What a Time to Be Alive

Shortly prior to What a Time to Be Alive, Drake and Future collaborated on the latter's single "Where Ya At". The duo talked about recording a mixtape together earlier that year, and following the recording sessions for "Where Ya At", they began working on the project, beginning in July.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

According to a 2016 interview with Zane Lowe, Drake spent 6 days in Atlanta working on the project with Future. "Digital Dash" was the first song they made for the project, originally being a Future record that ended up being finished with Drake later. "Jumpman" was the last song the duo created for the project.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7350174/zane-lowe-beats-1-drake-views-interview|title=Drake Reveals Kanye West Joint Project Almost Happened & Everything You Need to Know From His Beats 1 Interview with Zane Lowe - Billboard|website=billboard.com}}

The mixtape was first teased by a range of sources including DJ Skee, Angela Yee and Ernest Baker, and this project was officially announced on Drake's Instagram on September 19, 2015, when he revealed the mixtape's release date and cover art.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.35552/title.drake-confirms-what-a-time-to-be-alive-project-with-future-sets-release-date|title=Drake Confirms "What A Time To Be Alive" Project With Future & Sets Release Date|author=HipHopDX|date=September 19, 2015|work=HipHopDX}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/djskee/status/642807020584722432|title=DJ Skee on Twitter|work=Twitter}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ernestbaker/status/642205301257699328|title=ernest baker on Twitter|work=Twitter}}

The artwork is a stock image that was purchased from Shutterstock.{{cite web|url=http://uk.complex.com/style/2015/09/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape-cover-details|title=Drake And Future Used A Stock Image For Their 'It Never Happened' Album Cover|first=Karizza|last=Sanchez|work=Complex UK}}

Drake and Future premiered the album on Beats 1 on OVO Sound's "OVO Sound Radio" show on September 20, 2015, and weeks after it was released on the iTunes Store and Apple Music.{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/09/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape-surprise-download/|title=Download Drake and Future's 'What a Time to Be Alive' Right Now|last=Brodsky|first=Rachel|work=Spin|date=September 20, 2015|access-date=September 20, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-a-time-to-be-alive/1440842320|title=What a Time To Be Alive|work=iTunes|date=September 20, 2015|access-date=September 20, 2015}}

The Summer Sixteen Tour by Drake was made to support this mixtape.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/65039-drake-and-future-announce-summer-sixteen-tour/|title=Drake and Future Announce Summer Sixteen Tour - Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|date=25 April 2016}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 6.9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7525/Drake--Future-What-A-Time-To-Be-Alive.aspx|title=What A Time To Be Alive by Drake / Future reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=October 19, 2019}}

| MC = 70/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape/drake-future|title=Reviews for What a Time to Be Alive [Mixtape] by Drake & Future|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=September 25, 2015}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Jeffries|first=David|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-a-time-to-be-alive-mw0002883563|title=What a Time to Be Alive – Drake / Future|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 25, 2015}}

| rev2 = Billboard

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Ex|first=Kris|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6700817/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape-review|title=Drake & Future's 'What a Time to Be Alive' Mixtape is a Perfectly Timed Victory Lap: Album Review|magazine=Billboard|date=September 21, 2015|access-date=September 24, 2015}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3score = C−{{cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Kyle|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/22/drake-future-what-time-be-alive-ew-review|title=What a Time To Be Alive by Drake & Future: EW review|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=September 22, 2015|access-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924220411/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/22/drake-future-what-time-be-alive-ew-review|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}

| rev4 = NME

| rev4score = 4/5{{cite web|last=Bassett|first=Jordan|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/reviews-drake-16263|title=Drake and Future – 'What A Time To Be Alive'|work=NME|date=September 22, 2015|access-date=December 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923091717/http://www.nme.com/reviews/drake/16263|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}

| rev5 = The Observer

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Ben|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/11/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape-review|title=Drake and Future: What a Time to Be Alive review – a dynamic pairing|work=The Observer|date=October 11, 2015|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 7.0/10{{cite web|last=Pearce|first=Sheldon|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21102-what-a-time-to-be-alive/ |title=Drake / Future: What a Time to Be Alive|work=Pitchfork|date=September 23, 2015|access-date=September 24, 2015}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal|last=Yates|first=Steve|title=Mix and Match|journal=Q|issue=353|date=December 2015|page=107}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-20150924|title=What a Time to Be Alive|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=September 24, 2015|access-date=September 24, 2015}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = 7/10{{cite web|last=Ramirez|first=Matthew|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/09/review-drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive/|title=Review: Drake and Future Define 2015 Rap for Better and Worse on 'What a Time to Be Alive'|work=Spin|date=September 22, 2015|access-date=September 24, 2015}}

| rev10 = XXL

| rev10score = 4/5{{cite web|last=Rys|first=Dan|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2015/09/drake-and-future-shine-bright-on-what-a-time-to-be-alive/|title=Drake and Future Shine Bright on 'What A Time To Be Alive'|work=XXL|date=September 22, 2015|access-date=October 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924175920/http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2015/09/drake-and-future-shine-bright-on-what-a-time-to-be-alive/|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}

}}

What a Time to Be Alive received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 70, based on 24 reviews. Billboard described Drake and Future's chemistry as expected and said "Future deals with personal demons that he tries, and fails, to drown in drugs; Drake is mostly about insecurities and lesser gravity". Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, attributing the "fresh and spontaneous" feel to the quick production of the album, where "both artists [are] playing off their louder-than-life personalities without overthinking the details". However, Sheldon Pearce in a Pitchfork review suggests that this limited time-frame for making the album is the sonic downfall of the mixtape arguing that the album "wasn't created with the care or the dutiful curation we've come to expect from both artists when solo."

In a mixed review, Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork criticizes the "decided lack of chemistry between these two", because "they have difficulty sharing the same space" when on the same song. Pearce goes on to highlight how Future's presence, both in content and persona, is much more prevalent than Drake's, where the latter appears to be a "bystander" and "out of his element". Yet, he highlights moments where the collaboration works most effectively. On "Scholarships", Drake "throws Future the perfect alley-oop", "Jumpman" is a banger, and "Diamonds Dancing" is the first track between the two artists that "clicks on all cylinders". Additionally, Pearce lauds the production by Metro Boomin as "glimmering" and hails both rappers when they are able to work on their own and make music in their respective comfort zones in songs like Future's "Jersey" and Drake's "30 for 30 Freestyle".

Complex said about Drake verses; "despite a corny bar here or there, Drake sounds way more energized with much better flows."{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2015/09/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-review|title=Drake and Future 'What a Time to Be Alive' Review - Complex|first=Frazier|last=Tharpe|work=Complex}} Entertainment Weekly was disappointed with Drake on the album, quoting "despite a beat by Drake whisperer Noah "40" Shebib, the album-closing "30 For 30 Freestyle" doesn't come near clearing the admittedly high bar Drake has set for himself in 2015."

What a Time to Be Alive debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 375,000 album-equivalent units; it sold 334,000 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit count representing the album's streaming activity and track sales during the tracking week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6708138/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-billboard-200-no-1|title=Drake and Future's Surprise Album Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart|magazine=Billboard}} It became both Drake and Future's second albums to chart at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2015 (If You're Reading This It's Too Late and DS2, respectively). In its second week it sold 65,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://allhiphop.com/2015/10/05/drake-futures-what-a-time-to-be-alive-suffers-one-of-the-worst-sales-drops-in-hip-hop-history |title=Drake & Future's 'WATTBA' Suffers One Of The Worst Sales Drops In Hip Hop History |last=Kyles |first=Yohance |website=AllHipHop |date=October 5, 2015 |access-date=November 4, 2015}} As of January 27, 2016, What a Time to Be Alive has sold 519,000 copies in the United States.{{cite web | url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/charts-dont-lie-january-27-news.19828.html | title=Charts Don't Lie: January 27 | publisher=hotnewhiphop | date=January 27, 2016 | access-date=April 5, 2016 | author=Smith, Trevor}} On December 8, 2022, the album was certified 2x Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over two million units.{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=future&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title = Gold & Platinum|website = Recording Industry Association of America}}

{{Track listing

| headline = What a Time to Be Alive track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 40:30

| title1 = Digital Dash

| writer1 = {{hlist|Aubrey Graham|Nayvadius Wilburn|Leland Wayne|Joshua Luellen}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Southside}}

| length1 = 3:51

| title2 = Big Rings

| writer2 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Wayne}}

| extra2 = Metro Boomin

| length2 = 3:37

| title3 = Live from the Gutter

| writer3 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Luellen|Wayne|Matthew Samuels}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Southside|Boi-1da}}

| length3 = 3:31

| title4 = Diamonds Dancing

| writer4 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Wayne|Allen Ritter|Adam Feeney}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Ritter|Frank Dukes}}

| length4 = 5:14

| title5 = Scholarships

| writer5 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Wayne}}

| extra5 = Metro Boomin

| length5 = 3:29

| title6 = Plastic Bag

| writer6 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Sean Seaton}}

| extra6 = Neenyo

| length6 = 3:22

| title7 = I'm the Plug

| writer7 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Wayne|Luellen}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Southside}}

| length7 = 3:00

| title8 = Change Locations

| writer8 = {{hlist|Graham|Wilburn|Noel Cadastre}}

| extra8 = Cadastre

| length8 = 3:40

| title9 = Jumpman

| writer9 = {{hlist|Wilburn|Wayne|Graham}}

| extra9 = Metro Boomin

| length9 = 3:25

| title10 = Jersey

| note10 = performed by Future

| writer10 = {{hlist|Wilburn|Wayne|Luellen}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Southside}}

| length10 = 3:08

| title11 = 30 for 30 Freestyle

| note11 = performed by Drake

| writer11 = {{hlist|Graham|Noah Shebib}}

| extra11 = 40

| length11 = 4:13

}}

Notes

• "30 for 30 Freestyle" features background vocals by Kyle Machado

Musicians

• Maneesh – piano, keyboards (tracks 3, 6)

Technical

• Eric Manco – recording (tracks 1–5, 7–9)
• Seth Firkins – recording (track 6)
• James Kang – recording (track 10)
• Miguel Scott – recording assistance (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Noel "Gadget" Campbell – mixing (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Noah "40" Shebib – mixing (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Metro Boomin – mixing (track 10)
• Les Bateman – mixing assistance (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Greg Moffett – mixing assistance (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Harley Arsenault – mixing assistance (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Noel Cadastre – engineering (tracks 1–9, 11)
• Chris Athens – mastering (all tracks)
• Dave Huffman – mastering assistance (all tracks)

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for What a Time to Be Alive}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|title=What a Time to Be Alive|artist=Drake & Future|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2015|certyear=2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|title=What a Time to Be Alive|artist=Drake & Future|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2018}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Drake and Future|title=What a Time to Be Alive|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2015|certyear=2019|access-date=March 1, 2025|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=What a Time to Be Alive|artist=Drake & Future|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2019|id=13851-4180-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=What a Time to Be Alive|artist=Drake|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2015|certyear=2022|accessdate=December 6, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

• List of number-one albums of 2015 (Canada)
• List of UK R&B Chart number-one albums of 2015
• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2015
• List of Billboard number-one R&B/Hip-Hop albums of 2015

{{reflist}}

{{Drake}}

{{Future (rapper)}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2015 mixtape albums

Category:Drake (musician) mixtape albums

Category:Future (rapper) mixtape albums

Category:2015 collaborative albums

Category:Epic Records mixtape albums

Category:Cash Money Records mixtape albums

Category:Republic Records mixtape albums

Category:Young Money Entertainment mixtape albums

Category:Albums produced by Allen Ritter

Category:Albums produced by Boi-1da

Category:Albums produced by Frank Dukes

Category:Albums produced by Metro Boomin

Category:Albums produced by Noah "40" Shebib

Category:Albums produced by Southside (record producer)

Category:OVO Sound mixtape albums