Drake Shares Behind-the-Scenes Video of Elkan Creating ‘Nokia’ Beat in Sierra Leone

Drake and producer Elkan are giving fans a glimpse of how one of the standout tracks on $ome $exy $ongs 4 U came together.

Reposted from Elkan’s Instagram, Drake shared a video on his plottttwistttttt IG account of the producer crafting the beat to “Nokia” in a studio in Freetown, Sierra Leone, timestamped on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.

On the day the collab album from the two Toronto stars dropped, the U.K.-based producer shared on IG that he was going through a tough time when he made the beat. “I don’t even know where to start,” he shared in an Instagram caption. “This record means a lot to me. In the mist of a mental breakdown I channeled all the pain, trauma and joy into music not letting a f—ed up mental state stop me from expressing myself.”

Adding, “Nokia came from people I love ringing my line asking if I was okay inviting me out to karaoke, clubbing, going to crazy food spots and just enjoying the finer things in life! When Drake puts pen to pad onna elkan ting you know it’s a speeeecial one!”

$ome $exy $ongs 4 U debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week, earning PARTYNEXTDOOR his first No. 1, and giving Drake his 14th, which ties him with Taylor Swift and Jay-Z among soloists. The OVO duo also have a couple songs debuting in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, with “Gimme a Hug” at No. 6 and the aforementioned “Nokia” at No. 10, making that 80 Hot 100 top 10s for Drake — the most in history.