Just a few days ago, Drake surprised the music world by releasing two additional albums alongside the already expected Iceman. The triple release immediately had fans speculating about whether Drake had truly put his full dedication into each project. It also fueled rumours that Drake may be trying to get out of his label contract. So why did Drake release three albums at once? The most likely explanation is a mix of label-contract politics and artistic separation.
Iceman, Maid of Honour & Habibti
On May 15, Drake released three albums: Iceman, Maid of Honour and Habibti. The triple release gained huge attention, with Iceman becoming the most streamed album in a single day in 2026. With a total of 43 tracks and a runtime of 2 hours and 29 minutes, the release left many feeling like Drake prioritized quantity over quality in the project.
Early reception was mostly negative. The Guardian gave the release 2 out of 5 stars, calling it a “boring, bloated disaster”. Pitchfork gave the album a 4.8 out of 10. The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail wrote that the project prioritized “quantity over quality”.
So why did Drake release three albums instead of one? Or, as The Guardian brutally put it, “what possessed him to think that releasing three albums was a good idea?”
Drake’s record deal with Universal Music Group
The answer likely lies in several different factors. The most obvious theory is that Drake wants out of his “LeBron-sized” record deal with Universal Music Group (UMG). The deal, which Drake signed in 2022, was reportedly worth around $400 million and is believed to have included a set number of album releases. If that theory is correct, releasing three albums at once could be Drake’s version of “pulling a Frank Ocean”: fulfilling his contractual obligations quickly in order to gain more creative freedom.
Drake’s court case against UMG
In the late spring of 2024, Kendrick Lamar released his diss track “Not Like Us” following his highly publicized long-term feud with Drake. The song included several shots at Drake, including serious allegations aimed at Drake.
For this reason, Drake took UMG to court in early 2025 over the label’s release, promotion and monetization of “Not Like Us”. In the court filing, Drake argued that UMG helped spread false claims portraying him as a sex offender, and that those claims caused reputational, financial, emotional and physical harm. Drake sought damages, legal fees and a declaration that the accusations were false.
The court case was dismissed later the same year, with the judge stating that the song only included “nonactionable opinion” that could not be considered defamatory.
Digs at UMG in the new albums
Several lyrics on the new albums appear to take aim at Drake’s label. The opening track, “Make Them Pay,” seems to be a direct dig at UMG, not least when he sings, “I’m better off independent” and “I just wanna be free.” In the track “Jannice STFU,” the dig continues when Drake sings, “Swear my label gotta free me.” On the collab “B’s on the Table” with 21 Savage, Drake raps, “I’m fighting the man, not suing the rapper.”
Other possible reasons for the triple drop
The three albums differ significantly in genre. Iceman feels like the more traditional rap album, filled with samples, chops and 808s. Maid of Honour takes a more experimental, house-inspired direction, while Habibti leans more toward R&B, with slow jams and more vocal-driven tracks. Could the triple drop simply be because Drake wanted to include all 43 tracks, but it didn’t make sense to put them all under the same album? Maybe.
But even with that explanation, the timing is hard to ignore. Releasing 43 songs at once, shortly after a legal battle involving UMG, while repeatedly referencing freedom and independence throughout the albums, makes it hard not to see the triple release as a contract move. It may not be the only reason, but it is the explanation that best connects the timing and lyrics.
So, why did Drake release 3 albums at once?
The most likely answer is that Drake’s triple release was not caused by one single factor. The different genres explain why the songs were split into three separate albums, but the timing, the UMG lawsuit and the repeated lyrics about freedom make it hard not to see the release as contract-related. Whether it was a creative decision or a calculated move, Drake once again managed to make the entire music world talk about him.