I'm conflicted about this album. On one hand, it's a solid debut from a from a fresh and very promising artist that resides leagues above most of the other tin can garbage we call Pop music nowadays. And in that sense it's a success. I mean admit it, Drake is like one of 5 artists on the radio that you don't feel like stabbing and throwing off a cliff.
On the other hand though, considering the hype behind this man that has developed this past year it's not good enough to say his album is good by today's standards; that's too low a bar to set. So I ask myself how it compares to other great debuts in Hip-Hop history. Illmatic? Naw. Reasonable Doubt? Certainly not. Get rich or die trying? Ehhh...Nah. College Dropout? Not even close. And on that basis I consider it to be a disappointment.
The production, though mostly good, is predictable, lazy and all sounds too similar if not the same. The only real standouts are 'Over' and the Kanye/Timbo tracks which all kinda feel like they should be on a better, more pre-meditated album. To add to this, drake is rapping the same quirky, twitter-status-esque lines he's been rapping all year long and has no song where he really speaks on anything memorable or significant {Save for 'Light Up' perhaps}. Even further, Jay drops the only noteworthy feature part on the album and the singy songs are really bland and unoriginal.
But like I said earlier it's a solid album by today's standards especially. Actually in a way it fulfills the expectations I had when I first discovered Drake after the 'Comeback Season' mixtape. If anything it's like a 'So Far Gone' part 2, and if he had dropped it back then I'm sure we would all be raving about how amazing Drake is and how he's gonna be the artist of the decade etc etc. But because he's developed the public image of an accomplished artist, Thank me Later is just a mediocre, unthrilling offering.
At least that's my take on it. I encourage you to decide for yourself and go pick it up even if you're the type to wear eye patches and drink copious amounts of Rum. It would actually be nice if it did really well because it would once again show Record execs that you don't have to act like a drunk-chicken jamming to kiddie piano tunes in order to be successful. So do your best to at least pick up.
These are my favorite tracks on the joint;
Drake - Show Me a Good Time
Drake Ft. Jay-Z - Light Up
