Drake is looking to make amends with all the Janices out there by hosting a series of exclusive parties inspired by his hit song “Janice STFU.”
The rapper teased the events on Thursday (June 25), taking to his Instagram Stories to reveal that invitations would soon be going out.
“All my Janice’s in NY, LA, MIA, TO, HOU, look out for my invitation for Sunday,” he wrote, referring to Janices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto, and Houston.
While Drake kept most of the details under wraps, Now Toronto has revealed more information about the Toronto event, which is scheduled for Sunday (June 28). The rapper’s official apology party will take place at Cactus Club from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., but entry comes with one unique requirement: attendees must present a government-issued ID proving their name is “Janice.”
The exclusive gatherings are Drake’s playful response to the massive success of “Janice STFU,” a standout track from his Iceman album released last month. The song has become his first multi-week No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 since “In My Feelings” topped the chart in 2018.
Beyond its chart success, “Janice STFU” has sparked endless debate online, with fans trying to figure out exactly who Drake’s subliminal shots are aimed at.
“You boys got big off my name, that’s big enough / We know how you OGs rockin’ already, my n***a, the jig is up,” Drake raps on the track, prompting DJ Akademiks to speculate during a livestream that the lyrics could be aimed at Jay-Z.
Another popular theory points to Joe Budden. The podcast host previously revealed on The Joe Budden Podcast that “Janice” is a nickname he’s been called before, leading many fans to believe the record is directed at him.
Addressing the speculation, Budden said, “The internet has put one and four together and I’m Janice. The record is ‘Shut the F**k Up Janice,’ and maybe I’m Janice, but he’s dissing — at least when I listen to it — I thought he was dissing everybody else in the world. I didn’t really hear a Joe Budden diss. I got to listen to it again now.”
He later joked, “The funny sht is I’m Janice even if I’m not Janice now. I see some n**as out there mad I’m Janice. They trying to talk me out of it. ‘It ain’t you. It ain’t Joe.’ Ay, it is if it ain’t.”
Whether or not the song is aimed at anyone in particular, “Janice STFU” has already become one of Drake’s biggest recent hits. The track has been certified platinum by the RIAA and has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, even as it continues to stir conversation—and perhaps a few headaches—for people actually named Janice.
