What Does 'What A Time To Be Alive' Even Mean?

The wait is finally over, Drake fans. No, Views From The 6 still isn't here (is that what you were waiting for?!), but you know what is? Drake and Future's mixtape What A Time To Be Alive. The news of the mixtape existing broke 10 days ago, when Ryan Phillippe revealed that the album would be dropping as a birthday present to him, but, as it turned out, he jumped the gun a little there. Why Drake was cruel enough to release new music during the 2015 Emmy Awards is a mystery that I will spend the rest of my life trying to solve, but, in the meantime, I can't help but wonder about that mysterious title. What does What A Time To Be Alive actually mean? It's not the name of a song on the album, though it does kick off the verses in the track "Big Rings," but what is Drake really trying to tell us here?

Since Drake has not commented on the mixtape beyond telling us that it was coming — and, potentially, that it was one of many mixtapes in the works, as evidenced by the "I'm The Plug" lyrics "Y’all shoulda seen this sh*t coming in May, We doin’ three hunnid records a day. Who really thinkin’ they can get in the way?" — any and all potential meanings to be gleaned from the mixtape title are pure speculation at this point. However, given when the album was released, and how anticipated it was prior to its release, I think we can make some intelligent guesses here as to what the title refers to.

1. The Mixtape Itself

What a time to be alive in a world where we get to listen to What a Time to Be Alive? It's, like, meta or something. Meta and grandiose. It's like Watch The Throne, except it's an album with a title that implies we should be glad to be alive to hear it! Is it bragging if it's true?

2. Viola Davis' Record-Breaking Emmys Win

Sorry, what's that? Drake named and released this album before Viola Davis won Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 2015 Emmys? Are you trying to say that Drake isn't psychically capable of seeing in the future and knowing when landmark moments in black history are about to occur? Pfft.

3. Views From The 6 Is Coming

What a time to be alive in a world where we get this Drake/Future mixtape to listen to on repeat until Views From The 6 finally, finally, OMG finally hits the Internet. Can you imagine? Two mixtapes to tide us over until Drake's next album? Guys, I don't even know what to do with myself right now.

4. Drake & Future Collaborating

What a time to be alive in a world where Drake and Future can put aside their 2013 feud and come together to make a mixtape that had people staying up late on Sep. 10 in the hopes of being the first ones to download and listen to every single track. And how many people missed the beginning of the Emmys because they were too busy dashing to iTunes? Yeah, I thought so.

5. All The Mixtapes That Drake Is Working On

Seriously, how many mixtapes is Drake working on? Is it really a hundred? Because, in that case, what a time to be alive in which Drake has more music lying around than he does studio albums to put them all on. Prayer circle that we finally get Views From The 6 and then, like, seven more mixtapes besides.

6. Drake Releasing Two Albums In One Year

2015 marks the first time that Drake has released two albums in the same year (unless you count So Far Gone coming out in the same year as the Young Money compilation album We Are Young Money) — and it will mark the first time he releases three albums if Views From The 6 comes out before December. What a time to be alive!

7. The Moving Photos On The iPhone 6S

Drake could be as excited about living in this Harry Potter-esque world as we are. He's pretty much one of the coolest nerds in existence, right up there with Stephen Colbert.

Whether the answer to the meaning of the mixtape title is all of these things or none of these things, one thing is for sure: these mixtapes are not distracting us from Views From The 6, Drake. Can you put that album out already?

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