Review: Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late
By Xavier Veccia, Managing Editor
[OVO; 2015]
Rating: 6/10
Key Tracks: “ “Energy,” “Jungle”
Drake just pulled a freaking Beyonce! The self-titled 6 God is unquestionably the biggest rapper in the game right now, so when he released If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late with no warning whatsoever, while his fans are still waiting on his highly-hyped Views From The 6, it was kind of a big deal.
Now, I’m not going to bore you with the details of Aubrey Graham’s career or how this album was most likely a way to get out of his Cash Money record deal. You know that. You’re on Twitter. What I will tell you with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is it’s the most egocentric, obsessive album out right now. I’ll also tell you that it kind of bangs.
The best example of the balancing act that is If You’re Reading This is the second track “Energy.” Through unmatched bravado and an attitude that’s somewhere between confidence and cockiness, Drake delivers some scathing lines addressed simultaneously to somebody and nobody. Lines like “I got rap n****s that I gotta act like I like / But my actin’ days are over” could easily be a Tyga diss or just simply putting down the entire game.
Then there’s “6PM In New York,” the closing track. By ditching the hooks, Drake is able to sneak in as many disses as possible throughout the four minute attack, including five lines clearly used as a shot at the aforementioned Tyga.
There are times, though, when Drake falters in his machismo. In “Know Yourself,” Drake becomes a cliche, talking about cars, bling and girls in unoriginal ways. And “6 God,” released in late October due to a hack attack, sees Drake putting his ego above actual content, leaving a sub-par verse from Aubrey and a flow that’s a little too reminiscent of artists like Young Thug and Migos.
However, Drake really shines when he stops trying to prove he's the top MC and just acts like his old self. “Preach,” produced by and featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, is a deceptively sexy track that sounds like old Drake. There’s no flow-jacking, the ego is kept to a minimum and there’s even some pretty lit lines (“But hearing the scripture with that many sixes / You should be afraid”). It even rivals his early collaborations with The Weeknd.
Then there’s “Jungle,” the single that was paired with a well-produced short film showing Drake being Drake. It’s the best song on the album and it’s because Drake’s not trying to front. He’s being real and when Drake’s being real, he’s surprisingly relatable. I mean, “The things I can’t change are the reasons you love me?” Damn, Drake.
Whether you like it or not, Drake is here to stay. He’s become the biggest name in rap because he’s willing to adapt without ever truly compromising the style that made him famous in the first place. However, what keeps If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late from truly flourishing is that Drake adapts a little too much, to the point that he just sounds like a mix of every artist making hits at the moment. Let’s hope that on Views From The 6, though, he gets back to his roots rather than hiding behind his growing ego.
