (LaIPA){{cite web|url=https://www.parmuziku.lv/chart?type=2&week=2023-W41&limit=100&id=5e472896c97ba|title=Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 41. nedēļa|language=en, lv|publisher=LaIPA|date=October 16, 2023|access-date=October 16, 2023}}
| 8 |
| scope="row"| Lithuania (AGATA){{cite web|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s41-2/|title=2023 41-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)|publisher=AGATA|language=lt|date=October 13, 2023|access-date=October 13, 2023}}
| 19 |
| scope="row"| Luxembourg (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/drake/chart-history/i12/|title=Drake Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 17, 2023}}
| 11 |
| scope="row" | MENA (IFPI){{cite web|url=https://www.theofficialmenachart.com/weeklychart|title=This Week's Official MENA Chart Top 20: from 06/10/2023 to 12/10/2023|publisher=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231017144808/https://www.theofficialmenachart.com/weeklychart|date=October 17, 2023|archive-date=October 17, 2023|access-date=October 18, 2023}}
| 10 |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|22|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|5|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Portugal|15|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 19, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|South Africa2|2|year=2023|week=41|rowheader=true|access-date=May 27, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|42|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|10|artist=Drake feat. J. Cole|song=First Person Shooter|rowheader=true|access-date=October 15, 2023}} |
| scope="row"| UAE (IFPI){{cite web|url=https://www.theofficialmenachart.com/weeklychart|title=UAE: 2023 - W41 - 10/06 to 12/10|website=The Official MENA Chart|publisher=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry|access-date=June 8, 2024}}
| 4 |
| {{single chart|UK|4|date=20231013|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|UKrandb|2|date=20231013|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=Drake|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|1|artist=Drake|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|4|artist=Drake|rowheader=true|access-date=January 21, 2024}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "First Person Shooter"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|certyear=2024|award=Gold|access-date=June 22, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Drake Ft J Cole|title=First Person Shooter|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=2023|certyear=2024|accessdate=May 24, 2024|id=20019-6777-1}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release dates and formats for "First Person Shooter" ! scope="col" |Region ! scope="col" |Date ! scope="col" |Format(s) ! scope="col" |Label(s) ! scope="col" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row" |United States
|October 24, 2023 |Rhythmic contemporary radio | align="center" |{{Cite web |date=October 24, 2023 |title=A Recap of Radio Add Recaps |url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=338139 |access-date=January 8, 2025 |website=Hits |language=en}} |
|---|
References
{{reflist}}
{{Drake songs}}
{{J. Cole}}
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Drake (musician) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Boi-1da
Category:Song recordings produced by Tay Keith
Category:Song recordings produced by Vinylz
Category:Songs written by Drake (musician)
Category:Songs written by J. Cole
Category:Songs written by Boi-1da
Category:Songs written by Tay Keith
Category:Songs written by Vinylz
Category:Songs written by Oz (record producer)