Producer Zaytoven Hints at a Drake & Gucci Mane Collaborative Project
Is there a Gucci Mane and Drake collaborative project on the way? According to ATL producer Zaytoven, the duo's single "Back on Road," released June 4 as one of the first Gucci Mane singles since his release from federal prison May 26, won't be the last time the two appear on the same track together.
Rumors began spreading that something else was in the works on June 22, when both Drake and Gucci posted photos on Instagram of the two of them hanging out (alongside Zaytoven and fellow producer Mike WiLL Made-It) at Gucci's Georgia house. In the buildup to Gucci's new album, Everybody Looking, due July 22 -- which is being helmed largely by both Zay and Mike WiLL -- XXL spoke to Zaytoven about how that photo came to be.
"We were doing the video for Gucci Mane’s first video for the album. It was featuring Young Thug, but Young Thug wasn’t there yet," Zay said, before hinting at what else happened that day. "We were in there talking and Drake just came by because he was in town and wanted to stop through. We just got to talkin’ about doing a project together -- Gucci and Drake together."
While it seems like a strange fit, the idea doesn't come totally out of left field. Drake has made no secret of his admiration for music out of Atlanta; of course, his collaborative project with Future, What a Time to Be Alive, was a smash hit and they'll be touring again together this summer. He's also contributed to the success of Migos ("Versace") and iLoveMakonnen ("Tuesday") by hopping on remixes of their early hits, and has hinted at more music with Future on the way. And speaking of Future, Gucci's also collaborated with him on a full tape, 2011's Free Bricks, and has a long history of collaborative projects with the likes of Waka Flocka Flame, Young Scooter, Young Dolph, Migos, Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug, among others.
Regardless, if "Back on Road" is anything to go by, Drake hopping on Gucci's wave for a full project might not be such a bad thing.