Kevin Lupo
Editor and Chief
Editor and Chief
“Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans” he rapped on the promotional single “5 AM in Toronto” back in March. Earlier this year, Aubrey Graham, better known as Drake released his hit-single “Started From The Bottom”. Since then Nothing Was The Same. Drake, who just released his third LP Nothing Was The Same on September 24th, has sold almost a million copies already and the LP is on it’s way to reaching Platinum status very soon. As an avid listener to the successful OVO rapper, I think this may be his best work. With two record-breaking albums and one of the most downloaded mixtapes of all time already in his repertoire, Drizzy (one of Drake’s nicknames) wanted to show us who the best MC really is.
The album starts off with “Tuscan Leather” which boasts Drake strengths on his rap side. It was a different start to a Drake album than Thank Me Later and Take Care he started off a little slower. With producer Noah “40” Shebib switching the beats on the track making it sound like three different songs, makes it a must listen as the album opens with a bang. “Furthest Thing,” the second track is definitely a Drake song if you know what I mean. “I made every woman feel like she was mine and no one else’s” shows that Drake is still in touch with his emotional side and displays his love for woman. “Started From The Bottom” which I’m pretty sure everyone reading this has heard, was the first single off the album. It isn’t Drizzy’s best work but it went platinum just like his wristwatch.“Wu-Tang Forever” was one of the more controversial songs on the album. Wu-Tang is a very famous rap group who have that underground- hardcore rap vibe. Drake remixed one of their songs and made it slower and deeper in the sense of feelings.
“Own It” displays all of Drake, as he sings, raps, and killed the track. Drizzy is telling the girl he used to be with to “Own It” and live her life but his heart will always be hers. Drake borrows a few lines from Ma$e’s verse on “Mo Money, Mo Problems” for “Worst Behavior,” a song that has the 26-year-old rapper in his best form yet. By far, one of the stand-out tracks. After the most upbeat song on the album, “From Time’ slows everything down. Graham talks about his life growing up, love, and his most important person in his life: his mom. Jhene Aiko on the chorus kinda reminds us of “Take Care’ with Rihanna which didn’t disappoint. Arguably the most popular song off the album, “Hold On We’re Going Home” takes the middle of the album to a catchier and lyrically better “Find Your Love.” It’s a radio hit but it’s much different than ‘Started From the Bottom” it shows that Drake can do more than most out there.
The rest of the album finishes off just as great as it started. “Connect,” one of my personal favorites is as he would say it “Drake featuring Drake.” “I’m just trying to connect with something babe” just makes you think about past relationships. Another favorite of mine as the 10th track, “The Language” is about the wealthy and famous life Drake lives on a daily basis. “305 To My City” is my least favorite track on the album, otherwise known as Drake’s only blemish. Detail who is featured on the track doesn’t really have the talent Drizzy has. I mean it’s in my opinion, sounds like a DJ Khaled sound with dubbed down beats. The song “Too Much” featuring Sampha is another life story of Drake with Sampha using an R&B vibe on the chorus. “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music II” was the most hyped up song leading up to Nothing Was The Same. The over seven minute track features wealthy hip-hop mogul, Jay-Z. The track lived up to expectations as “dolla bill y’all” is played in the background of the two kings. The two bonus tracks were also worth the extra couple dollars. ‘All Me” which was a promotional song for the album was one of the most popular songs on the album and “Come Thru” seemed like we were throwing it back to So Far Gone which surprised.
With a year full of new and exciting hip-hop/rap music, Drizzy showed us why he’s the best MC in the game right now and is contending for album of the year honors. Nothing Was The Same is by far, Drake’s best piece of work yet. “Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans” he could not have been more right.
