2014 was a unique year in hip hop and R and B with artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR, Young Thug, and Rae Sremmurd dominating the airways. However, for me, one song stood alone as the defining anthem of that year. Tuesday by Los Angeles-born, Atlanta-raised artist Makonnen Kamali Sheran, better known as iLoveMakonnen. The song would quickly skyrocket him into the center of attention.
Beginnings & Early Setbacks
iLoveMakonnen started his music journey at the age of 13 after his mother bought him a keyboard. The original plan was to be a music producer or beat maker with the goal of creating beats that Atlanta rapper Jeezy would one day use. After high school in 2007, iLoveMakonnen had his mind set on enlisting in the Air Force.
Due to being implicated as a culprit in the death of a close friend of his, that route quickly went up in flames. He would be placed on house arrest and spend over two years on house arrest.
Blogging, Influence & Finding A Voice
With all this time on his hands, he started a blog called The Newness where he interviewed music artists about their upcoming projects and songs. Two notable artists he interviewed during this time were Internet-famous rapper Lil B and singer Miguel. Seeing these artists slowly gain attention and momentum, iLoveMakonnen began to experiment with creating his own music and finding his own sound.
Style, School & The Mannequin
Uniquely, he enrolled in cosmetology school. This influence may have played a role in the branding and image he carried, as he was often pictured with and frequently used his iconic hair mannequin masco,t which can be seen on the cover art for Tuesday.
DIY Grind To First Deals
Between 2011 and 2012, iLoveMakonnen began taking his music career seriously. He was doing everything on his own, from shooting and recording videos to producing his music. He eventually quit his job and put all of his time and energy into furthering his career.
He started the Drink More Water mixtape series in 2012 and continued it until 2016. This gave him a musical platform to work with established artists such as Migos and Gucci Mane, who appeared on the DMW 5 installment. His music eventually reached hip hop producer Mike WiLL Made It. That connection developed into a music placement and songwriting deal with Warner Music.
Migos | Gucci Mane | Mike WiLL Made It
Linking With Atlanta Producers
Although that deal did not work out in his favor, iLoveMakonnen soon met Sonny Digital and Metro Boomin. After meeting them, he brought his song I Don’t Sell Molly No More to Sonny Digital and asked him to rework the drum pattern. This risk by iLoveMakonnen paid off. That song, along with Tuesday and Maneuvering, spread quickly throughout the underground music scene.
Drake Enters The Chat
One person known for being in tune with rising underground artists is Drake. Drake reached out to Sonny Digital because he wanted to remix Tuesday. The original version of Tuesday, then titled Club Goin Up on a Tuesday, was released in early 2014. A reliable background on the song’s early release can be read through Complex in their article titled “The Story Behind iLoveMakonnen’s ‘Tuesday’ Remix” which can be opened here: Complex article.
You can also listen to the original version of Tuesday when referencing the song and the eventual remix. The original recording is available here: Original Version of “Tuesday” on YouTube. It was not until August 2014 that the remix with Drake dropped.
The OVO Deal: Blessing & Burden
iLoveMakonnen became a household name almost overnight, with Drake quickly co-signing him to OVO Sound. Signing with Drake proved to be both a gift and a curse. Other labels were reportedly willing to allow iLoveMakonnen to keep his catalog and creative rights. The OVO Sound contract required him to relinquish creator rights and hand over his catalog to Drake, which caused a large portion of his unreleased music to no longer move forward.
Old Tweets & New Tensions
With Drake now supporting him, the past of iLoveMakonnen resurfaced. Before he became popular, he had tweeted opinions criticizing Drake as an artist. These resurfaced tweets contributed to industry tension. Several outlets reported on these tweets. HotNewHipHop published an article titled “Old Tweets Reveal iLoveMakonnen Wasn’t a Drake Fan in 2011,” which can be accessed here: HotNewHipHop report on resurfaced tweets.
Side Beefs & Street Static
Another conflict involved New York City rapper Troy Ave, who had his own version of Tuesday. According to industry conversation, iLoveMakonnen was unaware of Troy Ave’s connections to people close to Drake and OVO. A physical altercation reportedly occurred during a performance, although the details remain unverified.
The Breaking Point
The final breaking point in the relationship between Drake and iLoveMakonnen reportedly came after an awkward studio session at Drake’s home. Following this, iLoveMakonnen’s musical progress under OVO stalled. He also ended his working relationship with his manager, Presley Snipes, whom he accused of worsening the situation by still having access to his social media and sending out more negative tweets.
After OVO
iLoveMakonnen was dropped by OVO in 2016. His last project under the label was released in 2015. It would take six more years for him to release another project, Drink More Water 6 in 2021.
Living Out Loud
Adding to his challenges, iLoveMakonnen publicly came out as gay, which caused many in the hip hop community to distance themselves from him due to the longstanding stigma surrounding homosexuality in the genre.
Unreleased Gems & What Might Have Been
In later years, he would be linked to projects with Juice WRLD and Lil Peep, including a full-length album titled Diamonds with Lil Peep, which was never released due to Peep’s passing.
Where He Is Now
In August of this year, WorldStarHipHop posted a video of iLoveMakonnen working as a chef and sharing that he is happy in his current life and career path.
Why “Tuesday” Still Matters
The remix of Tuesday became a breakout anthem with lyrics like “Aint got no motherfucking time to party on the weekend” and “Club goin up on a Tuesday, got your girl in the cut and she choosey.” A detailed analysis of the track can be found in Pitchfork’s review, which you may open here: Pitchfork review of “Club Goin Up on a Tuesday”.
In the world of hip hop, where careers can rise and fall in an instant, the story of iLoveMakonnen remains one of the most compelling. His journey from a self-driven Atlanta creative to the center of the music industry spotlight and then to the margins of that same industry shows how unpredictable and unforgiving the music world can be. Through triumphs, missteps, co-signs, controversies, and personal revelations, iLoveMakonnen continues to create on his own terms. His story is a reminder that while the party may go up on a Tuesday, the reality behind the scenes is shaped by resilience, individuality, and a determination to keep moving forward.
Further Reading & Context
iLoveMakonnen | Drake | “Tuesday” lyrics on Genius
Related On Elicit Magazine
Context around Drake’s reach and OVO’s roster pops up across our site as well. For more on the OVO universe and moments that intersect with Drake, explore: dvsn’s OVO connection, Drake’s “In My Feelings” pop-culture era, and a broader lens on hip-hop rivalries where Drake appears in the conversation here.