In a world where music is ever evolving, Drake has continued to play a crucial role in shaping modern day R&B and hip-hop. His newly released eighth studio album, “For All The Dogs”, has caused listeners all around the world to become encapsulated in his album.
“For All The Dogs” has soared to the top of the Billboard 200 album charts in just over two weeks of its release. Drake’s recent album is a testimony to his unique ability to combine genres like R&B and hip-hop to cater to his listeners. His talent for adapting with current music trends has inevitably allowed Drake to remain so utterly successful ever since his first album release in 2009, “So Far Gone”.
Drake’s recent album has received a wide array of opinions regarding the quality to quantity ratio present in “For All The Dogs”. With his album containing a total of twenty three songs.
Through the repetitive instrumentals and lack of lyrical complexity/uniqueness, his album struggles to keep his audience engaged for the full 84 minutes.
Ultimately, the musical collaborations truly enhance the musical quality and are the highlight of Drake’s album. With some of the featured artists being: J. Cole, 21 Savage, SZA, Yeat, and more.
While “For All The Dogs” holds the potential for growth, it overall falls short in comparison to Drake’s previous discography. Where he has previously provided the lyrical complexity and engaging instrumentals that are not as prevalent in his recent album.
Drake’s “For All The Dogs” will only receive a confident 7/10 on my personal rating scale, but I will highlight the five tracks that resonated with me the most from his album.
1. “Tried Our Best” – “Tried Our Best” is a complex record that includes both R&B and rap qualities that ultimately makes this song standout the most from “For All The Dogs” to me. This track also implements mesmerizing instrumentals that enhance the song completely. This song is the only song on the album that reminds me of old Drake records containing enticing instrumentals, amazing song writing, and an entertaining beat.
2. “What Would Pluto Do” – This might ultimately be one of my favorite songs from Drake’s album. The beat, the instrumentals, his flows, everything about this track is amazing. Drake compares himself to the dwarf planet, Pluto, emphasizing his unrelenting confidence which allowed him to achieve his obvious success in the music industry.
3. “Virginia Beach” – Drake starts off his eighth studio album with an encapsulating opening track. Featuring an unreleased sample from Frank Ocean that ultimately caught my attention. In this song, Drake expresses the conflicting lifestyle between his desire for an emotional relationship in comparison to his involvement in rap/hip-hop culture.
4. “Rich Baby Daddy” – This song featuring both SZA and Sexyy Red stands out in comparison to the rest of his album (not just because of the name). Drake knows his audience and catered to his audience through this feature. I have never heard a song like this before, and the production is ultimately a reflection of Drake himself. His ability to blend three unique styles to create a hitting track is impressive.
5. “8am In Charlotte” – Overall, this track has a smooth yet enticing beat and some great lines. Drake continues to remind his audience of his lyrical greatness and his ability to produce high quality albums. Despite the repetitive instrumental, Drake time and time again enhances his songs through his effortless bars.
