Early Friday morning, Drake pulled a Beyonce! Rumors about a supposed mixtape had been doing the rounds. NBA’s Toronto Raptors DeMar DeRozan revealed that Drake had played his hometown team part of the apparent mixtape. Journalist, Elliott Wilson tweeted the title cryptically and then a couple of hours later, the secret was out. It’s titled “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.”
Gbemiga Ayeni: I gave it two run throughs. It’s a totally different vibe from his last album: There is no apparent theme. He touches on a vast array of topics throughout the album, such as, how he and his hometown crew are going to take over 2015, his success thus fa while restating he still has a decade to go to murdering the closing track “6PM In New York” taking shots at Tyga“It’s so childish, calling my name on a world stage, you need to act your age and not your girl’s age.” His whole verse is cold, he isn’t smiling. Drake is on a new wave, since his verse on “Stay Scheming” he has developed a supremely confident persona: He thinks he is the best and can outrap anyone.
“Please don’t speak to me like I’m that Drake from four years ago, I’m at a higher place”
This album proves it. While it may not be as exceptional as Take Care (released in 2011), it is clear Drake is at a different place in his music, one he feels to be “higher”.
6PM In New York, 6 God, Energy, Legend, and Used To, so far seem to be the top tracks on this album as they have received the biggest buzz on social media.
It is rumored that the album was meant to be a mixtape but was released as an album to fulfill and release him from his contract with Young Money Records amidst the ongoing legal war between the label and Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne is suing Young Money and says he plans to leave the label and take Cash Money affiliates, Drake and Nicki Minaj, with him. It is believed that Drake signed a four album deal originally and the surprise album marks his fourth.
This Drake album grows unto you, it is definitely a must buy and better than his previous. I am so anxious to see what else he has to offer us in the remainder of the year.
Oyinkan Sunmonu: On first listen a lot of the songs on this mixtape sound like a bunch of left-over demo/unfinished tracks that Drake decided to finally put the second or third verses on. However, upon further review, a lot of these songs hold their own weight.
Drake sounds more self-aware and assured than ever, “Walk up in my label like where the cheque though?” Self-proclamations of being in his prime and Wayne’s successor (even though Wayne is not done) give a sense of new found confidence.
Debut of new flows (Madonna) give an idea of what to expect from his upcoming fourth album ‘Views From The 6’. He explores the same subject matters (strippers, relationships, issues with family) but with new ‘enemies’ on the horizon there is a harsher and more aggressive take on the way he approaches them.
Beat changes throughout are a real strength of the tape’s production. The more emotional songs ‘Jungle’, ‘Now & Forever’ have atmospheric and heavier sounding beats; this helps Drake demonstrate his versatility as a rapper/singer and overall artist. PartyNextDoor’s solo effort ‘Wednesday Night Interlude’ also gives the mixtape a much needed break from the rap songs.
The more commercial songs ‘Used To’ (Feat. Lil Wayne) and ‘6 God’ could be singles, while on ‘10 Bands’ and ‘No Tellin’’ he reminds fans of how great he is at coming up with catchy hooks and generally fun songs.
Feuds with Diddy and Tyga are addressed on ‘6pm in New York’ and ‘6 God’ and as usual Drake is able to put his comebacks into verses (something a few rappers could learn a lot from). This is where Drake really shines; going straight to the point with subtle disses.
This mixtape takes a fresh look at where he is from, ‘6 God’, ‘You & The 6’, the self-reflection on these tracks show that Drake is fully aware of where he is in the rap game and where he wants to go, “Decadent flow and I’ve still got a decade to go”. The downsides of the mixtape include some repetitive beats (Energy, 6 Man) and lazy hooks (Legend, Preach).
Overall, Drake successfully gives fans his most unapologetic project to date. He accepts people might always perceive him as soft, ‘I can’t be out here being vulnerable mama, I mean I kill ‘em everytime they do a song with me mama’, but no longer tries hard to win them over (unlike on past single ‘Headlines’).
Controversy about the release of the mixtape aside, it is a good addition to Drake’s discography.
Even though he is not at his absolute best, he makes up for this by giving listeners an accurate depiction of who he is at this moment in time and also makes up for a relatively quiet 2014 (music wise).
Oluwamayowa Idowu: Colour me hater but I am underwhelmed. Drake can rap, we all know that but for the large part it feels like he’s coasting. He’s throwing punches and dancing round the ring without trying to kill which is understandable as this project is intended to serve as a prelude to Views from the 6. That said, he does a decent job telling the Toronto story here.
Suggestions that this is his best body of work are far fetched.
My high point is the last record; 6pm in New York keeping to the freestyle, time and place theme that has now become a tradition. It’s got all the hallmarks of a rapper in his prime; confidence bordering on arrogance, subliminals at not so worthy peers whilst sounding like the thoughts of one at the therapist. The juxtaposition of Vulnerability and Confidence which form the nucleus of Drake’s sense of artistry shine through here.
What this album does is unwittingly set the tone for this year’s rap scene. The late January release of Big Sean’s ‘Blessings’ (which features verses from ‘Ye and Drizzy) set the tone and that Holy Trinity have led the conversation. A day after the Drake mixtape dropped, Sean released a killer lost verse to ‘Used To’ that has raised the already high expectations for his new album which could be an early Rap Album of the Year contender. After the boring 2014 we had, there will always be space for half decent rap music which is what this record fulfills.
3 Fire Emojis
