Take Care
Featuring Rihanna
"Take Care," the album's title track, is built around Jamie xx's reworking of Gil Scott-Heron's version of "I'll Take Care of You" — itself a standard written by Brook Benton and first recorded by Bobby Bland in 1959 — onto which a vocal duet with Rihanna is grafted. Produced by Jamie xx and Noah "40" Shebib and recorded at Metalworks Studios in Ontario, the song is widely read as a meditation on relationship aftermath: two veterans of public romance trading promises of patience and recovery rather than romantic declarations. Gil Scott-Heron's voice appears in the background vocals; instrumentation is largely Jamie xx's, with guitar from 40 and the xx's Romy Madley Croft. Released as the album's fifth single in January 2012, it reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, hit number one on the US Rhythmic chart, and is certified seven-times Platinum in the US. Its looping piano, hand-drum percussion, and faintly euphoric house build became a touchstone of how spacious a mainstream hit could be; Florence and the Machine's Live Lounge cover further extended its reach.
Sources & verification
Citations below were matched specifically to "Take Care" 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.
- 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.
