Passionfruit

Drake:  Passionfruit

Quiz by Sharon Michiko Yoneda

Photographs:  a real passionfruit;  someone you have passion for -- passion fruit;  "cleansin' my soul of addiction"; online romance -- "Passionate from miles away"; " Harder buildin' trust from a distance. I think we should rule out commitment for now." 

artist:  Drake

songwriter:  Nana Rogues

date released:  2017 by Drake

The lyrics of “Passionfruit” are centered on a romantic relationship the narrator (Drake) is involved in. In the first verse we see this romance is marred by “tension” between the two of them. Indeed Drake acknowledges that homegirl “got issues”, as in unfavorable sides of her personality, but he also admits that on a personal level he’s “falling apart” also.

And in the second verse he reveals the true foundation of his gripe, which is that this is a long-distance relationship. And due to the two of them being in two different locations, it is hard for the couple to “(build) trust” in each other. Indeed based on the chorus, we see that issues have already begun to manifest between them due to lack of proximity. And if you really read deep into the lyrics, Drake is suggesting that it is actually the other party, not himself, who is having a more-adverse reaction to their separation by distance. Thus he has concluded that they “should rule out commitment for now”, as in not make any attempt to actually be engaged in a serious relationship.

So although this track uses high-end metaphors at certain points, the narrative it is putting forth is a rather-simple one. Drake is in love with a woman whom, unfortunately, he is physically separated from by distance. And due to the stress this reality is putting on their relationship, he is ready to call it quits.

As for the title of this song, there is an actual, edible fruit called “passion fruit” which is native to South America. As a metaphor, this fruit, including its particular appellation, can be loosely applied to the overall theme of this track. For instance, Drake could have named it so due to him perceiving this particular lady as his “passion fruit”, as in someone who is sweet whom he has very-strong feelings for. But he and his team probably chose this name mainly because it sounds cool. However, it should be noted that the chorus features wordplay derived from the word “passionate”, which could have also contributed to this naming choice (or vice versa).