[Review] Drake - Thank Me Later

Artist: Drake
Album: Thank Me Later
Release Date: June 15th 2010
Producers: Boi-1da, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, No I.D., Omen, Crada, 40, Tone Mason, Jeff Bhasker, Francis & The Lights, Arthur McArthur and Al Khaliq.
Guests: Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy, T.I., Swizz Beatz, & The Dream. (Bonus Tracks feature Bun B, Lil' Wayne, & Trey Songz).


Like when Eminem took over the game in the late 1990's, and the hype around 50 Cent in 2002, the Hip Hop industry's richter scale has been sizing up another possible tremor to hit over the past year.

Despite his debut album only dropping this summer, in the ast year, Drake has already had artists no bigger than Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige and of course Eminem recording music for him, as well as rumours persisting last summer of an on/off relationship with Rihanna, and a mixtape that many claimed was better than most albums released in 2009. You sort of get the impression that something perhaps Drake might sell quite a few records.

Having already has major acting roles on US and Canadian TV shows, including Digrassi: The Next Generation, and Blue Murder, plus a role in the next Batman movie, Drake has now switched his talent towards making music. The Toronto born star soon found his way into Lil' Wayne's Young Money circle where he featured on their recent album, outshining all of the other artists in many opinions. Even Jay-Z was unsure whether to put Drake's verse on his Blueprint 3 album, but instead opted for just Drake featured on a chorus - a move leaving many fans wondering why, since Drake had recorded an entire verse for Timbaland to put on the CD, but perhaps Jay learned his lesson from Eminem's presence on Renagade.

Lasy September, Drake released an EP entitled 'So Far Gone' which included 6 tracks inclusing 'Best I Ever Had' which became a hit in the states, and 'Successful' with Lil' Wayne and Trey Songz. The EP has so far sold over 450,000 copies, something I cannot possible envision another new artist to do before the release of any debut material. In fact, to kick start any discography off with a bang like that only suggests monumental things for the future. Weeks later, Eminem has recorded a verse for his song 'Forever'....which he soon used on his 'Relapse: Refill' album.

So finally it is here. 'Thank Me Later' has been simmering for months, with various songs leaked online - some making the final cut, some not. There was even rumours of a mega collaboration with The Kings Of Leon, although this has not meterialised.

The album seems to have an alternative sound to it. Drake comes from a softer direction, in terms of ballad beats with an 'old skool' style rap over it. This seems to be a problem I found with the CD - much of the album sounds very much the same, with not a lot of variation. Most of the songs fail to excite, and often get forgotten once skipped onto the next one. However, 'Up All Night' is very heavy, although features a below average verse from Nicki Minaj. 'Light It Up' is one of my favourite tracks on the CD, and seems like a battle of best verse between himself and Jay-Z, as both are at their best lyrically on this track - I will give Jay bragging rights on this one since Drake easily owns Lil' Wayne's feature.

'Shut It Down' is a song emotionally driven with The Dream, as are most of the songs on the album, but the best track has to be 'The Resistance', which is produced by 40. The song represents everything that the album is about - emotional rap with an alternative sound.

I was not as impressed with the Swizz Beatz produced track, 'Fancy' as I thought I would be. I was hoping the uptempo Swizzy style would elevate into the next single from the album, but I doubt the average hook will enable this to happen.

Overall I was impressed with Drake, who has set a new bar level for new artists simmering in the rap game, but will the fans of Drake's mixtape material feel it? I dont know, but I know there will be thousands for every listener that doesn't.

7/10

[Review] Young Money - We Are Young Money

Artist: Young Money Entertainment (Lil' Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Mack Maine, Tyga, Nicki Minaj, Lil' Twist, Gudda Gudda, T-Streets, Shanell & Lil' Chuckee.
Album: We Are Young Money
Label: Cash Money/Universal
Release Date: December 21st 2009
Guests: Birdman, Lloyd, Gucci Mane & Clyde McKnight.
Producers: Tha Bizzness, Kane Beatz, David Banner, Chase N. Cashe, B.Carr, Andrew "Papa Justifi" Wansel & Warren "Oak" Felder.

50 Cent has his G-Unit Records, Jay-Z had Roc-A-Fella and Eminem has Shady Aftermath, and now Lil' Wayne is showing that the Young Money movement that he has spoken about over the years, has some strength behind it - in the form of a new album.

Its no myth that Lil' Wayne has been regarded as being the best rapper making hits for several years now. His wordplay on tracks have made him popular with the fans, and on the mixtape circuit, and with an estimated 2,000 songs tracks that he has recorded, there is no shortage of Weezy verse out there.

So, when I became aware of a Young Money group album coming, it was instantly something that I was looking forward to, especially with the newest sensation, Drake also confirmed for appearance. Potentially, two of the best lyricists in the rap game as of 2009, were going to be making a CD, with several other label mates - it had the ingrediants for an exciting album, helped further by the smash hit 'Every Girl'. The song was a synopsis for what we could expect to hear on the album, and a chance to hear some of the talent that was emerging from the label, especially Drake. Wayne started off with not a one of his best verses, but still strong enough to be ahead of other MCs in the game, but Drake killed it. His flow, technique and delivery was perfect, and I have to say, I was also impressed with Jae Millz and Mack Maine's efforts to. However, I was left wondering whether or not this was going to be an Autotune bashing disc, but I was not too concerned, as Weezy is one of the few artists that has adapted his style to use it...in fact, I think apart from T-Pain, Weezy is the only artist who has used the effect and made it work for him in my opinion.

I needed to hear more though. A second single began circulating the internet a few weeks ago called 'Bedrock' and featured a hook sang by Lloyd, and despite it being an old chat-up line, I liked the sound of it - the beat was tidy, and once again, there was a strong verse from Drake, but again, I was expecting a better Weezy opening. It might sound picky, but I am comparing verses to what he is famous for - remix songs that he has killed in the past, and features on other artist's albums. I actually think that Weezy is like a sportsman. He has a good game and gets picked for the team, but other times he can play bad, and needs substituting at halftime, and other times, damn right shocking and deserves fining a week's wages.

So I made sure that this album was right at the top of my list for 2009. 50 Cent has dropped, Eminem has dropped twice, Fabolous dropped, Jay-Z dropped and now the end of December in the middle of the Christmas season, there was to be another big one. I was just hoping that Birdman did not carry on his tradition and push this one way back into 2010, although I was thinking that if he did do tat, I would just pre order it on Amazon.

So here it is, I sit flicking through the tracks, listening to the verses, and I am loving it, right? Wrong. There just feels like tere is something missing from it. Should the opening line on the album be "Sitting on the toilet..." The intro song, 'Gooder' just does not have the impact that the start of albums usually have, but anyway, it is straight after that that 'Every Girl' comes - probably the strongest track on the album. The next track 'Ms. Parker' feels like maybe it should be a single, but the beat does not give it strength. This seems to be the case throughout, the album has 'average' beats, and Weezy is not spitting at his strongest, in fact, he is outshone on quite a few tracks - this will be a disappointment for most fans,because 90% will buy this because Lil' Wayne has been involved in it, the other 10% get it as a gift at Christmas.

Other songs that I liked from the CD were 'Bedrock' , 'Steady Mobbin', 'Roger That' and 'Finale'. The last of these being the outro for the album, and features several bars from each of the Young Money artists, and despite Weezy seeming to have a much longer verse on the track, it was far from the best. In my yes, Drake is becoming the aplha male of the label, and you can understand where the buzz is coming from. Nicki Minaj, a female rapper on the label, also showed some good lyrical skill as did Mack Maine and Jae Millz.

To some up this album, I would say that its purpose has been to promote the talent of the label, rather than to try and take over the rap industry. The album will be enjoyed by most rap fans, but I feel that the songs on it seem to be 'overcrowded' by artists. Dont be put off by this review, it is a good album, but not a classic.

6/10