Drake’s 2021 track “Papi’s Home” unexpectedly sampled Montell Jordan’s 1995 hit, leading to a financial breakthrough for Jordan.
- Montell Jordan had no idea his song was sampled by Drake until after it happened.
- The sampling allowed Montell Jordan to finally recoup his Def Jam contract after nearly 30 years.
- Montell Jordan recounted his awkward first meeting with Russell Simmons, revealing how he was initially overlooked.
- Andre Harrell played a crucial role in Montell Jordan signing with Def Jam, despite Russell Simmons’ indifference.
In a delightful twist of fate, Drake’s hit song “Papi’s Home” offered a lifeline to Montell Jordan. By sampling Jordan’s 1995 track “Daddy’s Home,” Drake unexpectedly paved the way for Jordan to settle a long-standing financial issue with his Def Jam contract. This fortunate event came almost three decades after the original song was released.
Montell Jordan recently shared his surprise when he discovered his track had been used. He pointed out that the song content wasn’t aligned with his personal brand, but he acknowledged that it was perfect for Drake’s style. The sampling advanced the publishing of the original song, accelerating his financial recovery.
Jordan detailed this unexpected turn of events on the We Sound Crazy podcast. He highlighted how, after the release of Drake’s album Certified Loverboy, he finally managed to recoup his royalties and publishing with Def Jam. It marked the end of an arduous 28-year journey.
Reflecting on his earlier days, Montell shared an intriguing story about his first encounter with Russell Simmons. It was a night that began with a meal at the Time Cafe and led to a meeting at Simmons’ penthouse. Despite the presence of famous faces like Warren G and Chris Rock, Jordan felt ignored by Simmons.
Simmons was engrossed in a call while on a treadmill, paying no attention to Jordan. The awkwardness heightened when Rev Run arrived, and Simmons casually referred to Jordan as “my rap singer,” despite not even acknowledging him directly.
As the night unfolded, Montell witnessed a series of surreal events, including a movie outing where he was once again overlooked. An outing to a strip club followed where Russell still didn’t acknowledge him. However, the surprising twist came during a car ride when Andre Harrell, later revealed to be a significant hip hop executive, endorsed Montell’s talent.
Jordan recounted how Andre Harrell’s endorsement was pivotal in his career. Harrell’s support led to Simmons and later Andre signing him to Def Jam Records. The endorsement from Harrell showed that, even in a night filled with awkward silences and being overlooked, talent and persistence shone through.
Drake’s unexpected nod not only resurrected Montell Jordan’s career financially but also highlighted the intricacies of the music industry.
