Drake and Future release surprise mixtape 'What A Time To Be Alive'

ATLANTA, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Hip-hop artists Drake and Future released a surprise joint mixtape entitled What A Time To Be Alive Sunday exclusively on iTunes and Apple music.

The 11-song collaboration was first premiered on Drake's OVO Sound radio show on the Apple streaming channel Beats 1 before being made available to the public.

"I went to Atlanta for six days a couple weeks ago with the hopes of doing some songs with Future, and when you get around Future, it's like a vortex, that guy can outwork anybody right now," Drake said to Rolling Stone about the recording process. "It's tough to see someone do four, five songs in one night and not try to match it."

The title is a reference to a classic Simpsons clip involving Springfield's own Jasper discovering the existence of a moon pie.

Drake first announced the release on Saturday when he posted the mixtape's diamond encrusted cover art on Instagram. At the time fans speculated whether the rapper was announcing a new song or something more.

What A Time To Be Alive is Drake's second surprise mixtape release of the year following his platinum hit If You're Reading This It's Too Late which was also exclusively released through Apple in February.

The mixtape is being released under Future's Epic Records label and interestingly Drake's Cash Money Records imprint, a label Drake has had issues with in the past. The Canadian rapper aired out his grievances about Cash Money on If You're Reading This... and didn't thank label head Birdman in the project's credits.

In July, Future released his third studio album, Dirty Sprite 2 earning the rapper his highest first week sales of his career. The 31-year-old last made headlines in 2014 when singer Ciara called off her engagement to Future, real name Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, amid allegations that he cheated on the R&B star. Ciara and Future share a son together, 14-month-old Future Zahir.

Drake's next official studio album, Views From the Six, is expected to come out later this year, according to Business Insider.

What A Time To Be Alive is available on iTunes now.