From 'Not Like Us' to Snake: A complete breakdown of all references in Drake’s new IMAX music video ‘Nokia’
After teasing his music video for Nokia last week, Drake finally dropped the highly anticipated visuals for one of the most popular records from his latest collaborative project with PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.
The Nokia music video, shot in IMAX, was uploaded to YouTube on Monday (March 31), directed by frequent collaborator Theo $$$kudra. Since it was uploaded, the video has generated over 2.7 million views.
The song was first released as part of the tracklist for Drake and PartyNextDoor's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U album, which hit streaming platforms in February 2025. The album went on to top the Billboard 200 album chart, with Nokia breaking into the publication's Hot 100, entering in their Top 10 list.
The music video matches Nokia's electric energy, whose production samples the original Nokia ringtone from 1994. Drizzy solo performs the record alongside a featured performance from the song's producer, Elkan, who delivers the iconic hook, singing:
"Is it Stacy? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Is it Becky? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Is it Keisha? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Is it Ashley? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Was it Dani? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Is it PARTY? (Who's callin' my phone?) / Where's the function? (Where the fu*k the function?) / Send the addy (Where the fu*k the function?)"
The IMAX music video features black-and-white clips of Drake engaging in multiple parties, while dialing people on a bulky flip phone. The nostalgic energy displayed in the visuals is further elevated as the OVO CEO performs alongside several women rollerblading.
Drizzy also references the "varsity sports" era, showcasing a Valley Football jacket that states “Hotmoms.com". The OVO CEO also cameo fellow Canadian and Oklahomo City Thunder NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the Nokia music video.
Breaking down all the references in Drake's new 'Nokia' music video
With $ome $exy $ongs 4 U and his Nokia visuals coming almost a year after his iconic rap beef with Kendrick Lamar, Drake fans are seemingly convinced that several scenes displayed in his nostalgia-inspired music video take shots at the Compton rapper.
From 90s nostalgia to sneak disses aimed at his Compton rival, below is a complete breakdown of all the references from Drizzy's Nokia music video.
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
1) Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' music video
One of the most obvious references from the Nokia music video are the multiple call backs to the imagery displayed in Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us music video, which was uploaded to YouTube in July 2024.
In the first few opening scenes, Drizzy re-creates a "day one pact," similar to Kendrick's handshake with his manager Dave Free, as seen in Not Like Us. Interestingly, fans believe that Nokia's choreography references Lamar's subtle dance moves, most notably seen during his recent Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
Multiple claims suggest that certain camera angles showcased in the Nokia music video are attempts at recreating the live broadcast of the 2025 NFL Halftime Show. Even the black-and-white concept for the music video left fans speculating on sneak disses aimed at Lamar, given that Not Like Us featured similarly color-graded scenes.
Another notable reference to the Not Like Us video is how both visuals showcase the artist's support for their hometown NBA players. Kendrick Lamar included a cameo appearance from DeMar DeRozan, whereas Drizzy brought out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for a quick cameo.
However, the most evident reference to Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us is the owl imagery displayed in both videos. The owl is synonymous with Drake's record label, October's Very Own, which uses the bird as its official logo.
The music video for Lamar's Grammy-winning diss track ends with a final shot of him staring at an owl in a cage, before walking off-screen, seemingly suggesting Drizzy of being a "caged bird".
The Nokia music video instead displayed several owls perched on top of a tower, unscathed and unbothered, acting as a direct response to Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us imagery.
2) Carnival Dancers to Roller Blading
During his "Where the fu*k the function?" line, Drake was seen dancing and rapping in the middle of a sea of women dressed in Carnival attire.
At a later point in the video, once the production switches up for Elkan's verse, two women in black latex attire enter the frame rollerblading, a subtle call back to the 1980s and the popularity of skate rings and skate culture.
3) Toronto City Miniature Model
The OVO CEO also seems to shout out his hometown, Toronto, in Nokia's music video, as multiple frames capture him walking around a miniature model of the city, which also includes the highly popular and celebrated attraction - CN Tower.
4) Varsity Sports
At various points in Nokia's music video, Drizzy can be seen highlighting his affection for sports, given the rapper is the official brand ambassador for the Toronto Raptors NBA team.
Drizzy was seen wearing a "Drake" basketball jersey during the Carnival sequence, sporting a No.1 on his chest as he rapped about his excessive lifestyle. Later in the music video, the OVO CEO pairs a durag with a varsity sports jacket that humorously reads "Hotmoms.com".
5) Nokia Flip Phone
Given Drake's Nokia is a nostalgic joy ride through some of the most notable pop culture moments of recent history, the rapper's inclusion of a physical chunky "Nokia flip phone" seemed an apt inclusion in the music video.
Throughout the video, Drizzy can be seen using the phone as a prop, dialing people up, and writing messages, all while large neon LED signs light up his name on set.
Even the "Day One Handshake" at the start of the video can be considered a loose interpretation of the opening animation used for Nokia phones, where two hands reach out to each other before stating:
"Nokia. Connecting People".
6) Snake
While the LED boards all around Drake light up his name and the word "Nokia" in classic 8-bit texts, a notable scene in Nokia's music video finds the rapper performing the track while an animation of the classic Snake game plays in the background.
The Nokia Snake game, which was first created in the 1970s, was one of the most popular mobile games ever released. The objective for the player is to maneuver a growing line, referred to as the "snake," while ensuring the line doesn't collide with other obstacles and itself.
In related news, Drake was recently requested to dismiss his federal defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which suggested that the OVO CEO had willingly "provoked and participated" in his rap beef against Kendrick Lamar.
The Canadian rapper is currently gearing up for a major show in the United Kingdom, slated to headline all three nights at London's Wireless Festival this July.
