When a fresh faced, well to do Aubrey Graham (aka Drake) emerged on the hip hop scene it was a far cry from the rap personas we have been inundated with in recent times. When mirrored against some of the artists he has collaborated with such as Rick Ross, a drug mule who has no qualms in reiterating it, one could be forgiven for thinking there was no room in the business for a middle-classed, educated Drake whom rise to fame aside, would still live a more than comfortable existence.
Following on from his second album Take Care, Drake’s followup Nothing Was The Same has been described by music website Pitchfork.com as “the dawning of the Drake regime”. For those who prefer to employ reason in search of talent over the nothingness of an elaborate fanbase, this could not be further from the truth.
True, the album does open with the promise of greater things with a solid track in the form of Tuscan Leather. The loop accompanied by a high pitched hook is reminiscent of the late J Dilla. Opting against the often cop out rap chorus similar to MF Doom’s Madvilainy album and all couldn’t be going better one track in.
Sadly, a mere hare’s breath later on the second track, the hard work becomes null and void as we plummet into the core of the album’s problems with Furthest Thing. It features the listless repetition of the lyrics “On the low…” accompanied by the various lubricious activities many rappers have become synonymous with. It is an irritant which transforms your pleasure from the first track into anger that will have you click with great vigour to track three, much to your own dismay.
As the grandiose title Started From The Bottom would suggest ( and which Drake will remind you of in no uncertain terms throughout the track) it depicts the rappers supposed rise from rags to riches, rags which I would remind you he never possessed!
Had this track the comic sarcasm of an Odd Future number then Drake may be forgiven, but the genuine severity with which he tries to convince you of his plight is downright laughable.
Credit should be given for the homage he pays to Shaolin’s finest the Wu Tang Clan in Wu Tang Forever. The 13th track Pound Cake also features a sample from the Wu’s infamous C.R.E.A.M anthem and spoils us with a few verses from Jay Z.
Halfway through the album and a glimmer of hope is revived on a track which has so far reached a staggering 22.6 million hits on Spotify. Again the beat of the clap drum is smooth and supported by the silken lyrics of Majid Jordan. The mellow harmony placates your anger at the album’s opening failures. It says a lot however, that this, arguably the best track on the album, doesn’t even feature Drake.
As you stumble laborious towards the finish line, it is good to see 2 Chainz back to spit a few bars on All Me. While he has enjoy mixed success on his solo projects, it seems that any track 2 Chainz collaborates on makes for happy listening. Once again however, the feature artist takes the spotlight to boost ratings this album is desperately struggling the fill.
Three albums later and whilst his popularity grows, it is hard to see where Drake’s talent lies. Production on the album is flawless and crisp. What it lacks however is innovation, as hooks and samples (notable tracks such as Pound Cake aside) fail to offer the listener anything new.
Drake seems to be suffering from the same problems he began with. Weak lyrics and displeasing repetition are wrapped among aforementioned tracks that allude to an impoverished past we know the rapper never possessed.
It will go down among the mainstream audience, and indeed the music conglomerate, as a success story. Drake is however, in the opinion of this writer, an artist of limited talent who is inexplicably drifting further into the higher echelons of hip hop.
RATING: 6.1
