Drake's Hotline Bling: Backstreet Boys say 'The Call' came first

Drake is well aware that there are similarities between “Hotline Bling,” his now-ubiquitous hit and never-ending meme catalyst, and Virgina rapper D.R.A.M.’s “Cha Cha.” In fact, he said in a recent interview that that was sort of his intention. But chances are the Toronto MC didn’t see this comparison coming.

Now, the Backstreet Boys are insisting they did it first.

“Not to cause any beef @Drake… but before there was Hotline Bling…. there was The Call,” the group tweeted on Friday, referring to their infectious and morally dubious pop jam off 2000’s Black & Blue.

It was all harmless, of course, as just about the only similarity between “Hotline Bling” and “The Call” is their mutual fascination with phones. But might as well listen to them both over and over again to be extra sure, right?