Every three or four years, hip-hop introduces the “new kid.” Hype and curiousness engulfs the “new kid” while creating an insatiable demand for the young emcee’s debut material. Snoop was the “new kid” in 1994; 50 Cent took the title and ran with it in 2003; and Kanye West was at the head of the class in 2004.
Hip-hop recently anointed the “new kid” title to a rapper that hails from Toronto. After the release of his 2009 mixtape So Far Gone, Drake surpassed most of his peers who are struggling to create a buzz and is already mentioned among hip-hop elite.
Faced with immeasurable pressure to live up to the hype, Drake took a year to complete his debut album, Thank Me Later.
Throughout the album, he’s confident, arrogant, introspective, insecure, vulnerable and brash without forcing the moment.
On “Light It Up,” Drake goes toe-to-toe with Jay-Z by mixing braggadocios rhymes with anti-hater sentiments. Swizz Beatz and T.I. provide Drake with a party anthem on the undeniable “Fancy.”
But Drake is at his best when he points out his faults and his family troubles. On “The Resistance” he raps, “I heard they just moved my grandmother to a nursing home and I be acting like I don’t know how to work a phone/ but hit redial you’ll see that I just called some chick I met at the mall that I barely know at all/ and plus this woman that I mess with unprotected/ text saying she wish she woulda kept it and the one I’m laying next to just looked over and read it.”
Drake also uses his gift of crooning to satisfy his female fans. On “Find Your Love,” Drake pours out his heart to a prospective mate, and on “Shut it Down,” he teams up with The-Dream for a ballad that is a certified baby maker.
The only fault on Thank Me Later is Drake’s inconsistent voice. Although he’s lyrically gifted, he has yet to find a definitive sound. It’s evident that he studies Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. However, that slight misstep doesn’t detract from the overall vibe of the album. Drake took on the challenge of being the “new kid” by creating a respectable album and is now on pace to become one of the biggest stars in hip-hop. –amir shaw
Click Here to Hear ‘Fireworks’
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Click Here to Hear ‘Fancy’
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