Hip Hop/ Rap
Drake and Smiley Just Dropped “2 Mazza”—Toronto Slang Goes Global
In a much-hyped return to the mic together, Drake and Smiley have reunited for “2 Mazza,” a hypnotic, slang-soaked anthem that’s turning heads from Toronto to TikTok. The track dropped today along with a glossy music video and is already making waves, not just as a rap single, but as a cultural export of Toronto street vernacular.
The new song marks the duo’s first joint effort since their viral 2021 hit “Over the Top,” and it’s no less audacious. Released under Drake’s OVO Sound label, “2 Mazza” appears on Smiley’s long-awaited new album Don’t Box Me In—his first full-length project in three years.
At the heart of the track lies the word “mazza,” Toronto slang for a wild or chaotic moment. It’s the glue that holds the whole song together, and both artists use it as a lens through which to frame their stories of struggle, survival, and success.
Smiley, as always, leans into his signature offbeat flow—what fans often call his “Snaggletooth wheeze”—to paint a gritty portrait of life in Toronto’s inner city. His lyrics delve into the unpredictability of the streets and the delicate balance between ambition and danger. While his delivery may be unconventional, it’s precisely that rawness that sets him apart.
Drake’s verse, by contrast, arrives with polish and purpose. He reminisces about his earlier days, when life was less luxurious and more hustling, with bars like: “Grocery shoppin’ at Royal York Plaza / Me and lil’ Sandra was broke on the Gaza.”
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It’s classic Drake—deeply personal, tied to local landmarks, and layered with coded language that only his hometown fans fully grasp. But what truly makes his appearance matter is not just lyrical dexterity—it’s his continued endorsement of up-and-coming Toronto talent, a role he’s embraced as the city’s unofficial ambassador.
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The music video enhances this narrative, featuring the duo in plush robes, rapping beneath chandeliers and chilling in an infrared booth. The visual feels intentionally Toronto: flashy, but grounded in a kind of cultural realism that celebrates local success without needing a Hollywood filter.
While the track celebrates Toronto’s vibrancy, it also arrives during a complicated chapter in Drake’s career. The fallout from his rap feud with Kendrick Lamar still lingers, with Toronto crowds recently cheering Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” diss track at Rogers Centre. But “2 Mazza” is Drake doubling down—not on beef, but on Toronto loyalty, language, and legacy.
In a streaming age where regional rap often blends into a global mainstream, “2 Mazza” stands out as a refreshing outlier. It’s not just a banger—it’s a statement. With Smiley and Drake repping the 6ix harder than ever, the rest of the world is now learning what “mazza” really means.
