“I’m pleased to drop this brand new Best of Biggie for all his fans. On top of that, I’m happy I made the march 9th death anniversary deadline. Long story short, I was working on another Valentine’s tape because the first was so well-received, and then Cabbie said I should really do a March 9th BIG tape. It made sense because it’s been long overdue and the timing. That was it, my RNB tape had to get pushed back.”
Eerily reminiscent of some of the more recent emo Hip Hop coming out of Toronto via Drake and his homey The Weeknd, the UK collective, Last Night in Paris, is continuing the trend with an atmospheric electronic offering. There is a lot to like on this LP, especially the moodiness and raw UK texture that differentiates them from their N. American counterparts. It is clearly an effort to leverage some elements of dance and pop to broaden the groups reach and we like it. The production, while very electronic, is varied enough to keep our attention and the vocal performances are engaging despite sounding rather American at times. We think you will enjoy this one. Read more of this post
This minimal track from Drake will surely be pumping on rap radio for the foreseeable future. The track, which features a more aggressive lyrical approach, looks back to Drake’s beginning and traces his rise to stardom. It’s a solid track but could benefit from a few guests, which will likely be coming soon. In the meantime, Wiz Khalifa remixed it only a day after its release. Download
Artist:PJ Morton Title: Independently Major Crew: Young Money Hood: New Orleans, Louisiana USA Released: December 2010 Genre(s): Pop, Soul, Rhythms & Blues Social:FacebookTwitter
We slept on this artist initially only having heard a couple of tracks independent of the entire LP. However, upon closer inspection, PJ Morton may actually have a shot of joining his Young Money brethren at the top of the charts. Read more of this post
But for the life of me I cannot figure out why. Though it’s currently in vogue to hate on anything Champagne Papi does or says these days, the leaked single “Enough Said” is actually pretty damn good. Produced by Drake’s longtime collaborator, Noah “40” Shebib, the track’s atmospheric soundbed and muted drums perfectly compliment the never-before-heard vocals from Aaliyah and Drizzy guest verse.
Now while I agree that Drake should reach out to Missy Elliott and Timbaland to work on the album (after all, it’s only the right thing to do), I also think that Drake loves and respects Aaliyah’s legacy enough to create some beautiful music no matter who else is involved.
What are your thoughts on “Enough Said”? How do you feel about Drake’s involvement with a posthumous album from Aaliyah? Let us know in the comments below. If you really like it, download it and tell your friends.
Earlier this week, Jon Caramanica wrote an article for the New York Times that stated Nicki Minaj was the most influential artist in, not just hip-hop, pop music. Of course, this was challenged, but when one really takes stock of the meteoric career and success that Ms. Onika Maraj has experienced the past few years, it’s hard to refute Carmanica’s position.
Nicki’s influence and popularity are among the reasons her sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, was so highly anticipated. We wanted to see where Nicki would go next, what she would have to offer the legion of fans she’s amassed since essentially taking pop culture by storm.
Now it must be said: I adore Nicki Minaj. My love for her (as an artist) is well-known and documented. That doesn’t mean my love is blind, though. Multi-platinum, hit-spawning success though it was, Pink Friday was a disappointment for me. I expected to hear Nicki spit as she did on her breakthrough mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty. I wanted the mean and vicious Nicki from the BET Cypher. I wanted the motherfuckin’ Monster.
Instead, Pink Friday was an unapologetic pop album peppered with a few obligatory hip-hop songs. That would have been fine if Nicki hadn’t been so explicitly seen as a hip-hop artist. We wanted the Harajuku Barbie to RAP.
That’s why when Roman Reloaded was announced, I held out hope that we’d finally get a proper hip-hop album from Nicki. It was said that the sophomore set would be a concept album that focuses on her psychotic alter ego Roman Zolanski. (For the uninformed, Roman is to Nicki what Slim Shady is to Eminem.) Roman is the personality that bared fangs and showed true mic skills on songs like “Monster” and “Roman’s Revenge.”
So, does Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded deliver?
Well, yes and no.
The thing is, Nicki Minaj is no longer concerned with conquering hip-hop. In fact, she’s already done so, and in a way no female MC (and very few male MCs) has before. But now she has her sights set on a bigger prize: the realm of pop royalty populated by the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Madonna. Nicki’s well on her way, too, if her appearance on Madonna’s current single is any indication. It’s a seeming acknowledgement from the pop icon that the Queens-bred MC indeed has next.
But in her quest for pop domination, Nicki is leaving behind her rap roots. Does this mean Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is a bad album? No, not at all. It all depends on what you’re looking for, and most of Nicki’s fans (and even detractors) want her to make straight up hip-hop.
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is loaded (heh) with Euro-inspired dance tracks, and the truth is, they aren’t terrible if you like that sort of thing. Sure, the hip-hop is there in the first few tracks, but they seem like an afterthought. In fact, aside from a couple of average tracks, we rarely hear from the venomous Roman persona.
Track-by-Track Review
01 “Roman Holiday” – C+
This was a terrible start to the album. A weird melange of hip-hop and opera, “Roman Holiday” finds Nicki singing the hook in an exaggerated British accent (another persona, that of Roman’s mother Martha) before spitting decent rhymes during the verses. It’s ultimately catchy but doesn’t bode well for the listener’s expectations.
02 “Come On A Cone” – B+
Much better. Nasty rhymes over menacing synths. This is the Nicki (or, at least, the Roman) I want to hear. She’s vulgar, funny, witty. Expect “dick in yo’ face” to become the latest hip-hop catchphrase.
03 “I Am Your Leader” (featuring Cam’ron and Rick Ross) – B
A decent collabo with the Dipset frontman and MMG Bawse. Interestingly enough, Nicki is the least impressive MC on the track whereas Cam’ron seems rejuvenated and Ross kick a few humorous lines about getting head while tweeting.
04 “Beez In The Trap”(featuring 2 Chainz) – D+
Very pedestrian song that, as the hook itself goes, “ain’t sayin’ nothin’.” Features the eternally unimpressive Tity Boy 2 Chainz.
05 “HOV Lane” – B+
This is the Nicki I like. She snapped on this one. Also, I’ve always pronounced it as “H-O-V,” so maybe she’s giving subtle props to Shawn Corey on this one? In any case, one of the album’s better rap tracks.
06 “Roman Reloaded”(featuring Lil Wayne) – C+
In an effort to show her competition how much better she is than they, Nicki boasts and brags with irrefutable facts, talking about her endorsement deals, movie roles, and critical accolades. That said, this song still disappoints. Thankfully, Wayne comes in to with the save. Oh, and can we please kill hashtag rap? Please?
07 “Champion” (featuring Nas, Drake, and Young Jeezy) – A-
A great song marred only by weak vocals on the hook. (Should’ve utilized Rihanna, in my opinion, to give the hook some flavor). But each of the four MCs shine brightly, delivering inspirational and celebratory rhymes.
08 “Right By My Side” (featuring Chris Brown) – B
You’ve heard it already. Pop rap done right. I like it. Download it free here.
09 “Sex in the Lounge” (featuring Lil Wayne and Bobby V) – D
Another flaccid, laughable attempt at creating something “sexy.” Teaming up with Weezy and Bobby V did not prove fortuitous.
10 “Starships” – B
You’ve heard it already. I’m not mad at this slice of dance pop at all. Download it free here.
11 “Pound the Alarm” – B
Decent, Euro-style dance track. This will easily become a party anthem.
12 “Whip It” – B
Another party track. This makes three in a row, making me feel as if I’m at a foam party in Ibiza and someone’s just handed me half a pill. I dig this song as well.
13 “Automatic” – B+
Dance track number four, and the best so far. While I’m digging this, I am no longer under the illusion that I am listening to a hip-hop album.
14 “Beautiful Sinner” – A-
Have you ever been to a megaclub? I mean, like, one of those old warehouse spaces that have been converted into five floors of technicolor, drug-fueled debauchery? This song would be perfect to play in one of those joints. It was made for those kind of places. “Beautiful Sinner” is kind of epic.
15 “Marilyn Monroe” – B
A surprisingly introspective track that finds Nicki admitting and dealing with her insecurities She compares herself to the starlet of the title. Quite affecting.
16 “Young Forever” – C
Typical break-up song in which Nicki tells her ex-beau that he’ll never be mature enough for her. It’s aight but not my cup of joe.
17 “Fire Burns” – A
Dope! Now this is a break-up song, much more effective and evocative than the preceding track. Talk about taking an ex-flame to shame.
18 “Gun Shot” (featuring Beenie Man) – B
Oh, you forgot Nicki was Trini? Nicki goes back to her Caribbean roots on this cool piece of island pop.
19 “Stupid Hoe” – C-
You’ve heard it already. The Lil Kim diss. While I don’t necessarily hate it …
20 “Turn Me On” – B+
And now we’re back in the club with this jam produced by David Guetta. His knack for creating house club bangers is what elevates this above the previous attempts we’ve heard thus far.
21 “Va Va Voom” – B
This song is essentially “Super Bass, Part 2,” and that’s not a bad thing. Has a decent amount of oomph to it.
22 “Masquerade” – C+
The final song. It’s okay, just a standard issue dance track.
Overall Grade: B-
Our Favorite Tracks: “Beautiful Sinner,” “Champion,” “Turn Me On”
Our Recommendation: (WEAK) BUY (If you want a decent pop album)
Nicki Minaj has grown much bigger than her humble beginnings, and that’s great. Her goal is to satisfy all her fans, but therein lies the problem. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is bloated and schizophrenic. It’s not a hip-hop album at all, and when you look at the list of producers she chose to work with (including RedOne, J.R. Rotem, Dr. Luke, and Alex Da Kid), you can see this was a conscious decision.
Is Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded a terrible album? Nope. Am I disappointed by it? Yes, a bit. It’s not what I’d expected and that leads to disappointment. But I’ve learned to accept it for what it is: an unabashed campaign for total pop culture dominance. Like it or not, as Nicki says on the album, she is the leader.
Check this preview and free MP3 download of Nicki Minaj‘s newest leaked single “Roman Reloaded” featuring Lil Wayne. This single will appear on Nicki’s upcoming Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, due out in April.
Over the weekend, soulhead founder Ron Worthy and I attended a macaroni and cheese competition hosted by mutual friends. The winner of the overall competition took awards in key categories, most notably the one for comfort. As one of the judges declared, the winning entry was “delicious and a little on edge” yet was “still the mac and cheese you’d want to be eating on a cold winter’s night.”
Those were my thoughts when listening to Black and White America, the most recent album from singer-songwriter-musician Lenny Kravitz. It’s Kravitz’s first album in three years, a timespan that’s seen the artist delve into acting with roles in the Academy Award-winning Precious and this summer’s upcoming blockbuster The Hunger Games. Don’t let the hiatus from music and focus on acting fool you, though. Lenny hasn’t lost his touch at all.
Originally to be titled Negrophilia, Black and White America is exactly what you’d expect from Kravitz—an amalgamation of funk, rock, soul, and pop, all wrapped up into a neat little package. Like this past weekend’s winning macaroni and cheese, the album is a delicious serving of aural comfort food. While it still retains a bit of edge, it’s the sort of output we want to hear from Kravitz.
As usual, Kravitz sticks to familiar themes: love, faith, hope. This go round, as the album title implies, there’s a notable focus on race relations in America. While Kravitz doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the topic, there’s an overwhelming sense of optimism throughout the disc.
“Black and White America” : B+
The title track is a funk workout in which Kravitz sings about the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and details the tribulations his parents endured as an interracial married couple. Despite the heaviness of the topics, the song is supremely uplifting.
“Come On Get It” : B-
Kravitz keeps the funk moving but adds a little rock n’ roll flavor to this track, which boasts hard hitting drums and menacing guitar licks.
“In The Black”: B
The playful synths on this guitar-driven pop-rock song give it a very 80s feel.
“Liquid Jesus”: B+
A sultry, soulful meditation on finding salvation through love. Reminds me of Marvin Gaye. An album highlight.
“Rock Star City Life”: C+
As a standalone track, this punk-inspired song may have been tolerable but here it simply feels out of place.
“Boongie Drop” (featuring Jay-Z and DJ Military): B
A dub-influenced song celebrating ladies’ bodies (and the way they move). Jigga is on cruise control but, in a foreshadowing of his declaration to stop using certain epithets to describe women, he delivers a profanity free verse.
“Stand”: C
A rather earnest slice of pop-rock peppered with wah-wah guitars. Doesn’t quite work for me. In fact, I found it to be a bit grating.
“Superlove”: B+
The album makes a welcome return to slow-grooving funk. Another one of my favorites.
“Everything”: B+
Kravitz serves up some great guitar work on this energetic track.
“I Can’t Be Without You”: B-
Your typical arena rock ballad. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s not too memorable, either. It’s just kind of there.
“Looking Back On Love”: B+
A sexy, almost jazzy song that reminisces on past love while searching for new love . Kinda experimental, but it’s a definite groove.
“Life Ain’t Ever Been Better Than It Is Now”: B
This track finds Kravitz thanking the Lord for all his blessings. Gratitude has never sounded so funky.
“Faith of a Child”: B+
A midtempo, gospel-tinged ballad in which Kravitz implores all of us to just have a little faith.
“Sunflower” (featuring Drake): B
With its busy drums, horns, and disco whistles, how this track never became a summer anthem is beyond me. Drake stops by for a serviceable verse, but the song would have fared well without it.
“Dream”: C-
Yet another song full of hope and optimism, but I found it too slow and plodding. Almost narcoleptic.
“Push”: B+
Kravitz ends the album nicely with a moving, inspirational, and uplifting jam.
Overall Grade: B
Our Recommendation: MODERATE BUY
Our Favorite Tracks: “Black and White America,” “Liquid Jesus,” “Superlove,” “Faith of a Child”
Black and White America is an anomaly as far as current mainstream music is concerned. Bereft of both cynicism and narcissism, it carries a true message of hope and has an old school vibe that makes one think of Sly and the Family Stone or 70s-era Stevie Wonder. And while he’s not pushing the envelope sonically, Kravitz is at least meeting our musically expectations and giving us that comfort food we expect.
What are your thoughts on Black and White America?
Download the free MP3 Mixtape “Black and White America” here.
Cop this important mixtape from one of Toronto’s best and clearly one of the leaders of the new school of R&B and pop.
Tracklist:
1.High For This
2.What You Need
3.House Of Balloons – Glass Table Girls
4.The Morning
5.Wicked Games
6.The Party & The After Party
7.Coming Down
8.Loft Music
9.The Knowing
Less than two months ago, few of us had ever heard of the Weeknd. Then, as soon as the creepy R&B tracks from this free mixtape began to circulate, the hype engine revved up. There was the Drake cosign, the album art that looked like Spiritualized crossed with Tumblr Read more of this post
I have to admit that it took a loooong time for me to be like Trey Songz‘s brand of bare chested, testosterone filled Thug-N-B. However, after strong performances on songs like “I Bet The Neighbors Know My Name” and “Love Faces“, I gave this dude another chance. That said, I came into this new project with an open mind.
From the beginning of this short offering, I am all at once struck by the juxtaposition of Trey’s humility with his confidence and bravado. However, I am also confused. Who is Trey Songz? At times, he shows signs of greatness and comparison’s to R. Kelly or Aaron Hall vocally and lyrically but then it seems that he wants to be a rapper or thug. Then, at other times, he is simply vocally lazy and needs to put more work in with his vocal coach to smooth out some of the pitch issues that he and many of his peers seem unconcerned with. Just sing the damn lyric! Why do so many R&B singers oversing lyrics like they are looking for the proper key and pitch? Really grinds my gears.
Also, what does the title of this project suggest? Are we to assume Trey has been working his entire career to release a 5 song EP? Is this the inevitability he is referring to? We aren’t sure about that one. A better title would have been “I Had Some Time Off…So I Made a Few Songs” or simply “Lazy.” Just saying.
And finally, why not spend some time on a proper album cover? Trey’s creative team simply chose to repurpose and photoshop his “Just Gotta” cover rather than come up with a new concept. Sure, he has evolved and rid himself of the younger looking cornrows. Perhaps, we are to assume this physical change will be reflected in his music. Not sure he accomplishes that in spades but at least he makes an attempt to grow up.
Overall, even with the apparent creative laziness, we did manage to enjoy the EP and think his stable of female fans will eat up at least a couple songs on this project.
“If you can conceive it in your mind, you can achieve it in the physical” – Trey Songz
Track-by-Track Review
01. Top Of The World – B
We like the motivational sentiment in this cut. Trey waxes poetic about his paper and accomplishments while extending the hope to his community. For some reason, we believe him, but a looking a little sideways at the delivery. Really Trey? Personally, I could have done without the ignorant sounding soliloquy at the end. It just ruined an otherwise heartfelt message in my book.
02. What I Be On (feat. Fabolous) – B-
The beat ain’t bad. Unfortunately, this is the requisite club banger for the fellas with (sub)standard overused themes: booze, weed, money, women. Yawn.
03. I Do – B
I just like this song. It’s clever and straight to the point sex driven R&B. This is that late night soundtrack that you have come to expect from Trey. Lyrically, it is reminiscent of Drake‘s Marvin’s Room, where Trey is making a plea to a lover that he is more capable than her other option. Well done for the most part even though it reeks of an R. Kelly knockoff with less thought put into production and arrangement.
04. Outside (Part. 1) – B+
I love the mood of this sex-fueled ballad. The lyrics are clever and sung with purpose without too many of the usual vocal machinations that simply get on my nerves and don’t impress. However, I could have done without the ubiquitous Drake “Uh” which we hear WAY TOO MUCH on his own projects. It just didn’t add anything to this song except the thought that Trey couldn’t actually afford a Drake cameo perhaps? We don’t think that is the case, but the absence of any real contribution seems a bit out of place
05. Sex Ain’t Better Than Love – A-
I love the sentiment of this song as well as the production and performance by Trey. Nice message to those youngsters out there who haven’t figured this one out yet. He should be getting a decent amount of Quiet Storm love from this one.
Overall Grade:B
While we enjoyed the EP, we are not sure it will resonate with everyone, which is fine. Trey’s most loyal fans will find something they like in this short player, while those not as familiar will likely be left a bit confused. Pick and choose with this one.
Last year, when Drake dropped his debut album “Thank Me Later”, all eyes were definitely on him. The Canadian hip-hop artist had garnered acclaim for his now-classic and influential mixtape So Far Gone, scored an indisputable hit record with “Best I Ever Had,” nabbed Grammy nominations, and received near universal accolades for his emotive blend of rap and R&B.
Then, a funny thing happened on the way to the top of the Billboard charts. People expressed dissatisfaction with “Thank Me Later.” Let’s not be mistaken, the album went platinum and spawned several hits, including “Find You Love,” “Over,” and the brilliant “Miss Me.” But it just didn’t have the impact of classic hip-hop debuts like Doggystyle and Get Rich Or Die Tryin’—critically or sales wise.
Which is why Drake supposedly titled his sophomore album Take Care. “I didn’t get to take the time that I wanted to on that record. I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically I didn’t get to sit with the record and say, ‘I should change this verse,’” he said in a radio interview. “That’s why my new album is called Take Care because I get to take my time this go-round.”
Featuring an impressive roster of guest artists, including Stevie Wonder, Andre 3000, Rihanna, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, and labelmates Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, and boasting production from Just Blaze, Boi-1da, and long-time collaborator Noah “40″ Shebib for production, Take Care is Drake’s attempt at giving listeners the classic album they’d expected with his debut. Was he successful?
Track-by-Track Review
01 “Over My Dead Body” featuring Chantal Kreviazuk – B+
The album opener finds Drake addressing the naysayers, competition, and anyone else who questions his ability to match (or even exceed) his previous successes. His clever lyrics, aided by Canadian pop chanteuse Chantal Kreviazuk’s ethereal vocals and piano stylings, make this one a winner.
02 “Shot For Me” – B
An intoxicating torch song, “Shot For Me” finds Drake talking to one of his pre-fame loves. It didn’t work out for whatever reason—she thought Drake was cheating during their courtship—but there’s still quite a bit of affection between the two. The SWV sample is the icing on the cake.
03 “Headlines” – B
Take Care’s lead single is arrogant, bombastic, and bumpin’. Over punchy kicks, wobbly synths, and a frenetic snare, Drake once again reminds his detractors that he’s hip-hop’s reigning It-Boy for a reason. But that’s something they already know. They know, they know, they know….
04 “Crew Love” featuring The Weeknd – A-
When OVO and XO link up, you can be sure the result will be nothing short of amazing. Drake’s protege, Canadian R&B wunderkind Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd, opens this spacey little ode to bromance. The brotherly love is evident—Drake’s gonna make sure all his people are taken care of, and The Weeknd will supply his boys with a never ending procession of Polish girls. One of the best tracks on the album, “Crew Love” will have you feeling the love.
05 “Take Care” featuring Rihanna – A-
Did they or didn’t they? If the rumors (some of which fueled by Mr. Graham himself) are to be believed, they did. Maybe that’s why this duet works so well. Drake and Rihanna lament their lost love over a melancholic dance track produced by Jamie xx.
06 “Marvins Room” featuring Kendrick Lamar – A+
Initially a throwaway track recorded for fun, the plaintive “Marvins Room” finds Drake drunk dialing an ex and telling her to dump the zero she’s with and get the hero that our protagonist has become. Sure, it could construed as a “hater’s anthem,” but it’s such an honest admission of one’s feelings, you can’t help but to root for Drizzy. It’s hands down one of the best songs of the year, and contains what might be the ultimate bootie call line: “I need someone to put this weight on.”
07 “Buried Alive Interlude” featuring Kendrick Lamar – B
A storytelling interlude by Kendrick Lamar in which the Cali rapper details the first time he met Drake and how he covets his peer’s success. It’s pretty damn clever.
08 “Underground Kings” – B+
Drake has always been reverent of Houston’s hip-hop culture—notice the number of songs on Take Care alone that reference or sample some of the scene’s unsung heroes. While this uptempo track pays subtle homage to the 3rd Coast innovators from whom it takes its name, the song is mostly a chance for Drake to exercise a rapid-fire flow while reminding us that he is this era’s underground champion made good.
09 “We’ll Be Fine” featuring Birdman – B
Typical braggadocio raps from Drizzy, capped by a rambling Birdman at the end, exhorting the listener to give Drake respect for being one of “the realest niggas with the realest flow.”
10 “Make Me Proud” featuring Nicki Minaj – A-
Drake’s not fooling anyone—he is in love with Nicki Minaj, and really, who can blame him? The rapstress owns this collaboration with a verse that details her merchandising deals, exhibits Sagittarius pride, and salutes Dolly Parton. What the Harajuku Barbie is saying is this: she, too, can just be as successful as the boys and she can do it on her own terms. Drake is off to the side, admiring and showering Nicki with praise: “Umso, umso, umso, umso, umso proud of you!”
11 “Lord Knows” featuring Rick Ross – A+
By now, it should be a foregone conclusion that if Rick Ross is a guest on an album, he will appear on the best track. Case in point: “Lord Knows” is a banger of the highest order. Just Blaze manned the boards on this one, which boasts gospel-inspired vocals and the producer’s trademark hard-hitting drums. Drake blacks out for the first three minutes, spitting rhymes that are simultaneously inspirational and vicious. The Bawse wraps things up, reminding us that “you only live once.” By far the album’s best song, only one can truly describe it: EPIC.
12 “Cameras / Good Ones Go (Interlude)” – B-
There’s an internet meme that says, “May your life be as awesome as you pretend it is on Facebook.” That’s pretty much the theme of this song—”She look like a star,” Drake rap-sings, “but only on camera.” It’s a cool, funny tune, but not a standout by any means. The interlude that follows, however, is yet another smoky elegy for love lost.
13 “Doing It Wrong” featuring Stevie Wonder – B+
Another ballad, one in which Drake says that the current generation doesn’t know how to love or stay together for the sake of love. It’s a sobering sentiment, one made all the more sad by a beautifully mournful harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder.
14 “The Real Her” featuring Lil Wayne and Andre 3000 – A
This track sounds like it would have been right at home on So Far Gone, which is apropos given it references one of that mixtape’s most memorable songs, “Houstatlantavegas.” Wayne’s verse is cool, but it’s Three Stacks who really shines with his lyrical pontifications on love and heartbreak: “Niggas that are married don’t wanna go home/We look up to them, they wish they were us/They want some new trim/We lust for some trust.” The grass really ain’t greener on the other side.
15 “HYFR (Hell Yeah Fuckin’ Right)” featuring Lil Wayne – B+
Over rubbery synths and caffeinated drums, Drizzy and Tunechi spit some clever verses just for the hell of it. It’s one of the very few stream-of-consciousness songs on Take Care, but as that is typically Weezy’s M.O., it’s not as jarring as you’d expect.
16 “Look What You’ve Done” – B
This song is saccharine, to be sure, but it’s one of the album’s most heartfelt jams. Drake’s thank you to those who believed in him, specifically his grandmother. Her soundbite at the end is manipulative; if this song doesn’t make you think of your own mother or grandmother while at the same time making your eyes well up, you clearly have no soul.
17 “Practice” – B+
Perhaps the most controversial track on Take Care, Drake decided to pay homage to his Cash Money ancestors and remake Juvenile’s classic “Back That Azz Up.” As a ballad. Yes, you read right. But what’s even crazier is that it totally works. The subject matter is crude—Drake is telling the young woman he’s wooing that all the men she’d previous slept with were merely practice for him—but 40′s airy take on Mannie Fresh’s instantly familiar strings and Drake’s vocal interpretation of Juvy’s profane come-ons make “Practice” stand out.
18 “The Ride” – B+
Drake closes out the album by attempting to put us in his shoes. It’s a dope track, co-produced by The Weeknd and co-opting a soulful hip-hop vibe that’s reminiscent of College Dropout-era Kanye. A great way to close out a dope album.
19 “The Motto” featuring Lil Wayne – B
The first of two bonus tracks, “The Motto” has Drizzy combining powers with Lil Wayne over a hyphy-influenced track. The song, which shouts out Bay Area legend Mac Dre, is comprised of boastful verses over heavy 808s and a throbbing bassline.
20 “Hate Sleeping Alone” – B-
The second bonus track is decidedly less melancholic than the rest of the album yet still find Drake pining for a young woman’s affections over atmospheric production. While the song is decent, there’s a reason it’s considered a bonus track instead of part of the album proper. Had it been left off, it wouldn’t have been missed.
Overall Grade: B+
Our Favorite Tracks: “Lord Knows,” “Make Me Proud,” “The Real Her”
Our Recommendation: BUY
Ultimately, Take Care succeeds because Drake has finally found his footing as an artist and is willing to give all of himself to his fans. Has he made a classic? Well, only time will tell. But one thing is certain: by finding a nice middle ground between the emotional resonance of So Far Gone and the commercial stylings of Thank Me Later, he’s created a style that is innovative and enthralling. If he continues to take care with each successive project, there’s no doubt that Drake will make music that will endure for years to come.
RT @JayFingers: Tks sir! RT @DrPostALot Love the write up from @JayFingers @soulhead1 for @GhostfaceKillah http://t.co/S4GFo7Ggd4 #Salute @AdrianYounge2 days ago via web from DrPostALot
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