“Sicko Mode” was one of the hottest songs of 2018, and fans always wondered if there was a version of the song where Drake or Travis Scott performed a long verse on the first beat of the track. According to Hit-Boy, an alternate version of the song does exist.
“I remember Travis first facetimed me when he first did it, like the next morning after the session,” the GRAMMY winner told HipHopDX on Saturday (Feb. 11). “And he played it and it was extended, it was longer.”
The final version that made the album changes beats around the 59-second mark, though it sounds like the Toronto rapper had a longer verse before the new beat comes on. While this revelation is exciting, the 35-year-old doesn’t believe the full version will ever see the light of day.
“I know it’s for sure a longer version part, but it’s probably not gonna ever come out,” the Fontana, Calif. producer said. Fortunately, this is not a huge loss as “Sicko Mode” was a massive success. The record, coming from La Flame’s third studio album ASTROWORLD, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spend 52 weeks on the chart. In 2020, “Sicko Mode” was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
As for Hit-Boy, he’s has been working nonstop over the years. He collaborated with Nas in 2020 on the GRAMMY-winning album King’s Disease, 2021’s King’s Disease II and Magic, and 2022’s King’s Disease III, among many other collaborative projects. 50 Cent revealed in an interview with Billboard that King’s Disease IV is in the works and he will be a featured artist.