For Free

"For Free" is a song by American musician DJ Khaled featuring Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 3, 2016 by We the Best Music Group and Epic Records as the lead single from DJ Khaled's ninth studio album, Major Key. The song was produced by Nineteen85 and Jordan Ullman with co-production from Frankie Cutlass.[1] The song was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on May 31, 2017, for selling over two million copies in the United States.[2]

This article is about the DJ Khaled song. For the Joni Mitchell song, see Ladies of the Canyon (album). For the similarly titled Kendrick Lamar song, see For Free? (Interlude). For the David Crosby album, see For Free (album).

"For Free"
Single by DJ Khaled featuring Drake
from the album Major Key
ReleasedJune 3, 2016 (2016-06-03)
Recorded2016
GenreHip hop
Length3:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
DJ Khaled singles chronology
"Gold Slugs"
(2015)		 "For Free"
(2016)		 "I Got the Keys"
(2016)
Drake singles chronology
"Why You Always Hatin?"
(2016)		 "For Free"
(2016)		 "Back on Road"
(2016)

Background

On Snapchat, DJ Khaled talked about "the Drake vocals finally [being] in", referencing the then unreleased song. The hip hop song samples lyrics and cadences from Too Short's "Blow the Whistle", produced by Lil Jon, and interpolates Akinyele's "Fuck Me For Free", produced by platinum producer Frankie Cutlass. One of Drake's verses pays homage to Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly song, "For Free? (Interlude)".[3]

Chart performance

On the chart dated June 25, 2016, "For Free" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 18, powered by first-week digital download sales of 104,748 copies.[4] It became DJ Khaled's fourth highest-charting single, peaking at number 13 in its ninth week (behind 2011's "I'm on One" with Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and 2017's "Wild Thoughts", with Rihanna and Bryson Tiller and "I'm the One", with Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne). In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number 25, while peaking at number 47 in Canada and at number 79 in France, making it Khaled's most successful single in those countries until the release of "I'm the One" in the UK and Canada and "Wild Thoughts" in France.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[20] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States June 3, 2016 Digital download Rhythmic Urban Radio
[21][22]

References
  1. Shake (June 3, 2016). ". DJ Khaled & Drake Team Up On New Summer Anthem, "For Free"". Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  2. "RIAA Certifications - DJ Khaled". Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  3. Lang, Cady (June 3, 2016). "Drake and DJ Khaled Release New Track 'For Free'". Time. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  4. Mansell, Henry (June 18, 2016). "Hip Hop Single Sales: DJ Khaled, Drake & Desiigner". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  5. Ryan, Gavin (June 18, 2016). "ARIA Singles: Drake Returns to No 1". Noise11. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  6. "DJ Khaled Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  7. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 23, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on June 19, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  8. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  10. "DJ Khaled Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  11. "DJ Khaled Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  12. "DJ Khaled Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  13. "DJ Khaled Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  14. "ARIA Top 50 Urban Singles 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  15. "Hot 100 Songs - Year-End 2016". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  16. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  17. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  18. "Canadian single certifications – DJ Khaled – For Free". Music Canada.
  19. "British single certifications – DJ Khaled – For Free". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  20. "American single certifications – DJ Khaled – For Free". Recording Industry Association of America.
  21. "For Free by DJ Khaled". rateyourmusic.com.
  22. Walker, Angus (June 3, 2016). "DJ Khaled – For Free Feat. Drake | Stream [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
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