From N.W.A to MGK, rap beef has defined critical reception of the loser’s career for years afterwards. It’s been a month now since the conclusion of Kendrick vs. Drake, one of the biggest rap beefs of the last decade. A month since Kendrick Lamar’s record-breaking Super Bowl halftime show, surpassing 133.5 million viewers on average. A month since 65,000 fans screamed “A minor” in unison. A month since Lamar performed his record shattering diss “Not Like Us,” the first rap song to win both Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the Grammys.
And now, Drake has made his return – and it is decidedly anticlimactic.
Drake and songwriter-rapper PartyNextDoor recently released a polarizing new album titled $ome $exy $ongs 4 U ($$$4U). The two are some of the most prominent Canadian hip-hop artists worldwide, so the album came with high expectations.
In terms of strategy, the R&B approach was a genius move by Drake. Post-feud with Lamar, a purely hip-hop album would inevitably get compared to Lamar’s GNX. Instead, the “romantic” songs of $$$4U are meant to return to Drake’s earlier crooning loverboy vocals.
In addition, the album is a collaboration. If it was received well, his fanbase would scream, “DRAKE’S BACK!” If it was received poorly, his fanbase could say, “It’s not the real Drake album, the real Drake album is coming next.”
However, the release isn’t living up to the hype. Any Drake fans expecting a full-blown anime redemption arc, will be sorely disappointed.
This album is objectively underwhelming for anyone expecting a decent Drake record. The songs range from somewhat listenable to disastrous. The first song on the album, “CN Tower,” immediately shows you what this album is going to be: dull, dragging R&B.
The second track, “Moth Balls”, comes with a bit more vitality, but it is drowned out by the obnoxious autotune which is prevalent throughout the entire record. This album sounds like Drake swallowed a synthesizer. “Something About You” is reminiscent of a lazy karaoke performance and “Crying In Chanel” is essentially a step-by-step guide to gaslighting.
After that you have “Small Town Fame,” a song that contains a weird shot at Charli XCX, and “Spider-Man Superman,” which would have had potential if not for the ear-grating voice production that overwhelms the album. PartyNextDoor’s performance is more promising than Drake’s; it features passionate and vulnerable delivery, albeit tainted by awkward production. His sole solo effort, “Deeper,” is solid.
Finishing out the first half is “Brian Steel” and “Gimme a Hug,” which are, at least, interesting, although the latter reeks of self-entitlement, with the bar “Drizzy, you amazin’, you the inspiration/you set the bar for the next generation”.
Blissfully, the second half of the album is miles better than the first. “Raining in Houston,” while still underwhelming, has some solid verses. “Meet Your Padre” is the outlier in the second half; this song sounds like it was AI generated because of some of the lyrics. “Text your friends ‘¿Qué pasa?’ Vamos, bring them to mi casa, por favor.”
“Die Trying” is catchy and exhibits the melodies Drake is known best for. Then there’s the best song on the album by far: “Nokia.” It uses a bizarre combination of synths and incorporates eccentric vocals from the album’s producer, Elkan, that ties it together into a uniquely catchy hit. After “Nokia”, the quality tapers off again. “Celibacy” narrates a disturbing effort to coerce a woman into intercourse. “OMW” seems like a creepily persistent attempt to force a mom away from her kids and go out with Drake. The album stumbles to a close with “Greedy,” the best example of a “mood” song on the album. The production is solid, the autotune is manageable, and it’s a decent closer.
Overall, this album is, to put it lightly, disappointing. It has its bright moments, particularly towards the end, but the majority of the songs are composed of lackluster production, over-the-top autotune, and very little energy. For a rap legend like Drake, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U is another step that shifts his legacy towards mediocrity.
But hey, the real Drake album is coming soon… right?
SCORE: 4/10
