VARIETY
It was a hectic time in Elkan’s life, and the Sierra Leone-born producer’s phone was constantly buzzing. Taking refuge from the barrage of calls, he began singing repeatedly in the shower: “ Who’s calling my phone ?”
He recorded the hook, which eventually became the centerpiece of Drake ’s “Nokia,” one of the biggest rap songs of the year. “It turns the pain into praise,” Elkan says, calling the track a “miracle record” that “brings the fun back to the party and makes people forget about the nonsense in their lives.” What started as a plea to be left alone turned into a joyful anthem about hitting the dance floor and ringing your friends to find the action.
“Nokia” opens with that cooing hook — “Who’s calling my phone?” — before sliding into a bouncy retro beat that Drake skates over