5AM in Toronto
5AM in Toronto, released March 7, 2013, is the celebrated sequel to '9AM in Dallas' and was dropped in anticipation of Nothing Was the Same. Produced by Boi-1da and Vinylz (with Allen Ritter and Nikhil Seetharam) over a sample of Lou Donaldson's reading of 'Ode to Billie Joe', it is widely read as a sharp, defensive, hometown-rooted verse exercise, addressing rivals, doubters and the pressures of his position in a dense, hookless format prized by listeners who favor his rapping. It is frequently noted for lines read as commentary on his relationship with The Weeknd. As a loosie it built a reputation as one of Drake's strongest lyrical performances, and Care Package's collection of these time-stamped entries underscores how central the format became to his identity.
Sources & verification
Citations below were matched specifically to "5AM in Toronto" and Care Package. Drake Universe catalogs songs by album placement, verified collaborators, producers, samples, and themes, and avoids unsupported lyric-level claims.
- Genius: Drake '30 for 30 Freestyle' lyricsGenius · 2019-10-25 — Primary lyric page for the Care Package track read as containing subliminals.
- Complex: Drake — Care Package and the 2010s (2019)Complex · 2019-08-02 — Complex Care Package feature.
- Wikipedia: 9AM in Dallas (Drake time-in-place freestyle series)Wikipedia · 2026-05-18 — Source confirming Drake's recurring 'time in place' freestyle series (9AM in Dallas, 5AM in Toronto, 4PM in Calabasas, 8AM in Charlotte), context for framing '6PM in New York' as an entry in that franchise.
- Care Package (album) — WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-05-18 — Primary verification for release date, per-track original release history, samples/interpolations, credits, critical reception and chart/certification data.
- Drake — 5AM in Toronto (Genius)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Confirms March 7, 2013 release as '9AM in Dallas' sequel ahead of Nothing Was the Same, Boi-1da/Vinylz credits, Lou Donaldson sample.
