"TSU" is the abbreviation for Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, and the song's intro features a shoutout to "TSU ladies," per Genius. The university even thanked Drake for his "consistent support" of Houston. But instead of college courses, Drake is talking about strippers in the song. The subject involves a pole dancer who left Texas and is working toward opening a business. Of course, she receives a little help from Drake in terms of financial and emotional support.
Drake also seems to relate to the protagonist, rapping, "Know we both came from a broken home, shawty / Mom and daddy didn't really get along, shawty." It's also possible the story is a personal one, as he says, "This is a story, it came from my life and I'm just recordin' this s**t." Is it possible Drake sees parallels between him and the stripper, as they both wanted something more than what they were given? Hmm.
Although the song was popular for its smooth vibes, "TSU" became controversial for its connection to R. Kelly. The controversial singer is listed as a co-writer because the track uses a sample of his song "Half on a Baby," per WhoSampled. It couldn't have come at a worse time because the disgraced R&B singer was in the middle of a trial for multiple charges, including sex trafficking and bribery, NPR reported. Drake's longtime producer Noah "40" Shebib noted the track's opener features a clip of DJ OG Ron C talking while "Half on a Baby" plays in the background. Shebib explained, per Variety, "We were forced to license it."
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