Started from the Bottom

"Started from the Bottom"
Single by Drake
from the album Nothing Was the Same
Released February 1, 2013 (2013-02-01)[1]
Format Digital download
Recorded 2012
Genre Hip hop
Length 2:53
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Drake singles chronology
"Right Here"
(2013)		 "Started from the Bottom"
(2013)		 "No New Friends"
(2013)
Music video
"Started from the Bottom" on YouTube

"Started from the Bottom" is a song by Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake, released as the first single from his third studio album Nothing Was the Same.[2] The song was written by Drake, Michael Coleman, and Noah "40" Shebib, and it was produced by Coleman under his stage name Mike Zombie, with additional production by Shebib.[3][4] It features a sample of the ambient piece "Ambessence Piano & Drones 1" by Bruno Sanfilippo and Mathias Grassow.[5] "Started from the Bottom" has charted in many countries, reaching a peak of number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background

"Started from the Bottom" was originally planned to be released on February 10, 2013, coinciding with the Grammy Awards.[6] However, it was instead premiered on February 1 through Drake's "October's Very Own" blog, as he preferred to release it without prior interviews.[7] The song was officially released on iTunes on February 6, 2013.[8] At the 55th Grammy Awards, Drake teased that an official remix would be released.[9]

Music and lyrics

Lyrically, "Started from the Bottom" addresses Drake's early life and career beginnings. He commented of its concept, "I feel sometimes that people don't have enough information about my beginnings and therefore they make up a life story for me that isn't consistent with actual events. I did not buy my way into this spot and it was the furthest thing from easy to achieve. I am proud of every part of my past and I'm excited for this song to find a place in your life as well." The song makes use of instrumentation from drums and a piano; MTV describes it as "departure" from his earlier works.[10]

Music video

On September 4, 2012, Drake was seen filming the music video for the song which was being directed by Director X.[11] The music video was released on February 10, 2013. The video features an all-white dressed Drake standing in the back of a white Bentley convertible, during a blizzard. In other scenes, he works retail in a Shoppers Drug Mart drugstore, flies a plane into his native Toronto and dances around in a club. Drake's mother, Sandi, and producers Boi-1da and Noah "40" Shebib also have cameos in the video. At the end it displays Drake and his friends partying at a villa.[12]

Remixes

Shortly after the song's debut Wiz Khalifa was the first to release a remix to the song.[13] Since then artists such as Kap G, Machine Gun Kelly, Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, Ace Hood, Meek Mill, Chris Brown, Papoose, Wyclef Jean, Riff Raff, Arcangel & De la Ghetto, Misha B, and Karmin[14] have released their own remixes or freestyles to the song.[15][16][17][18] On February 15, 2013 Mike Posner, Asher Roth, T. Mills, Chuck Inglish and King Chip released a music video for their remix of the song.[19] On October 12, 2013, DJ Felli Fel released a remix supporting the Los Angeles Dodgers 2013 playoff run, featuring Ice Cube, Tyga and Ty Dolla Sign.[20] Shortly after an extended version also featuring, Warren G, Problem and Chino XL was released.[21]

At the 55th Grammy Awards, Drake suggested that an official remix could be released.[9] He begun work on it with Rick Ross and DJ Khaled but the recording session resulted in the first single off Khaled's next album, "No New Friends".[22]

Critical reception

Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the song a positive review stating:

Backdropped by a haunting piano loop and tinned snare, the production falls in line with what we've come to expect from a brooding Drake track. "Started from the bottom now we're here," he reflects. "Started from the bottom now my whole team fucking here." The ascent to stardom has clearly been the smoothest of paths, but we hope there's a little more depth to the remainder of his new material to keep him up there with the best. .[23]

On December 2, 2013, Complex named "Started From the Bottom" the second best song released in 2013. David Drake of Complex said, "Musically, "Started From the Bottom" is Drake at his most irrepressibly memorable. Stripped down to a simple piano line and a crisp, unforgettable drum pattern, the song's simplicity gave it a singular fingerprint. It epitomizes the new, clean, minimal direction Drake took throughout Nothing Was The Same, while sounding like no other song on it. It is wistful, atmospheric, as catchy as a nursery rhyme. Lyrically, the song is packed with hooks, each line a mantra of burgeoning confidence, hard-earned."[24] Rolling Stone then ranked the song at number nine on their list of the 100 Best Songs of 2013.[25] XXL named it one of the top five hip hop songs of 2013.[26]

Commercial performance

The track entered the UK Singles Chart at number 71 on February 10, 2013. The following week it rose forty-six positions to number 25 - becoming only Drake's third top 40 entry as a solo artist in the UK. The song has reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and is Drake's eleventh top 10 hit on the chart.[27][28] The song sold over 2 million digital copies in the US by January 2014.[29]

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Award Result
2013 BET Hip Hop Awards "Track of the Year"[30] Won
2014 Grammy Awards (56th)[31] Best Rap Performance Nominated
Best Rap Song Nominated

Track listing

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Started from the Bottom"  2:53

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[32] 93
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[33] 50
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[34] 40
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[35] 36
France (SNEP)[36] 56
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 91
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 25
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[39] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[41] 2
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[42] 40
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[43] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[44] 98
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[45] 135
US Billboard Hot 100[46] 32
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[47] 7
US Rap Songs (Billboard)[48] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[49] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[50] Platinum 80,000^
United States (RIAA)[51] 2× Platinum 2,000,000[29]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States February 6, 2013[52] Digital download Cash Money Records
February 12, 2013[53] Urban radio
April 9, 2013[54] Mainstream radio

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/1701267/drake-started-from-the-bottom-new-single/
  2. ↑ "Drake Releases New Single, 'Started From the Bottom' | Music News". Rolling Stone. 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  3. ↑ "Drake - Started From The Bottom | New Hip Hop Music & All The New Rap Songs 2011". HipHop DX. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  4. ↑ Alexander Russell (23 August 2013). "Here Are The BET Award Nominees". Complex.
  5. ↑ "Some weeks ago, the hip hop artist Drake's... - Bruno Sanfilippo". Facebook. March 11, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  6. ↑ Sia, Nicole (2013-02-02). "Hear Drake Set His Origin Story Straight on 'Started From the Bottom' | SPIN | SPIN Mix | Songs". SPIN. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  7. ↑ "OCTOBERS VERY OWN: Started From The Bottom". Octobersveryown.blogspot.com. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  8. ↑ "Drake – Started from the Bottom (2013) (iTunes) [Single]". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  9. 1 2 HipHopDX (11 February 2013). "Drake Hints At Official Remix Of "Started From The Bottom"". HipHopDX.
  10. ↑ "Drake's 'Started From the Bottom' Filled With Fire And Frustration - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  11. ↑ "Drake Shooting Video For 'Started From the Bottom' In Toronto, Old Video Teaser Surfaces". Rapfix.mtv.com. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  12. ↑ 02/10/2013 7:43 pm EST (2011-01-23). "'Started From The Bottom' Video: Drake Drops Visuals For New Single On Grammy Night". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  13. ↑ "Wiz Khalifa Releases "Started From the Bottom" Remix". BET.com. 4 February 2013.
  14. ↑ Karmin - Started From The Bottom (Drake Cover). 25 February 2013 – via YouTube.
  15. ↑ Rose Lilah (14 February 2013). "Ace Hood - Started From The Bottom (Freestyle) - Stream [New Song]". HotNewHipHop.
  16. ↑ "Papoose Freestyles Over "Started From The Bottom" On Showoff Radio!". WORLDSTARHIPHOP.
  17. ↑ "Video: Wyclef Jean – 'Started From the Bottom (Freestyle)'". Rap-Up.
  18. ↑ https://twitter.com/TheRealKapG/status/319495997753540608
  19. ↑ "Mike Posner (Feat. Asher Roth, T Mills, Chuck Inglish & King Chip) - Started From The Bottom Remix". WORLDSTARHIPHOP.
  20. ↑ cvernoncoleman (13 October 2013). "DJ Felli Fel Featuring Ice Cube, Tyga & Ty Dolla $ign "Dodgers Anthem 2013″". XXL Mag.
  21. ↑ "DJ Felli Fel ft Ice Cube, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, Warren G, Chino XL, Problem - Dodgers Anthem 2013 (New Version)". HipHopEarly.
  22. ↑ Ernest Baker (12 April 2013). "Drake Is Dropping 2 New Songs Next Week". Complex.
  23. ↑ Lewis Corner (12 February 2013). "Drake: 'Started From the Bottom' - Single review". Digital Spy.
  24. ↑ Insanul Ahmed (2 December 2013). "Drake "Started From The Bottom" - The 50 Best Songs of 2013 - Complex". Complex.
  25. ↑ "Drake, "Started From the Bottom"". Rolling Stone.
  26. ↑ xxlstaff (9 January 2014). "XXL Lists The Best Hip-Hop Songs And Albums Of The Last 40 Years – XXL Issue 152". XXL Mag.
  27. ↑ "Baauer's 'Harlem Shake' Debuts Atop Revamped Hot 100". Billboard.
  28. ↑ Trust, Gary (2013-02-27). "Baauer's 'Harlem Shake' Tops Hot 100 for Second Week". Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  29. 1 2 Paul Grein (January 2, 2014). "Can You Believe "Don't Stop Believin'" Loses Spot as Best-Selling Rock Song?". Chart Watch. Yahoo.
  30. ↑ "Track of the Year". BET.com. 23 September 2013.
  31. ↑ "Grammy nominations 2014: See the list of nominees". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com.
  32. ↑ http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20130319-0001/Issue1200.pdf
  33. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Drake – Started From The Bottom" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Drake – Started From The Bottom" (in French). Ultratip.
  35. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Drake. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
  36. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Drake – Started From The Bottom" (in French). Les classement single.
  37. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Drake – Started From The Bottom" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  38. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-02-23" UK Singles Chart.
  39. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-02-23" UK R&B Chart.
  40. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Drake.
  41. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Drake. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
  42. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Drake.
  43. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Drake.
  44. ↑ "Best of 2013: Canadian Hot 100". Prometheus Gobal Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  45. ↑ "End of Year 2013" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  46. ↑ "Best of 2013 - Hot 100 Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  47. ↑ "2013 Year End Charts — R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  48. ↑ "2013 Year End Charts — Rap Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  49. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Drake – Started from the Bottom". Music Canada.
  51. ↑ "American single certifications – Drake – Started from the Bottom". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  52. ↑ "Started From the Bottom – Single by Drake". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  53. ↑ "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  54. ↑ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Nielsen Ratings, Music News and more!".
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