It was really kind of about, ‘How big can we look?'”Īnother one of the more obvious signifiers of Thank Me Later is the preponderance of the ‘supa dupa flow’ over any other rapping style. “It was definitely, probably the one project that maybe had the least personal touches. “That was probably the only one of my albums that was remotely influenced by where I was at in my career at the time,” Drake said in a December 2019 interview on Rap Radar. Drake admits Thank Me Later is the only album of his created from expectations. By this point, you would expect the most popular rapper in the world to sound like an R&B artist for a considerable amount of any album he releases. The first four tracks of his most successful album, 2016’s six-time-platinum Views, has as many only-singing songs in its first four tracks. That’s practically unheard of for more than half of the Canadian’s genre-defying career.
Outside of “Cece Interlude” and “Find Your Love,” two of the last three songs on the album, Drake’s 14-track debut didn’t have any other songs featuring him only singing. Nothing about Thank Me Later is as glaringly different than nearly every Drake album as the imbalance between singing and rapping. The then-23-year-old newcomer didn’t have that experience or confidence in his talents and succumbed to the piercing criticisms as an emotional artist who sang enough for his rapping abilities to be questioned. It is the rare album, rap or otherwise, that follows through on the artist's potential and the fan’s anticipation.“It’s just really trying to tell the greatest story that’s never been told, which is the story of a rapper’s come-up, and tell it without being corny or over-bragging or sounding like, ‘Feel sorry for me.’ It’s going to be a very interesting record because I’m really going to have to dig deep and tell stories that people can relate to,” Drake told MTV in October 2009.ĭrake wanted to be everything to everyone, a trait he’s refined through the years into an internal homing device enabling him to precisely tap into what makes a hit in different genres. Indeed, it is this willingness to be introspective and honest that makes Drake unique and helps make Thank Me Later special. His nimble flow is impressive his words are heartfelt, brainy, and surprising and while his singing may not be the best, it shows a vulnerability that is rare in rap circles. He never shows anyone up exactly (though Jay-Z's verse sounds kind of out of breath compared to Drake's), but he definitely proves that he belongs at the very top of the game.
Elsewhere, Lil Wayne's verse on "Miss Me" is his usual breathtaking verbal roller coaster, the-Dream's vocals on the verses of "Shut It Down" are heartbreakingly sincere, and Jeezy adds some welcome ferociousness to "Unforgettable." It’s like all the guests had to bring their best game to keep up with Drake, and they didn't want the youngster to show them up. The T.I./ Swizz Beatz track “Fancy” is a fun and sassy summer jam with a huge hook, his track with Jay-Z ("Light Up") is a fierce takedown of the Industry and the damage it can wreak, and the Nicki Minaj collabo "Up All Night" is a tough-as-nails boast that features Drake at his most insistent. T.I., Swizz Beatz, Young Jeezy, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Drake's mentor Lil Wayne all drop by to add verses, sing hooks, and produce tracks, and their presence sometimes serves to liven things up and keep Drake away from his melancholy nature. His belief in his own skills is well-founded, as the list of collaborators lined up to work with him attests. He’s also not afraid to talk about how great life has become as well, dropping plenty of lines about the money, the women, and his own prowess as a rapper. Whether it’s a relationship splitting up as on the melancholy “Karaoke,” worries about the fame changing him (“The Resistance”), fears that so-called real hip-hop fans will find him manufactured (“Show Me a Good Time”), or the difficult nature of romance when you’re a star (“Miss Me”), Drake isn’t afraid to examine what the past year has done to his life. Most of the record finds the young rapper (23 at the time of release) conflicted about his growing stardom and fame.