30 for 30 Freestyle
'30 for 30 Freestyle' closes What a Time to Be Alive as a solo Drake performance (no Future), pivoting the joint tape back to his own voice. Contrary to a common assumption, it was produced by 40 (Noah Shebib), not Metro Boomin - the Wikipedia track-listing table credits 40 alone (writers: Graham, Noah Shebib; background vocals by Kyle Machado), and Genius lists it among the four songs Metro did not produce and credits it to Drake alone. It is widely read as a lyrically dense closing statement - less a trap record than a freestyle-style address on Drake's career, rivals and standing - echoing the time-and-place freestyle tradition in his catalog. Its placement gives it the weight of a closing argument. Pitchfork praised both rappers when working solo, citing this track and Future's 'Jersey.' Drake Universe treats this as editorial context, not lyric republication.
Sources & verification
Citations below were matched specifically to "30 for 30 Freestyle" and What a Time to Be Alive. 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.
- Pitchfork: Drake & Future 'What a Time to Be Alive' reviewPitchfork · 2015-09-23 — Dated review of the joint mixtape.
- Wikipedia: What a Time to Be Alive (Drake & Future)Wikipedia · 2026-05-18 — Authoritative track-listing table (per-track producers and writers), personnel, recording locations, charts, certifications, and critical reception used to correct fabricated producer credits and enrich editorial copy.
- Genius: Drake & Future - What a Time To Be Alive (album page)Genius · 2026-05-18 — Album page and Q&A confirming Metro Boomin produced 7 of 11 tracks; the four he did not produce are 'Plastic Bag,' 'I'm the Plug,' 'Change Locations' and '30 for 30 Freestyle.' Confirms 'Jersey' as a Future solo and '30 for 30 Freestyle' as a Drake solo. Discrepancy with Wikipedia on 'I'm the Plug' noted.
- Pitchfork: Drake / Future - What a Time to Be Alive (review)Pitchfork · 2015-09-23 — Sheldon Pearce review (7.0/10) used for critical framing: lack of chemistry / Drake as 'bystander,' Metro's 'glimmering' production, and the highlights 'Scholarships,' 'Jumpman,' 'Diamonds Dancing,' 'Jersey' and '30 for 30 Freestyle.'
