Quentin Miller, Drake's suspected ghostwriter, has finally spoken via a lengthy tumblr post, and he's denying the allegations, calling Drake "the best in the game."
During a heated Twitter rant, Meek Mill asked us not to compare him to Drake, who, apparently, doesn't write his own raps. He said Drake didn't tweet in support of Dreams Worth More Than Money because Meek found out Drake didn't write his verse on "R.I.C.O." He then outed Quentin Miller as the real author behind the verse -- and, supposedly, behind at least a few more of Drake's hits.
Miller's identity, and his occuption as Drake's ghostwriter, was since confirmed by Atlanta rapper OG Maco, who claims to be a close friend.
Miller is, in fact, listed on the "R.I.C.O." songwriting credits, and after a little research, we found his name in the liner notes of five songs on Drake's If You're Reading This It's Too Late.
DJ Funk Flex soon leaked a reference track, recorded by Miller, that apparently inspired Drake's IYRTITL's "10 Bands." He claimed the snippet was given to him from someone inside the OVO camp. The track is 1:40, over a minute less than Drake's version that appears on IYRTITL (2:58). Both the beat and rhyme scheme are identical, and there are a handful of similar lyrics.
Miller is an Atlanta rapper who records music under his own name as well as part of the duo WDNG Crshrs, with rapper CoollsMac.
Miller has now spoken for the first time. He took to his tumblr page to address the matter. Here's the transcript:
"Winter 2014... I was just another guy working a job he hated with a passion for music.... And somehow found myself on the phone with One of my idols..
i told him i worked in a bakery and his exact words were "F*ck that, your destined for greatness"...
Hearing that from someone that I've been studying since 2009, bar for bar.... Theres no way to describe that..
Most of the project was done before i came in the picture.. i remember him playing it for me for the first time thinking "Why am I here?" like.. what does he need me for??
The answer is.. Nothing...
I watched this man piece together words in front of me...
I watched him write/ replace bars 2- 3 at a time on 6pm in NY.. I witnessed him light up, go in and freestyle madonna....
I took notes from the best in the game....
I remember him Showing me the thank you notes in NY before the album dropped..
Showing me the QM, telling me they put me on the credits (Ghostwritter???) ... He attached my name to something that touched the world..
When nobody would pay attention, drake saw something in me and reached out... Of all people... drizzy..
Two artist in exact opposite spaces in their career.. We came together and made something special..
I am not and never will be a "ghostwriter" for drake.. Im proud to say that we've collaborated .. but i could never take credit for anything other than the few songs we worked on together ..
Thats all i have to say on it.. back to this 1317 sh*t...
- Q.M."
The post implies that Miller was fairly acknowledged for his contributions on IYRTITL, which seem to be relatively minor -- confirming what Noah "40" Shebib, Drake's main producer, told us yesterday in an angry Twitter tirade of his own.
Miller did not address his contributions to "R.I.C.O." Drake seems to have a collaborative recording process that makes some rappers and genre purists uncomfortable. Anyone who has been in the studio with him seems in awe of his songwriting gifts, but the accusations, no matter how unfounded, have prompted a much-need conversation on how to maintain authenticity as a rapper in 2015, a time when the genre is more embedded in pop culture than ever before.
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