#Drake hype listen free series

вЂњChampagne PoetryвЂќ can feel like an at once remarkable and uneven opener: it has the pristine, ambitious energy of most of DrakeвЂ™s album intros, but its effect is heavily diminished for listeners who are already familiar with the already popular Masego track вЂњNavajo,вЂќ mirroring that songвЂ™s sample here with a Beatles interpolation. Speaking of whom, вЂњWay 2 Sexy,вЂќ featuring Future and Young Thug (following up the trioвЂ™s 2020 collab, the stellar вЂњD4LвЂќ), is perhaps the albumвЂ™s most polarizing track: the beat is glorious and boisterous, while the core sample (Right Said FredвЂ™s вЂњIвЂ™m Too SexyвЂќ) and FutureвЂ™s chorus are immediately cringey, even as the naturally zanier Young Thug slides in with ease.

#Drake hype listen free series

вЂњ7am On Bridle PathвЂќ is a typically strong entry to the AM/PM series (вЂњ4pm in Calabasas,вЂќ вЂњ6am in Toronto,вЂќ etc.) вЂњFountainsвЂќ is a stale follow-up to his other dancehall tracks, a la вЂњOne DanceвЂќ вЂњGirls Want GirlsвЂќ is another infectiously moody, melodic R&B trap that could be a fresh version of вЂњTime FliesвЂќ вЂњTSUвЂќ is a catchier, smoother вЂњGreeceвЂќ вЂњKnife TalkвЂќ is a lesser version of another 21 Savage collab, вЂњSneakinвЂ™.вЂќДЄside from a lack of fat-trimming - the second half in particular outstays its welcome - there are some nice highs: вЂњN 2 Deep,вЂќ for instance, is as adventurous as Drake has been in some time, its first half set over a gritty guitar that feels unintentionally reminiscent of вЂњJailвЂќ from вЂњDonda,вЂќ followed by a standard but nevertheless satisfying beat switch to a back-and-forth with Future. ItвЂ™s an album that feels like the work of a fan curating an enjoyable but ultimately unadventurous mix of DrakeвЂ™s works from the last five years or so.

Yet вЂњCertified Lover Boy,вЂќ a long-awaited album that was delayed by more than a year, exists in the same vein: not as some refined, cohesive work, but an overlong dump of tracks that can be briefly exhilarating, quickly infectious and absent of any noticeable evolution or risk from someone who might credibly be considered the worldвЂ™s biggest artist. Through that B-side pile, weвЂ™ve received a trove of really memorable cuts - songs that shoot straight into playlists for partying, late-night moodiness, and cutting underdog bangers. The highly successful strategy here is to keep his hold on the culture, while we wait for the real-deal album material.

But it officially stamps DrakeвЂ™s self-proclaimed golden era as what might also be considered his вЂњplaylist era.вЂќ In the last five years leading up to this record, Drake has released one official album (2018вЂ™s вЂњScorpionвЂќ), but also a long playlist of original tracks (вЂњMore LifeвЂќ), a repackaged bundle of past loosies (вЂњCare PackageвЂќ) and another collection of вЂњdemo tapesвЂќ (вЂњDark Lane Demo TapesвЂќ). вЂњCertified Lover BoyвЂќ is a perfectly fine record - itвЂ™s expensively well-produced, like all of DrakeвЂ™s albums, and easily likable with a decent batting average for a nearly hour-and-a-half record. ItвЂ™s also what makes his new album a confirmation of a rapper partially trapped in pop superstar stasis. It is this energy - one hyper-focused on maintaining his reign - that keeps him smiling. By most measures, heвЂ™s right: few artists have maintained a stranglehold on music or culture at large for as long as he has. вЂњFar as the Drake era, man, we in the golden ages,вЂќ he raps later on that same вЂњBridle PathвЂќ track.

Indeed, despite only a couple direct promotional efforts, the album will bully the charts - as you read this, a dozen tracks are likely climbing over one another like crabs in a bucket, reaching for slots atop every relevant ranking.