Drake doesn’t just make hits. He mines them.
If you’ve spent any time listening to Certified Lover Boy, you know that specific, hazy feeling that washes over you during the first thirty seconds of "TSU." It’s hypnotic. That chopped-up, soulful vocal loop—"there's something about you"—isn't just a random studio creation. It’s a piece of R&B history that Drake dragged back into the light.
Most people think Drake is just a rapper. He's actually a curator. He treats the history of Houston and Memphis music like a personal library.
The phrase something about you Drake fans keep searching for usually leads back to one place: a 1990s R&B group called Hi-Five. But the journey from a New Jack Swing ballad to a 2021 platinum rap record is messy. It involves OVO’s obsession with "chopped and screwed" culture and a decade-long wait for a song to finally drop.
The Hi-Five Connection: Where the Magic Started
Let’s get the facts straight. The core of the "TSU" sample is "I Can't Wait 4 Your Love" by Hi-Five.
Released in 1990 on their self-titled debut album, the track was originally a mid-tempo groove produced by Bernard Belle and Teddy Riley. It wasn't even their biggest hit—everyone remembers "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)"—but for a kid growing up obsessed with the smooth textures of the 90s, it was gold.
Drake has a weirdly specific talent for finding the "vibe" in a song that everyone else skipped over.
When you hear that high-pitched, fluttering vocal on "TSU," you’re hearing Hi-Five’s lead singer, the late Tony Thompson. Thompson had one of the most crystalline voices in the industry before his tragic passing in 2007. By sampling him, Drake isn't just making a catchy beat; he's participating in a form of musical séances.
The Houston Influence and the "TSU" Leak
The song "TSU" (which stands for Texas Southern University) leaked years before it actually came out.
I remember the snippets floating around SoundCloud and YouTube back in 2019. Fans were obsessed. They called it the "Something About You" song because that hook was so damn infectious. It sat in the OVO vault for a long time.
Why the delay? Honestly, clearing samples is a nightmare. But more importantly, the song had to fit the narrative of Certified Lover Boy.
The track is an ode to the nightlife in Houston. Specifically, it's about a dancer. Drake’s relationship with Texas is well-documented—he basically credits the city of Houston for giving him his "sound" during the So Far Gone era.
How the Sample Was Transformed
Harley Arsenault and Noel Cadastre (Drake's long-time engineers) didn't just play the Hi-Five track. They mangled it.
- They slowed the pitch down until it felt underwater.
- They layered a heavy, rhythmic bounce that screams Southern strip club culture.
- They let the intro breathe.
That intro is nearly a minute long. In the era of TikTok and 2-minute songs, a 6-minute track with a long intro is a massive risk. But Drake knows his audience. He knows that the something about you Drake vocal is the "carrot" that keeps listeners through the long verses about a girl named Jade who’s just trying to get her business off the ground.
Why Does Drake Sample Like This?
He’s a nostalgia merchant.
Think about "Nice For What" sampling Lauryn Hill. Think about "Hotline Bling" and Timmy Thomas. Drake uses these samples as a bridge. He connects the Gen Z listener to the music their parents used to play in the car. It’s brilliant marketing disguised as "vibe curation."
But there’s a deeper layer to the something about you Drake obsession. It represents his vulnerability. When he uses these soulful, pained R&B samples, it softens the "tough guy" or "superstar" persona. It makes the listener feel like they're in the room with him at 4:00 AM.
There is also the "OG" factor. By sampling the legendary DJ Screw (who is also heard on the track), Drake is paying "rent" to the city of Houston. He’s acknowledging that he didn’t invent this style—he’s just a guest who appreciates the decor.
The Legacy of the Sound
If you’re looking for the song, it’s track number 8 on Certified Lover Boy.
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The impact of this specific track was huge for Texas Southern University, too. Even though the lyrics are about a specific lifestyle, the name-drop gave the HBCU (Historically Black College or University) a massive boost in pop culture relevance.
What’s interesting is that the song almost didn't happen in its current form. Early versions of the beat were different. The "Something About You" vocal was always the anchor, though. It was the part everyone hummed.
It’s easy to dismiss Drake as a "culture vulture." People do it all the time. But if you look at the credits, he’s consistently putting money into the pockets of legacy R&B artists. The estates of these 90s singers get a second life through these royalties.
Actionable Takeaways for the Deep Listener
If the something about you Drake loop has you spiraling into an R&B rabbit hole, here is how to actually appreciate the history behind it:
- Listen to the Original: Go find Hi-Five’s 1990 album. "I Can't Wait 4 Your Love" is a masterclass in New Jack Swing production.
- Explore the Screwed & Chopped Genre: To understand "TSU," you have to understand DJ Screw. Listen to 3 'n the Mornin' (Part Two). It’s the blueprint for the atmosphere Drake is trying to recreate.
- Check the Credits: Drake often hides the best samples in his outros. If you like a sound, look up the producer. Names like 40 (Noah Shebib) and Boi-1da are the architects, but the "TSU" credits involve guys like OG Ron C, who is a legend in the Houston scene.
- Understand the Sampling Ethics: Recognize that while Drake uses these sounds, the original artists often faced much tougher industry conditions in the 90s.
Next time that loop kicks in and you hear Tony Thompson's voice asking if there's "something about you," remember it's a 30-year-old echo. It’s a piece of Virginia-born R&B that found a home in a Canadian rapper’s love letter to Texas. That’s how music stays alive.