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2 Hard 4 the Radio

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"2 Hard 4 the Radio"
Single by Drake
from the album Iceman
ReleasedMay 19, 2026 (2026-05-19)
Genre
Length3:03
Label
Producers
  • Ben10k
  • Karri
  • Mars
  • OZ
  • P-Lo
  • Thomas Madynski
Drake singles chronology
"Dog House"
(2025)		 "2 Hard 4 the Radio" / "Janice STFU"
(2026)		 "Shabang"
(2026)
Music video
2 Hard 4 the Radio on YouTube

"2 Hard 4 the Radio" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It was initially released on May 15, 2026, as the thirteenth track from his studio album Iceman, and was sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio alongside "Janice STFU" on May 19, 2026, as the album's dual second singles.

Background and composition

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The track is built around a direct evocation of "Too Hard for the Fuckin' Radio", a 1989 song by late Vallejo, California rapper Mac Dre.[1] Mac Dre's original song became a foundational document of the hyphy movement—a high-energy hip-hop subgenre originating in Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1990s and early 2000s—and its title was a declaration that his music was too raw and regional for mainstream airplay.[2]

By borrowing this title and cadence, Drake inverts the phrase's original meaning, applying it to his own situation: in the chorus he declares himself "too hard for the fuckin' radio", a pointed reference to his real-world reduced presence on mainstream radio.[2][3] The song also contains a diss directed at Los Angeles producer Mustard, who produced Kendrick Lamar's 2024 Drake diss track "Not Like Us".[2] The song also includes a tribute to Drake's longtime friend Nadia Ntuli, who died in an ATV accident in 2021 and to whom he had previously dedicated his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy.[4]

The track is produced by Bay Area natives P-Lo and Karri, alongside OZ, Ben10k, Mars, and Thomas Madynski.[3]

Music video

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An official music video was released on May 15, 2026, simultaneously with Iceman, via Drake's official YouTube channel.[5] The video was filmed inside the CN Tower's radome where Drake is seen rapping to the beat. At one point, he performs on the roof of the tower's upper levels, apparently without safety equipment.[6] The CN Tower had been made a centrepiece of the broader Iceman launch event the night prior, when 75 projectors were used to create a "frozen" effect on the landmark.[7]

Context

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The song's title alludes to what Drake and his representatives have characterised as an unofficial exclusion from mainstream radio playlists. In November 2024, Drake filed a legal petition in Bexar County, Texas, alleging that his record label Universal Music Group (UMG) had engaged in a "pay-to-play scheme" by funnelling covert payments to iHeartMedia radio stations to boost airplay for "Not Like Us", while suppressing his own music.[8] Such practices, known as payola, are prohibited under the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC regulations.[9] Drake sought oral depositions from iHeartMedia and UMG representatives rather than financial damages, stating he had "sufficient" evidence to pursue a defamation claim but required further documents to determine whether civil fraud and racketeering charges were viable.[10]

Drake reached a private settlement with iHeartMedia in March 2025, with iHeartMedia stating that documents "showed iHeart did nothing wrong" and that no payments had been exchanged between the two parties.[10] The settlement was confirmed in a court filing in Bexar County; Drake's legal team stated they were "pleased that the parties were able to reach a settlement satisfactory to both sides."[10] His separate defamation lawsuit against UMG remained ongoing at the time Iceman was released.[11]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "2 Hard 4 the Radio"
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 15
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[13] 8
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[14]6
Denmark (Tracklisten)[15]32
Germany (GfK)[16]92
Global 200 (Billboard)[17]9
Greece International (IFPI)[18] 14
Iceland (Billboard)[19] 21
Lithuania (AGATA)[20] 87
Middle East and North Africa (IFPI)[21] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 18
Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)[23] 88
Nigeria Airplay (TurnTable)[24] 76
Norway (IFPI Norge)[25] 73
Portugal (AFP)[26]22
Saudi Arabia (IFPI)[27] 19
Slovakia Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI)[28]88
South Africa Streaming (TOSAC)[29] 12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 32
United Arab Emirates (IFPI)[31] 11
UK Streaming (OCC)[32] 18
US Billboard Hot 100[33]9
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[34]7
US Rhythmic Airplay (Billboard)[35]1

References

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  1. ↑ Reyes, Dan (May 18, 2026). "2 Hard 4 The Radio Meaning Explained". Neon Music. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Drake Disses MUSTARD On ICEMAN's "2 Hard 4 The Radio"". Hot 97. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Cole, Alexander (May 15, 2026). "2 Hard 4 The Radio". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Drake New Music Review: Iceman, Habibti, Maid of Honour". Rolling Stone. May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Drake – 2 Hard 4 The Radio". YouTube. OVO/Republic Records. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  6. ↑ Tsekouras, Phil (May 15, 2026). "These are all the Toronto locations featured in Drake's 'ICEMAN' album release". CTV News. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ Tsekouras, Phil (May 15, 2026). "These are all the Toronto locations featured in Drake's 'ICEMAN' album release". CTV News. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  8. ↑ Mier, Tomás (March 4, 2025). "Drake Settles with iHeartMedia Amid 'Not Like Us' Payola Probe". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  9. ↑ Kafka, Peter (November 26, 2024). "In court filing, Drake alleges UMG and Spotify artificially inflated popularity of diss track 'Not Like Us'". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 Mier, Tomás (March 4, 2025). "Drake Settles with iHeartMedia Amid 'Not Like Us' Payola Probe". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Drake settles legal dispute with iHeartMedia over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'". Music Business Worldwide. March 4, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  12. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 25, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  13. ↑ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 25, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Track Top-40 – Hitlisten.NU – Danmarks officielle hitlister" (in Danish). Tracklisten. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 20/2026" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Iceland Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  20. ↑ "2026 21-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  21. ↑ "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 21, 2026 – 15/05 to 21/05/2026". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2026 and week 21 to view peak.). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. May 26, 2026. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  23. ↑ "TurnTable Nigeria Top 100: May 15th - May 21st, 2026". TurnTable. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "TurnTable Nigeria Official Radio Songs: Jun 19th – Jun 25th, 2026". TurnTable. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Singel 2026 uke 21". IFPI Norge. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Drake – 2 Hard 4 The Radio". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  27. ↑ "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 21, 2026 – 15/05 to 21/05/2026". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2026, week 21 and Saudi Arabia chart to view peak.). May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  28. ↑ "ČNS IFPI – SK Singles Digital – Top 100 – 21. týden 2026" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 20 − Week 21, 2026". The Official South African Charts. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 21, 2026". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  31. ↑ "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 21, 2026 – 15/05 to 21/05/2026". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2026, week 21 and UAE chart to view peak.). May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Official Streaming Chart on 22/5/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Drake Chart History (Rhythmic Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
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