Everybody wanted to see how Drake would bounce back. The year 2024 wasn’t the smoothest for Drizzy; some could say it might have been his toughest since he became a rap star. The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef put a chink in Drake’s armor, if not destroying it altogether. We finally got a new body of work from Drake, and he came back catering to what made him Drake: the ladies.
Some Sexy Songs 4 U ($$$4U) began with an ode to his hometown, Toronto, where Drake spent most of the past year. The album transitions into one of the best songs, “Moth Balls,” another ode to Toronto. Drake and PartyNextDoor flow off each other perfectly as PND handles chorus duties and Drake provides an excellent verse.
Other standout tracks include “Pimmie’s Dilemma,” “Gimme A Hug,” “NOKIA,” “Die Trying,” “CELIBACY,” “OMW,” “When He’s Gone” and “Greedy.”
“Gimme A Hug” caught everybody’s attention as the only track directly addressing the beef. Drake is reflective: “Drake elimination, fake intimidation” is how the track starts. His message is clear – he’s done with the beef; it took him away from who he really is as an artist. “What can I say? I miss you h*es, give me a hug.”
The album hits its groove starting on track 13, “Nokia,” which gives “Hotline Bling” vibes – a fun, poppy song to dance to. In “Die Trying,” Drake and PartyNextDoor go full pop, singing over an acoustic guitar-laced beat. Drake touches on the beef again: “Why won’t my tears work? It’s been a decade since I cried/ I got no dog left in the fight, the dog don’t match the bite.”
The best song is “Somebody Loves Me,” peak Drake and PND collaboration. PartyNextDoor opens with a smooth verse about the struggles of finding love, and Drake follows with one of his toughest verses on the album. Drake touches on how wild his nights get and how he’s tired of mindless threesomes and gift giving.
On “Celibacy,” Drake tries to convince his lover to end her celibacy for him with some of his best vocal work. “OMW” showcases PartyNextDoor’s excellence, while Drake delivers a masterful verse at the end of “When He’s Gone,” easily the best rapping verse of the entire album.
“Some Sexy Songs 4 U” was a trial for Drake. He wanted to see exactly where he stood in the music game after the Internet claimed he was universally hated. The appetite for Drake remains strong, with the album selling 246,000 units in the first week and debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The world was begging for old Drake, that “Take Care”-era Drake, and he delivered alongside his labelmate PartyNextDoor. A collaborative R&B album was the perfect way to return after arguably the worst year of his career because it showed the Drake that everybody used to love is still there. It took Kendrick Lamar to bring this side back to the forefront, but the ladies and day-one Drake fans are happy to see emotional Drake back in the spotlight.
