Drake vs. Lil Wayne

**Drake vs. Lil Wayne** (**DvsLW**) was a co-headlining concert tour by Canadian recording artist and rapper Drake and American rapper Lil Wayne. It began on August 8, 2014 at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center, New York, and concluded on September 27, 2014 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Woodlands, Texas. The tour is based on the fighting game *Street Fighter*, and supported by Capcom, the game's creator. Each concert pits both rappers in a battle against each other in a *Street Fighter*-style battle to determine who is "the best rapper in the world".

The accompanying iOS and Android app of the same name, developed by iam8bit, lets fans interact in real time. *Polygon* explained, "Through the app [...] users can choose a side: Drake or Lil Wayne. They can then "button mash" and send power-ups to the rapper of their choice which, during the show, will fill up an on-stage meter for each rapper. In each city, on each night, one artist will emerge the victor based on audience interaction."

## Background

* On June 12, 2014, the tour was announced.
* On June 20, tickets went on sale via Live Nation.

## Critical reception

*New York Daily News* remarked, "In some ways, the stars aren't an even match. Drake sings as well as raps, while his elder mentor has a, shall-we-say, less than stellar vocal talent. To even the score, Wayne made a point of sneering about Drake's 'sweet singing.' On the other hand, Wayne's songs tend to have more energy and aggression than Drake's. The latter star has long been known as one of hip-hop's most vulnerable and sensitive emcees."

*The New York Times* compared the two with other paired-tours (Jay-Z and Beyonce/Eminem and Rihanna), were they "are not quite the longstanding pop fixtures the others are." Conversely, *Billboard* stated, "The classic video game concept worked well for the YMCMB pair, as the two continue to impress, putting on an almost 3-hour show on what could possibly be the best hip-hop tour of the year."

*Times Union*, writing for the Saratoga concert, felt that the rap battles were the "most underwhelming" part of the performance. They conceded, "Both performers were magnetic and the crowd adored them." *The Mercury News* gave enthusiastic praise for the fans' engagement with the app, being "21st century," "pure genius," and "instant gratification." They added of it being "well-organized and well-executed," though similar to *Times Union* believed the rap battles to not live up to its title. Speaking of Wayne, they said, "was absolutely mesmerizing, delighting fans with his witty wordplay and uncanny delivery as he rolled through his mighty catalog."

## Opening acts

* YG
* Yo Gotti
* PartyNextDoor
* G-Eazy
* iLoveMakonnen

## Set list

* The app allows fans to choose which artist performs first. The winner is chosen after the battle.
* This setlist is representative of the first show in Darien Lake, New York. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the entire tour.

Opening:

1. "Blunt Blowin"
2. "Steady Mobbin"
3. "Draft Day"
4. "We Made It"
5. "The Language"

Lil Wayne:

1. "Mr. Carter"
2. "Money on My Mind"
3. "D'usse"
4. "Da Sky Is Da Limit"

Drake:

1. "Headlines"
2. "Up All Night"
3. "Over"
4. "Crew Love"

Lil Wayne:

1. "Go DJ"
2. "Pop Bottles"
3. "Hustler Musik"
4. "Leather So Soft"
5. "Drop the World"

Drake:

1. "Pop That"
2. "All Me"
3. "Versace (Remix)"
4. "Own It"
5. Find Your Love"
6. "Marvin's Room"
7. "Hold On, We're Going Home"

Lil Wayne:

1. "How to Love"
2. "I'm Single"
3. "Mrs. Officer"
4. "Every Girl"
5. "Lollipop"
6. "Make It Rain"

Drake:

1. "I'm on One" (Both)
2. "No New Friends"
3. "Love Me" (Both)

Rap battle:

1. "Bandz a Make Her Dance" – Lil Wayne
2. "No Lie" – Drake
3. "Duffle Bag Boy" – Lil Wayne
4. "Loyal" – Lil Wayne
5. "Who Do You Love" – Drake
6. "6 Foot 7 Foot" – Lil Wayne
7. "Rich As Fuck" – Lil Wayne
8. "Trophies" – Drake
9. "Started from the Bottom" – Drake
10. "No Worries" – Lil Wayne
11. "A Milli" – Lil Wayne
12. "0 to 100" – Drake
13. "Worst Behavior" – Drake

Drake and Lil Wayne:

1. "The Motto" (Both)
2. "Grindin'" (Both)
3. "Believe Me" (Both)
4. "HYFR" (Both)

## Tour dates

* Lil Wayne was the opener for every concert.
* Drake won with 15 wins against Lil Wayne with 10.

## References

1. ↑ Hampp, Andrew (August 7, 2014). "Exclusive: Drake, Lil Wayne Debut 'Street Fighter'-Inspired Tour App DvsLW". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (August 9, 2014). "Drake and Lil Wayne Kick Off Street Fighter-Themed Tour, Launch Interactive Mobile App". *Polygon*.
3. ↑ Ramierez, Erika (June 12, 2014). "Drake & Lil Wayne Announce 31-City Co-Headlining Tour". *Billboard*.
4. ↑ Farber, Jim (August 20, 2014). "'Drake Vs. Lil Wayne' Tour Stops in New York for Hip-Hop Battle Where Fans Chose Winner". *New York Daily News*.
5. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (August 27, 2014). "Duelists Armed With Banter and Mutual Admiration". *The New York Times*.
6. ↑ Roberts, Anthony (August 11, 2014). "Drake Gets the Best of Lil Wayne in Chicago: Live Review". *Billboard*.
7. ↑ Templeton, Tom (August 13, 2014). "Review: Drake vs. Lil Wayne @ SPAC, 8/12/14". *Times Union*.
8. ↑ Harrington, Jim (September 16, 2014). "Review: Drake vs. Lil Wayne Tour Thrills Fans". *The Mercury News*.
9. ↑ Swanson, Tim (September 15, 2014). "Wednesday's 'Drake vs. Lil Wayne' Concert at Sleep Train Canceled". *The Sacramento Bee*.

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