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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024

Drake’s new mixtape paves way to throne of hip hop

Drake_Bluesfest
Drake falls back into familiar rhythms and hooks on his new 17-song mixtape, and hints at the next level of development for his album scheduled for release this year.

On Feb. 12, Drake released a 17-song mixtape on iTunes and announced it via Twitter with the amount of publicity and fanfare that preceded Beyonce’s eponymous 2014 release -- namely, none. “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” begins with “Legend” and concludes with “6PM In New York."  In a move that feels both understated and completely in-your-face, Drake is not wedging his toe back in the door of hip-hop, but rather unhinging it from its frame, reminding listeners around the world that not only does he run the game, but he’s just getting started.

Self-assuredness in hip-hop is practically ingrained, but Drake’s own self-assuredness is grittier. Balancing topics of his mixed-race identity with his struggles of breaking into, and then ruling, the hip-hop world, “Nothing Was the Same” (2013) took the bawdiness of “Take Care” (2011) and ground it into a fine dust, sprinkled it over all fifteen tracks on the deluxe edition of the LP and then let it marinate. “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” takes this combination of introspection and self-aggrandizement to a new level. The mixtape is the stepping stone to the throne and Drake sounds ready to lead the monarchy of hip-hop.

“Legend” holds the lyrics “Oh my god, if I die, I’m a legend” -- lines that would feel cocky if they weren’t slowed down to half time. Drake is kicking it in his classic slow rap-talk style, and while his lyrics are slick, they flow with the sweetness of syrup -- maple syrup, most likely, since Drake’s Canadian references are so blatant and interspersed in the mixtape that it sounds more like a love letter to T.O. than to the industry which has at turns rejected him and bowed to him. “Legend” sets up the rest of the mixtape as both a throwback and a look forward.

“Energy” follows with similar pacing. Although the tempo is harsher and the beat is peppered with loops, the track is a call to slow down and not to speed up. In a music world that constantly crushes the windpipes of artists who aren’t producing content that is fast enough for the internet and for the ADD-addled brains of listeners, Drake is pumping his foot on the brake hard and forcing listeners to swallow every word.

At the heart of the album is Drake’s attempts to rebrand both his hometown and himself. With four explicit references to “the 6” on his album in album titles alone, with other references in “Know Yours” and other tracks, Drake is unrelenting in his love for Toronto. “The 6,” a new nickname for Toronto that Drake has arguably created and been at the forefront of promoting, comes from the blending of two of the city’s phone area codes -- 416 and 647. The nickname has been picked up by other rappers of late (see Jimmy Prime’s references on his latest 9-song mixtape, "In God We Trust"(2014)). With the announcement of Drake’s next album -- yes, another album in 2015, not including this mixtape -- named “Views from the 6,” it’s clear that Drake is making a concerted effort to move towards his past rather than away from it.

Collaborations with Lil’ Wayne, Travi$ Scott and PARTYNEXTDOOR show that Drake isn’t afraid to work with other artists, but it’s certain that this mixtape is a precursor for a new generation of Drake -- an era where he is unafraid to be completely and entirely alone in his limelight. In “No Tellin’” Drake addresses his evolution as an artist and his development within the industry: “Please don't speak to me like I’m that Drake from four years ago/ I’m at a higher place/ Thinkin’ they lions and tigers and bears, they go huntin'.”

If what Drake asserts at the beginning of “No Tellin’” -- “I took the summer off to get it right” -- is true, then “Views from the 6” is set to be his best yet. Drake’s surprise single on the Soundcloud for his label, October's Very Own, “0 to 100 -- The Catch Up” has over 30 million plays and counting. For an artist who takes time off, he isn’t slowing down.

https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-0-to-100

The album is certainly slow and for listeners looking for the infectiousness and depth of “Nothing Was the Same,” there is something lacking. Drake’s hooks are strong and his singing is buttery but “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” feels like a tease at what’s to come -- a coloring book with half the pages still blank.

The album's penultimate track, "Jungle," features a  cinematic 14-minute long video released on the Youtube channel October’s Very Own to only about half a million views so far -- a sign that Drake's hint of what's to come is flying under the radar. The video is slow, following in the vein of the mixtape and his recent releases, but there’s a brooding undertone -- something uncovered -- that leaves viewers waiting for Drake to tear off the blindfold so he can unveil the next album.

It’s clear that whatever game Drake is playing, he isn’t just running it -- he’s making all the rules.

Summary There’s a brooding undertone, something uncovered, that leaves viewers waiting for Drake to tear off the blindfold so he can unveil the next album. It’s clear that whatever game Drake is playing, he isn’t just running it, he’s making all the rules.
4 Stars