You've seen the clips. Maybe you’ve even been the one scrolling through TikTok at 2 AM when a video of a guy in a hoodie suddenly starts aggressively dancing to a chopped-up beat while the words shake that ass for Drake flash across the screen. It is chaotic. It's weirdly hypnotic. Honestly, it is one of those internet artifacts that makes you realize just how deeply Drake’s influence—and the memes that follow him—has seeped into the collective consciousness of the digital age.
But where did it actually come from?
It wasn't just a random accident. This specific phrase and the movement behind it represent a bizarre intersection of fan culture, irony, and the way TikTok can turn a single line of lyric or a perceived "vibe" into a global phenomenon. Drake has spent years cultivating this persona of the "sensitive tough guy" or the "certified lover boy," and the internet responded by making him the ultimate punchline for anything slightly feminine or overly dramatic.
The phrase shake that ass for Drake became a sort of shorthand for this irony. It’s the idea that people—often men who wouldn't normally be caught dead doing a "thirst trap"—are jokingly performing for the 6 God himself. It's meta. It's self-aware. And it’s a perfect example of how meme culture operates in 2026.
The Viral Genesis: From Lyrics to Laughter
We have to look at the source material. Drake’s discography is littered with lines that are practically begging to be sampled for social media. While the specific chant "shake that ass for Drake" isn't a direct title of a 2024 or 2025 single, it’s a Frankenstein’s monster of various club tracks and fan-made remixes. It draws heavily from the bounce music culture of New Orleans—a sound Drake famously tapped into with "Nice For What"—and blends it with the "Drake is the type of guy" meme format.
Remember the "Drake is the type of guy to float toward a pie on a windowsill" jokes? This is the evolution of that.
The meme really took off when creators started using AI-generated voices or high-pitched "chipmunk" remixes of his songs. They would pair these tracks with videos of people doing the most exaggerated, flamboyant dance moves possible. It was a commentary on his perceived "softness," but also a genuine celebration of his status as a club king. You can't escape his music in the nightlife scene, so the internet decided to bring the nightlife to the bedroom—with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
The TikTok "Glitch" and the Rise of Irony
TikTok's algorithm loves repetition. When the first few videos featuring the shake that ass for Drake audio started hitting the For You Page, they weren't polished. They were raw. Most were filmed in messy bedrooms or dorm rooms. This "lo-fi" aesthetic is crucial. If the videos looked like professional music videos, the joke wouldn't land. The humor comes from the contrast between the high-stakes world of a multi-platinum rapper and a regular person shaking their hips in a $10 t-shirt from Target.
It's about the subversion of expectations. Usually, "shake that ass" is a command found in hyper-masculine rap videos directed at women. By flipping it so that the audience (and the creator) is doing it for Drake, it mocks the traditional power dynamics of hip-hop while simultaneously paying homage to the catchiness of the beat.
Why This Specific Meme Stuck Around
Most memes die in three weeks. This one didn't.
Why? Because Drake keeps feeding the machine. Whether he’s posting mirror selfies that look like they belong on a teenage girl’s Instagram or getting into very public, very lyrical beefs with Kendrick Lamar, he stays in the conversation. When the "Certified Lover Boy" vs. "The Big 3" debate was at its peak, the shake that ass for Drake meme acted as a weird sort of neutral ground. It was a way for people to stay engaged with the drama without having to take a side in the actual rap war.
It also tapped into the "Zesty Drake" era. This is a term the internet coined to describe Drake’s more flamboyant mannerisms. From his "💅" energy to his pouty lips in photos, the internet decided Drake was the "baddie" of the rap world. The meme is the musical manifestation of that label.
The Role of Fan-Made Audios
You can't talk about this without mentioning the producers on SoundCloud and TikTok who spend their time making "Type Beats" and mashups. Many of the audios used in these videos aren't official releases. They are fan-made creations that take a Drake vocal stems—often from songs like "Practice" or "Rich Baby Daddy"—and layer them over heavy Jersey Club or Philly Goats-style percussion.
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- Pacing: The beats are usually 140 BPM or higher.
- Structure: They rely on "the drop."
- Humor: Often, an AI voice of Drake will be spliced in to say something ridiculous right before the beat hits.
This level of creativity is what keeps the shake that ass for Drake trend fresh. It’s not just one song; it’s a genre of content.
The Cultural Impact: Is it Disrespectful or Just Digital Fun?
There’s always a debate about whether these memes diminish a rapper's "street cred." In the case of Drake, that ship sailed a long time ago. He’s always been the "theatrical" rapper. He started on Degrassi, after all. Most critics, including those from outlets like Pitchfork or Rolling Stone, have noted that Drake’s greatest strength is his ability to be "meme-able." He leans into it. He knows that every time someone makes a video to shake that ass for Drake, his streaming numbers go up.
Even if the video is making fun of him, the song in the background is still his song. Or at least, it’s his voice.
However, there is a nuance here regarding the appropriation of New Orleans bounce and queer dance culture. "Shaking ass" in the context of hip-hop has deep roots in the LGBTQ+ ballroom scene and Southern club culture. When it becomes a "meme" for suburban kids, some argue it strips away the history of the movement. But in the world of TikTok, these boundaries are constantly blurred. Most users aren't thinking about the sociopolitical implications; they're just trying to hit the "Renegade" or whatever the current iteration of the dance is.
How to Actually Do the Trend (If You Must)
If you're looking to participate, you have to understand the "vibe." You can't just dance well. If you're actually a good dancer, you’re doing it wrong. The shake that ass for Drake aesthetic requires a level of "cringe" that feels intentional.
- Find the right audio: Look for the ones with the most "uses" but check the recent uploads to see if there’s a new "sped up" version.
- The Wardrobe: Something slightly mismatched. A hoodie with pajama pants is the standard uniform.
- The Lighting: Dim. Maybe a stray LED strip in the background.
- The Move: It’s all in the hips, but keep your face deadpan. The contrast between the movement and a "serious" face is what gets the likes.
It’s basically performance art at this point.
The Shift to "Drake-Core"
We are now seeing the rise of "Drake-core." This is an aesthetic that fully embraces the ridiculousness of the meme. It involves wearing OVO gear unironically while doing ironic dances. It’s a full circle moment. The meme has become the reality. Brands are even starting to notice. You’ll see social media managers for major companies trying to hop on the shake that ass for Drake train, usually about two months too late, which in itself becomes a new layer of the meme.
What This Tells Us About the Future of Music
The success of shake that ass for Drake proves that a song’s success is no longer tied to radio play or even a music video. It’s tied to "stems." If a song can be broken down into a five-second clip that people can dance to—or mock—it will succeed. Drake’s team knows this. It’s why his songs often have these long, repetitive outros or catchy, simple hooks that are easy to loop.
We are moving toward an era where music is "content fodder."
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. It just means the relationship between the artist and the fan has changed. The fan is no longer just a listener; they are a co-creator. When you record yourself and shake that ass for Drake, you are essentially making a new music video for him. You are part of the marketing team, whether you like it or not.
Final Insights for the Chronically Online
The shake that ass for Drake phenomenon isn't going anywhere because Drake isn't going anywhere. As long as he continues to be the most famous—and most roasted—man in hip-hop, the internet will find ways to make his music "zesty."
If you want to navigate this space without looking like a "local," just remember that the joke is always on the person who takes it too seriously. Drake is in on the joke. The creators are in on the joke. The only people who aren't are the ones trying to find "deep meaning" in a 15-second clip of a guy twerking to a remix of "Hotline Bling."
To stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch for "Drake AI" covers of popular songs. These often become the next big audios for this trend.
- Pay attention to his Instagram stories. The next meme usually starts with a weird selfie he posts at 4 AM.
- Don't be afraid to be a little cringe. On the internet, cringe is currency.
The cycle of Drake memes is a closed loop. It starts with a song, moves to a joke, becomes a viral dance, and eventually gets referenced by Drake himself in his next lyric. It’s a fascinating, hilarious, and slightly exhausting ecosystem. So, next time you see that specific caption, you’ll know exactly what’s happening. The internet isn't broken; it's just doing what it does best: making things weird for the sake of a few likes.
Keep an eye on how these audios evolve into "mashups" with other artists like Ice Spice or Sexyy Red. The "Drake and his daughters" era of music is the next logical step for this meme's evolution, blending his "Certified Lover Boy" persona with the modern "Baddie" rap movement. It’s a strange world, but at least the soundtrack is catchy.
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Next Steps to Understand the Meme Landscape:
- Check the "Drake" tag on TikTok and sort by "Most Recent" to see the latest audio mutations.
- Look up the "Drake is the type of guy" threads on X (formerly Twitter) to understand the personality traits that fuel these dance trends.
- Listen to the "Jersey Club" remixes of Drake’s For All The Dogs album to hear the specific production style that dominates these videos.