Despite all of the talk of “the death of rap”, this has been a landmark year for big releases in the genre. Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV and the collaborative album from Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne, stood as the year’s summer blockbusters, and Mac Miller just became the first independent rapper to debut at #1 since 1994. Drake’s new release, Take Care takes its spot among the year’s biggest albums, but also stands as one of its finest.
By now, everyone knows Drake’s formula and he has no plans to change it any time soon. Take Care continues with the same sound of under-water drums and dreary pianos, but Drake and his go-to producer Noah “40” Shebib fashion it into arguably his finest set of tunes yet. Early single “Marvins Room” is one of the most textbook Drake songs, but also one of the best. The “Buried Alive” interlude attached to the album version of the song features a stuttering verse from Compton MC Kendrick Lamar rapping about the dangers of fame and directly blaming Drake for his own “selling out”. The whole track is chilling, and stands as an early emotional peak for the album.
The guest spots are able to shine in a way that doesn’t overshadow Drake himself, and each guest adds a distinct flavor to their song, particularly “Crew Love” featuring The Weeknd. The song adds the dramatic, tension ridden R&B that The Weeknd has become known for. All in all, the album keeps Drake’s consistent sound intact while injecting enough new influences to keep it fresh.