For All The Dogs dominated music conversations over its Oct. 6 debut weekend and as evident by Drake’s various social media pieces, the top-ranking recording artist has not been pleased with reviews.
Despite being 15 major label-backed albums deep in the industry, unsolicited critiques have slammed the “Best I Ever Had” rapper for not sticking to his origins on one end and not evolving his lyrical content with his age on another.
The tug-of-war of opinions have noticeably caused a perplexing conundrum for Aubrey Graham, who seems to be going through a music mid-life crisis in his attempt to satiate a wide range of listeners’ appetites. In just four years, Drake has released the zeitgeist music capsule Dark Lane Demo Tapes, a playful conversation piece in Certified Lover Boy, the experimental dance album Honestly, Nevermind, and the rap-heavy 21 Savage assisted Her Loss, before dropping For All The Dogs.
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One commonality they all share is the obsessive references to relationships, although updates on his upward mobility continue to be his eight-ball. Day one listeners of Drake know he’s always had an affinity for the rhythm and blues, often merging the genre with hip hop. They also know Drake has been making music catering to women since So Far Gone. So when he incorporates this same formula into For All The Dogs, it’s surprising to still hear major podcasters and radio personalities campaign for more rap.
To be fair, Drake’s latest music entry is overladen with stories of his escapades, and it’s giving John Legend making a whole album about his love for his wife… annoying. What’s not as surprising is these same people saying “First Person Shooter,” featuring rap god J. Cole, is the best song on the album.
One of the few fast-paced songs on the 23-track album, “First Person Shooter” marks a very much desired collabo of two of the greatest rappers of recent times, the era after Jay-Z and Kanye West. J. Cole wastes no time delivering a lyrical assassination that some feel outshined Drake’s contribution.
This is nothing new for Cole who has been on a feature tour, snatching main character vibes from his peers on their own records, but I digress. “First Person Shooter” offers hip hop heads and OGs the type of rap vigor missing in the mildewing world of mid rap right now.
Listen To “First Person Shooter”
“Fear of Heights” appeals for a very different reason. The speculation of Drake creating a song dissing alleged former flame Rihanna has the boys clutching their little box chains. Admittedly, the lyrics are quite comedic as Drake lays out context clues, using the Caribbean term “Gyal,” referencing Rih Rih’s last studio album ANTI (2016), and mentioning Antilles, possibly bagging on her many vacations there with A$AP Rocky.
Indeed, “First Person Shooter” and “Fear of Heights” are top contenders for best songs for obvious reasons. Personally, my No. 2 pick for best song is “IDGAF,” a sleeper starring an energized Drake rifting over the signature futuristic sounds of Gen Z rapper Yeat. If you know, you know. There’s other considerable creations on the album that hit for the rap-hungry listener — and they’re mainly on the first half of the album.
Listen To “IDGAF”
But, out of all the tracks, there’s one that hits more authentically than any song on For All The Dogs. Contrary to popular opinion, “Away From Home” is the best song on the album — and I say that with my chest. Over a pulsing mid-tempo beat, Drake reflects on the nostalgic events of his journey through a cluster of touchpoint memories.
He raps (yes, raps) about humble beginnings, “‘Member I was sleeping in the basement, watching Tigger in the basement, I was tryna get a placement, I remember,” to his ascension to musical greatness, “I remember pulling up at Tao, seeing Quincy Jones, n**** talking to me like he proud, I remember.”
Drake paints a vivid picture of his evolution from the down-to-earth, Acura-driving underdog searching for his place in hip hop to his current status as the contemplative superstar. It’s a refreshing reminder reminiscent of the aspirational side of his extensive discography, where songs like “Over My Dead Body,” “Under Ground Kings,” “Started From the Bottom,” “Pound Cake,” and several other similar-themed songs give listeners a glimpse into his plight.
Listen To “Away From Home”
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“Away From Home” is more than a diss record or gladiator moment between two G.O.A.T. rappers, but instead, unfolds like a cinematic visual of several relatable journal entries. Relatable… Maybe that is what we miss, rappers with relatable lyrics to balance out the dance vibes and toxic relationship songs.
It’s not about wanting Drake to be stuck in the infantry of his career or for him to parallel the maturation of say Jay-Z when he went from wearing jerseys to business suits. It’s more about fans wanting Drake not to lose the very thing that made his music special. The feeling of purpose and hunger for more. He may not know it, but those were the qualities that translated beyond the stories about abundant wealth and trysts with beautiful women.
We remember how it made us feel. In fact, the day ones will never forget.
