I was primed to enjoy "Honestly, Nevermind," partly because its release was announced mere hours in advance. "Honestly, Nevermind" was released on June 17, 2022. Save for "Know Yourself" and perhaps "Jungle," it lacks that intimate translation of memories and emotions that make people feel connected to Drake the artist, rather than Drake the brand. "If You're Reading This," by contrast, is uncharacteristically and unceasingly paranoid, aggressive, and single-minded. I mean, this is a man who actually said, "Got so many chains, I feel like chain-ing Tatum."ĭrake can deliver bars, to be sure, but he's at his best when he blends those bars with moody R&B, decadent production, and melodic vocals - when he blends his narcissism with his jealousy, longing, melancholy, and regret, confronting many moods in a way that feels universal. It sees him at his most forceful and certainly his most boastful, rapping over minimal beats and industrial sounds for 17 straight songs.īut Drake didn't become Drake because he's a great rapper. “More Life” provides a variety of music to anyone in any mood, but parts feel as if his throwback rap style is slowly fading into more hip-hop."If You're Reading This It's Too Late" was released on February 13, 2015.įor those who worship Drake as a rapper, rather than a pop star, "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" is the holy grail. Featured are his traditional raps, his slow auto-tuned songs, and even combinations of both. Whether it’s rapping with an accent, changing a word’s pronunciation, or showcasing a British rapper, the unique “playlist” blends together all of Drake’s personalities. Giggs).” The very odd accent changes the word “thing” to “ting” at the beginning of the song, but within a split second Drake seems to forget about it and goes back to saying “thing.”ĭrake’s “More Life” encompasses a mix of broad culture throughout his album. As this modern rapper’s popularity rises, Drake’s decision to have him solo on a huge album should help give Skepta much more publicity, as it is much deserved as well.ĭrake, being one of the more global rappers out there, decided to put on some sort of Caribbean accent mixed with a slight British accent for a few songs, one of them being “No Long talk (feat. Both Quavo and Travis Scott are well-known for their beats, so by integrating a catchy flute tune with Drake’s rap, “Portland” is a hit.Ī unique part of Drake’s recent album is the “Skepta Interlude.” The song is Drake-free, featuring British rapper Skepta. Quavo and Travis Scott)” are great examples of Drake’s classic up-tempo raps, bringing the listener’s energy to a high. The middle half of the album, from track nine to track twelve, quickly turns the mess around. His slow, hip-hop style as displayed in “Madiba Riddim,” and Drake’s lyrics often feel forced. Drake slows down his verses and relies on auto-tune to bring his voice up an octave. But after the first four songs, it all goes downhill for the next four. Giggs).” His fast-paced rhymes mixed with charismatic beats is what makes Drake so likeable, as his verses seem to just flow. The lengthy “More Life” contains twenty-two songs, nine of them featuring other artists such as Quavo, Skepta, Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Young Thug and more.įor the first few songs of the album, Drake continues to impress rhythmically and lyrically, with songs like “Free Talk” and “No Long Talk (feat. Toronto-based rapper, Drake, has recently released his first album of 2017. By Joseph Kean 0 More Life Album by Drake Review