Everyone needed to see how Drake would bounce again. Or if he may even bounce again. The yr 2024 wasn’t the smoothest for Drizzy; some may say it may need been his hardest since he turned a rap star. The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef put a chink in Drake’s armor, if not destroying it altogether. We’ve seen all of the antics, social media posts, and all of Drake’s reactions on-line to all of the haters, however none of these issues would imply as a lot as how he reacted within the music. We lastly acquired a brand new physique of labor from Drake, and he got here again in probably the most good method doable, by catering to what made him Drake: the women.
Some Horny Songs 4 U ($$$4U) started with an ode to his hometown, and rightfully so; Toronto was the place Drake spent many of the previous yr. “The town is fairly when it’s lifeless, identical to a flower.” In wintertime, Toronto freezes up, and everybody stays inside, however the snow provides a magnificence to town that solely these from there can really admire. The album then transitions into among the best songs on the tape, “Moth Balls,” which is one other ode to Toronto. Mothballs are these tiny white balls that repel moths, and each household in Canada retains a pack due to the moth issues we’ve got up there. Moths eat by garments, leaving holes so Canadians hold them of their pockets regardless of their funky scent to fend off the bugs. Drake and PartyNextDoor circulation off one another completely right here as PND handles refrain duties and Drake gives a wonderful verse.
Different standout tracks embrace “Pimmie’s Dilemma,” “Gimme A Hug,” “NOKIA,” “Die Making an attempt,” “CELIBACY,” “OMW,” “When He’s Gone,” and “Grasping.” “Pimmie’s Dilemma” is the unofficial interlude of the album, and it’s good. Drake informed Pimmie she had two minutes, and she or he did what needed to be accomplished. “Gimme A Hug” was the observe that caught everyone’s consideration as a result of it was the one observe that straight addressed arguably the most important beef in rap historical past. On this observe, Drake is in a reflective state. “Drake elimination, pretend intimidation” is how the observe begins, after which he begins to checklist some compliments that both he’s been informed or he is aware of, “You the inspiration/you set the bar for the following technology.” Drake doesn’t know what to imagine, however he is aware of precisely the area he’s in. His haters both hate him extra, and people who love him by no means switched up on him. However to Drake, the power on the music is obvious; he’s accomplished with the meat; it took him away from who he actually is as an artist. “What can I say? I miss you h*es, give me a hug.”
The album hits its groove beginning on observe 13, “Nokia.” “Nokia” will probably be a fan favourite come summertime, and it gained’t be shocking to see this music trending on TikTok quickly. “Nokia provides me “Hotline Bling” vibes, a enjoyable, poppy music to bounce to. The most effective songs on the complete tape comes subsequent in “Die Making an attempt.” Drake and PartyNextDoor go full pop right here, as they sing over an acoustic guitar-laced beat. Drake touches on the meat right here once more, letting individuals know he was affected by it, however he’s accomplished with it, “Why gained’t my tears work? It’s been a decade since I cried/ I acquired no canine left within the struggle, the canine don’t match the chew.”
One of the best music of the album is up subsequent in “Any individual Loves Me.” This music is peak Drake and PND, up there with “Members Solely” and “Since Means Again.” PartyNextDoor opens the music up with a easy first verse the place he sings concerning the struggles of discovering love now, and Drake follows up with one of many hardest verses on the album. Drake touches on how wild his nights get and the way he’s even uninterested in the senseless threesomes and present giving. He desires somebody to fulfill him on the high, he says, earlier than he croons “Who’s on the market for me,” ending his verse immaculately.
My favourite music on the album follows up subsequent in “Celibacy.” On “Celibacy,” Drake is attempting to persuade his lover to finish her celibacy for him, and it’s a few of his finest vocal work on the complete album. “OMW” is PartyNextDoor’s finest work on the album, as he fully dominated that music, making Drake really feel small on that observe. And that’s no knock on Drake; that simply highlights PartyNextDoor’s excellence. Drake delivers one other masterful verse on the finish of “When He’s Gone,” which is definitely one of the best rapping verse of the complete album.
Some Horny Songs 4 U was actually a trial for Drake. He needed to see precisely the place he stood within the music sport; he needed to see if he was as hated because the Web claimed, and like standard, the Web is an over-exaggeration. The urge for food for Drake remains to be there, and the album promoting 246,000 items within the first week and debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 cements that. The world was begging for outdated Drake, that “Take Care”-era Drake, and he gave us a style of that alongside his labelmate PartyNextDoor. A collaborative R&B was the right option to dip his foot again within the water after arguably the worst yr of his profession as a result of it confirmed individuals the Drake that everyone used to like remains to be in there someplace. It sucks it took Kendrick Lamar to convey this aspect again to the forefront, however the women, and particularly day-one Drake followers, are pleased to see emotional Drake again within the gentle.