Exclusive: Dave East Teases Drake Collaboration

Hot off the release of his Paranoia: A True Story mixtape, Dave East is ready for his debut album. The Harlem rapper recently spoke with Rap-Up about the forthcoming effort, which may include a collaboration with Drake.

“We’ve just been building,” he said. “He’s definitely a little more involved with what I’m doing, as far as support. We gon’ get in the studio and we gon’ let that talk but he mad cool, mad down to Earth, and mad regular.”

According to Dave, at least one collaboration is already in the can and ready for release. “He got the joint,” said East. “He got the record already. He got it. Matter of time. It’s hard. It’s not ‘Find Your Love’ Drake. It’s hard. I brought him to my world.”

Otherwise, Dave is tapping producers like No I.D. Salaam Remi, The Alchemist, and Just Blaze, among others, in order to create a timeless vibe.

“The album is gonna be like a real documentary of my life,” he said. “I’ve given bits and pieces and stories here and there, but I’ma really bring you from when my mother pushed me out. I’ma get a little deeper and I want to bring a sound that’s gonna live forever. That’s why I really went back to them producers, they created my favorite music ever.”

When he isn’t working on his debut album and burgeoning career, Dave says he finds balance at home, watching Boss Baby with his daughter, Kairi Chanel. “She’s so full of energy and so happy,” he says. “I love her. That’s how I balance it.”

In the first part of Rap-Up’s interview with East, he opened up about his bond with Chris Brown and revealed details about their forthcoming collaboration “Bentley Truck.”