The song was serviced to mainstream urban radio on October 29, 2013, as the fourth single from the album in the US and has peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In the early months of 2013, there were rumors of a disconnection between Drake and Cash Money Records, which only caught more fire due to him not appearing on the compilation album Rich Gang.
On "The Language" Drake addresses these rumors saying, "Cash Money Records forever, I'm always Big-Tyming, bitch/ I came up right under Stunna.
[7][8] It was rumored that Drake subliminally dissed Lamar in "The Language" when he raps, "Fuck any nigga that’s talkin’ that shit just to get a reaction / Fuck going platinum, I looked at my wrist and it’s already platinum / I am the kid with the motor mouth / I am the one you should worry about / I don't know who you're referring to, who is this nigga you heard about?
"[9] Birdman appeared on MTV shortly after the album's release denying that the line was directed at Kendrick Lamar.
[6] Then shortly after, Lamar reportedly responded in the BET Hip Hop Awards TDE cypher where he says, ""And nothing's been the same since they dropped Control, and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes".
[4] William E. Ketchum of HipHopDX stated, that Drake "reuses the precise staccato flow from Drizzy’s verse on Migos' "Versace" to stunt on competition.
"[14] David Drake of Complex described the song as, "unexpected bursts of blunt honesty that suggest, strangely, a rhetorical maturity, if not a personal one.
"[15] In a more negative review Thomas Britt of PopMatters said, "“The Language” is a showcase for Drake's relentless flow, but he does himself no favors by failing to explore any interesting lyrical territory.