Marvins Room

"Marvins Room" is the song that crystallized the sad-Drake archetype that has since become a permanent fixture of pop-rap. Produced solely by Noah "40" Shebib and reportedly recorded at Marvin's Room, the Hollywood studio once owned by Marvin Gaye, it is structured around a late-night drunken phone call to an ex placed from a nightclub, anchored by 40's trademark muted bass and a Chilly Gonzales piano outro. Drake is widely read as performing the messiest possible version of unspoken regret — pleading, contradictory, asserting superiority over his replacement while exposing his own loneliness. NPR's Ann Powers tied the track to "the magnetic but dangerous spirit" of Marvin Gaye; the uncredited female voice was performed by Ericka Lee, who later sued over royalties in a case settled out of court in 2013. Posted to Drake's OVO blog in June 2011 and released as the lead single, it became one of the most-discussed pop-rap moments of the year and spawned a wave of answer songs, never receiving traditional single promotion yet certified triple Platinum.

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Editorially reviewed· Last verified 2026-05-18

Sources & verification

Citations below were matched specifically to "Marvins Room" and Take Care. Drake Universe catalogs songs by album placement, verified collaborators, producers, samples, and themes, and avoids unsupported lyric-level claims.

Genius: 'Buried Alive Interlude' on Take CareGenius · 2011-11-15 — Primary track page for Kendrick's Take Care interlude.
Complex: Drake — The Heir cover storyComplex · 2011-10-01 — Complex cover story tied to the Take Care rollout.
Vibe: Drake — Take Care coverVibe · 2011-08-22 — Vibe cover story used for the 2011 Take Care interview.
The Fader: Drake — Take Care featureThe Fader · 2011-10-24 — Fader print feature tied to Take Care.
Wikipedia: Jamie xxWikipedia — Biographical reference for James Smith and the 2011 'I'll Take Care of You' edit licensed for Drake's 'Take Care.'
Take Care (album) — WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-05-18 — Release date, label, recording, singles, chart peaks, RIAA certifications, Grammy Best Rap Album, Metacritic/Pitchfork scores, year-end and all-time accolades, sample-clearance delay, Weeknd contribution dispute.
Take Care (song) — WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-05-18 — Jamie xx/40 production, Gil Scott-Heron / Brook Benton / Bobby Bland sample chain, Metalworks recording, #7 Hot 100, 7x Platinum, Yoann Lemoine video, Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #267, Florence + the Machine cover.
Marvins Room — WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-05-18 — 40 production, Marvin's Room studio recording, Chilly Gonzales outro, #21 Hot 100, 3x Platinum, Ericka Lee royalty lawsuit/settlement, JoJo and Chris Brown remixes, NPR Marvin Gaye comparison.
Drake — Dreams Money Can Buy (Genius)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Song bio confirming May 20, 2011 OVO-blog release as first of four Take Care loosies and the Jai Paul 'BTSTU' sample.
Drake — Trust Issues (Genius)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Confirms June 21, 2011 release as second Take Care loosie, 40/T-Minus/Adrian X credits, and 'I'm on One' interpolation.
Drake — Club Paradise (Genius)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Confirms Sept 10, 2011 release as third Take Care loosie, The Weeknd background vocals, the Club Paradise Tour namesake and the omitted Bob Marley outro.
Drake — Free Spirit (Genius)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Confirms Sept 10, 2011 release as fourth Take Care loosie, Rick Ross feature and Sade 'I Will Be Your Friend' sample.