I’ve always wondered how school teachers grade their students; do they base it on the child’s efforts? Results? Do they compare to other students? Or maybe all of the above?
I assume its a combination since judging Drake’s latest, Nothing Was The Same. If this album faced the greats of hip-hop, it clearly would not make the cut. Drake’s flow is mediocre at best. There is no consistent concept holding this piece together and the content is well… teenage angst/YOLO life, not exactly the components of a classic record. However let’s be real, Drake wasn’t trying to make a classic record. He wanted to make a hit record and in that respect, he’s done it better than the past few times. His production team, led by Noah ’40’ Shebib, did a great job at making smooth beats to compliment Drake’s natural tempo. His rapping, though still mediocre, has greatly improved since his last album.
There are a few well-executed 64 bars on this one, and his singing actually brings an interesting dimension to this album that has clearly worked to his benefit. There are even a few tracks like Pound Cake and Too Much that I may keep in my repertoire So all in all, barely a step forward for hip-hop, a big step forward for Drake. That merits a pass, right?
Label: Cash Money Records/OVO Sound