Kai Cenat Criticizes Drake’s “NOKIA” Music Video, Suggests His Own Vision
Kai Cenat and Drake have made it clear on multiple occasions that they admire each other’s work. However, that doesn’t mean they blindly agree on everything. During a recent livestream, the popular Bronx streamer shared his thoughts on the OVO boss’ latest music video for “NOKIA,” which boasts high-quality IMAX visuals and has sparked discussions about possible Kendrick Lamar references. Despite the impressive cinematography, Kai wasn’t completely sold on the video and didn’t hesitate to explain why.
“Not a banger,” Kai said bluntly. “Y’all got to start letting me direct this s**t. Drake, I’m telling you right now. ‘NOKIA,’ that was a solid music video. Okay, symbolism, but I don’t think that’s a song where you got to do symbolism.” He emphasized that while the video had a unique artistic approach, he would have taken a different direction to better match the song’s fun energy.
In his ideal version, Kai envisioned an opening scene set in an arcade and carnival, bursting with color and vibrancy. This aligns with one of the most common criticisms of the actual music video—its lack of visual liveliness. According to Kai, a more dynamic setting would have enhanced the song’s playful vibe. He even mapped out a scene transition, suggesting that when the beat changes, the video should shift into a nostalgic ’90s roller rink setting.
“That’s what it gave me,” Kai explained. “We’re looking for going [from] modern day, as soon as the beat changes, we’re in the ’90s now. You see the vision? […] There’s girls with their boyfriends on a date. Their boyfriends’ not even winning them the prize. Drake comes in with a prize. ‘Who’s calling that s**t?'”
Though his critique was passionate, Kai made it clear that he still supports Drake and his work. Whether or not the rapper or his longtime director Theo Skudra takes any inspiration from his ideas remains to be seen. But if Kai Cenat ever steps into the music video director’s chair, fans now have an idea of what to expect.
