Laugh Now Cry Later

This article is about the Drake song. For the studio album by Ice Cube, see Laugh Now, Cry Later.

"Laugh Now Cry Later" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring American rapper Lil Durk. It was released through Republic Records and OVO Sound as a single on August 14, 2020. The two artists wrote the song alongside producers Cardo, Rogét Chahayed, G. Ry, Bryan Yepes and Yung Exclusive. It was originally the intended lead single from Drake's sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy (2021).^[1]

"Laugh Now Cry Later"
Single by Drake featuring Lil Durk
Released	August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14)
Genre	Hip hop trap
Length	4:21
Label	Republic OVO
Songwriter(s)	Aubrey Graham Durk Banks Ronald LaTour, Jr. Rogét Chahayed Ryan Martinez Daveon Jackson Bryan Yepes
Producer(s)	Cardo Chahayed G. Ry Yung Exclusive Bryan Yepes
Drake singles chronology
"Only You Freestyle" (2020) "Laugh Now Cry Later" (2020) "Twist & Turn" (2020)
Lil Durk singles chronology
"Painless 2" (2020) "Laugh Now Cry Later" (2020) "Eat (Remix)" (2020)
Music video
"Laugh Now Cry Later" on YouTube

Commercially, the song debuted at number one in Drake's native Canada on the Canadian Hot 100 and debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song received nominations for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Background

On August 12, 2020, Drake posted a clip of himself and another person riding jet skis at night on his social media. The post was accompanied by the caption "TMRW MIDNIGHT 🤍".^[2][3] Upon release, it turned out that the song's music video also entailed an upcoming collaboration between Drake and Nike, Inc.^[4]

Critical reception

Jeremy D. Larson of Pitchfork praised Drake's delivery, calling the song "one of the lightest and breeziest Drake songs to come out in a while". He further described his presence as "effortlessly cool and simple", while "Lil Durk shows up as a perfect counterpart".^[5] Complex thought the song was "a vibe, but not an obvious hit record", neither a "by-the-numbers pop radio play or a hard-hitting club record".^[6] According to Charles Holmes at Rolling Stone, the song "sounds like Drake featuring Drake", further explaining that the song "is the embodiment of what happens when you surround real Drake with a room full of past Drakes, like a tortured Canadian reboot of Being John Malkovich".^[7] Lil Wayne released a version of the song on his No Ceilings 3 mixtape called Something Different which also had a music video.

Music video

The song's official music video was released on August 13, 2020, and was directed by Dave Meyers.^[1] It was shot at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, thus receiving criticism for advertising the company and resembling a commercial.^[1][7] The video features shots predominantly of Drake engaging in different sporting activities: boxing underwater (as a reference to Muhammad Ali), running on a treadmill in Nike's sports-science lab, and going on a shopping spree in a closed down Nike store with Instagrammer Aggyabby, as well as Durk and Drake riding jet skis and Drake posing in oversized white, and cream colored suits with Durk (as a reference to LeBron James).^[8] The video also includes several cameos from athletes, including Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr., and Marshawn Lynch, as well as internet comedian Druski & noted shoe designer Ben Nethongkome.^[6]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[9]

• Drake – lead vocals, songwriting
• Lil Durk – featured vocals, songwriting
• Cardo - songwriting, production
• Alex Torrez - songwriting
• Allen Ponce - songwriting
• Bryan Yepes - songwriting, production
• G. Ry - songwriting, production
• Yung Exclusive - songwriting, production
• Rogét Chahayed - songwriting, production
• Noel Cadastre – recording
• Noah "40" Shebib – mixing
• Chris Athens – mixing

The Vocal Recording of Lil Durks Feature was recording in Atlanta, Georgia in July of 2020 Recorded at Triangle Sound Studios owned by Tricky Stewart leased out by Sony Publishing Urban Operated by Sony VP Mike Jackson & CEO Jon Platt

THE RECORDING SESSION TOOK PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS IN THE A ROOM STUDIO WITHIN TRIANGLE SOUND STUDIOS IN ATLANTA, GA IN 2020

in July of 2020 Lil Durk Completed the recording of his feature verse for Drake's Song Laugh Now Cry Later ....... the independently contracted audio engineers in the studio doing the general studio labor and recording are as follows:

• Joshua "Turn Me Up Josh" Samuels - Primary Tracking Engineering, Vocal Producer, Record Producer, & Mixer
• Zack "MAESTROZ420" Shochet - Assistant Engineer, Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios, & Food Runner

Triangle Sound Studio's operations staff and Lil Durks Engineering Team additionally includes:

• Nick "THE HITMAN" Rice - In house Co-Chief Engineer for Sony Publishing, Recording Engineer, & Mixing Engineer
• Justin "JusVibes" Gibson - Assistant Engineer, Secondary Tracking Engineer, Vocal Producer, & Assistant Mix Engineer.
• Kenya "Felz" Tolbert - Recording Studio Booking Manager for Triangle Sound Studios circa 2020
• Scott "Scotti" Taylor - In house Co-Chief Engineer for Sony Publishing, Recording Engineer
• Aniza "N!ZA" Clark - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios, & Assistant Engineer
• Lauren "Naypalm" Bromell - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios, & Assistant Engineer
• Larson Hodge - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios
• Ron J HitMaker - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios
• Reggie Williams - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios
• Britney "Peaches" Henderson - Recording Studio Operations Staff for Triangle Sound Studios

Triangle Sound Studios was rebranded to Seszions ATL in 2021 after Tricky Stewart had leased out his 4 room facility of Triangle Sound Studios to Sony Publishing Global and Sony Publishing Urban in 2020 with a 5 year contract ending in 2025. Seszions atlanta website can be found here http://www.sessionsatlanta.com

here is undeniable proof without a reasonable doubt that triangle sound studios was leased out to Sony publishing in may of 2020 for a 5 year contracted commercial recording studio lease: https://www.sonymusicpub.com/en/news/2911/sony/atv-establishes-new-atlanta-office,-expands-songwriter-services

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Laugh Now Cry Later" Chart (2020–2021) Peak position Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[10] 83 Australia (ARIA)[11] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 19 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 47 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[14] 3 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] 1 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[16] 57 Denmark (Tracklisten)[17] 20 France (SNEP)[18] 50 Germany (GfK)[19] 25 Global 200 (Billboard)[20] 5 Hungary (Single Top 40)[21] 33 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[22] 21 Iceland (Tónlistinn)[23] 14 Ireland (IRMA)[24] 5 Italy (FIMI)[25] 59 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[26] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 22 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] 3 Norway (VG-lista)[29] 9 Portugal (AFP)[30] 10 Romania (Airplay 100)[31] 55 Scotland (OCC)[32] 42 Singapore (RIAS)[33] 18 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[34] 36 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[35] 86 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 14 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 5 UK Singles (OCC)[38] 4 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[39] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[40] 2 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[41] 37 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[42] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[43] 7 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[44] 1 US Rolling Stone Top 100[45] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Laugh Now Cry Later" Chart (2020) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[46] 48 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[47] 90 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] 100 US Billboard Hot 100[49] 41 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[50] 20 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[51] 22 Chart (2021) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[52] 59 Global 200 (Billboard)[53] 131 Portugal (AFP)[54] 143 US Billboard Hot 100[55] 45 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[56] 26 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[57] 7

Certifications

Certifications for "Laugh Now Cry Later"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58]	3× Platinum	210,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[59]	Diamond	160,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[60]	4× Platinum	320,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[61]	Gold	45,000‡
France (SNEP)[62]	Gold	100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[63]	Gold	35,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[64]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[65]	Gold	25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[66]	Platinum	10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[67]	Platinum	600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[68]	6× Platinum	6,000,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[69]	Gold	1,000,000†
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.