@champagnepapi
In the wake of arguably the most notable feud in rap music history and a year spent under heavy scrutiny, hip-hop superstar Aubrey Graham, better known as Drake, has attempted to regain a foothold in the music industry with his newest release, “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.”
2024 proved to be a tumultuous time for Drake, with numerous past collaborators such as Future, Metro Boomin, A$AP Rocky and Rick Ross releasing songs subtly dissing the artist to kick the year off. Kendrick Lamar’s feud with and now-iconic series of diss tracks against Drake reached record-breaking status in popular culture by year’s end. Just a few days following Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, during which Lamar took further digs at Drake on a massive public stage, Drake opted for a return to form with “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U,” his first commercial LP since 2023’s “For All The Dogs” and a collaborative record with R&B singer and fellow labelmate PARTYNEXTDOOR.
The latest release takes Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR — who have previously collaborated on such hits as 2014’s “Recognize” and 2016’s “Come and See Me” — on a pivot into romance-focused narratives, aided by the duo’s mellow blend of rap and R&B. While Drake recently said on the Australian leg of his Anita Max Win tour that the record contains a mix of “turnt up” songs along with ones focusing more on personal feeling, the tracks fail to capitalize on past successes and the intended genre-blending, leading to an unfocused and at times forgettable record.
The album opens with “CN TOWER,” named after the 500-meter tall CN Tower, a staple of Toronto, Canada, Drake’s home. The duo initially connects in a ballad focusing on unrequited love, underscored by mellow synths. Relating the colors that shine from the CN Tower to interpersonal relationships in lines such as “What color’s the CN Tower? It’s blue now / Like how I’m feelin’ ’bout you now,” both Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR contemplate their romantic connections with a sense of melancholy. “MOTH BALLS” continues the pair’s gloomy route where they again question and reflect on their relationships over synth production.
“SOMETHING ABOUT YOU” leads the audience into a more intimate setting, with PARTYNEXTDOOR, in particular, singing about a special quality he sees in his lover, who acts as a muse for many of the album’s romantic tracks. “CRYING IN CHANEL,” the first track of a handful featuring Drake as a soloist, touches on the artist’s connection to a woman through lavish gifts; the lyrics devolve into the disconnect between the woeful couple inside a Chanel store. Although the first four tracks introduce the album with feelings of dejection, “SPIDER-MAN SUPERMAN” considers the artists’ romantic imperfections, even sampling “The Real Her” from Drake’s 2011 record “Take Care,” giving it the air of an iconic melody. “DEEPER,” another of the album’s highlights, features Drake’s vocals over dramatic string instrumentation, evoking the deep contemplation his partner’s actions inspire in a genuinely decent-sounding song.
PARTYNEXTDOOR’s absence continues on the following tracks, instead focusing on Drake and his dominance on “BRIAN STEEL” and “GIMME A HUG.” While Drake chooses to discuss his recent feuds on both tracks, “GIMME A HUG” stands out, with Drake again rapping with a confidence he has lacked as of late.
As PARTYNEXTDOOR jumps back in on “MEET YOUR PADRE,” the track lulls, with the duo attempting to take on a mix between Spanish and English singing with Mexican artist Chino Pacas. The song butchers a potentially interesting crossover with awkward lyrical stylings and an unsteady beat. While the collaboration fails, the following “NOKIA,” Drake’s last solo track, is another high point. Drake raps over two blissful and poppy instrumentals reminiscent of the ringtone of a Nokia phone. As Drake hones in on a more social setting and eventually raps about a more loving relationship than what he and PARTYNEXTDOOR previously explored, “NOKIA” ascends beyond the more moody moments throughout the album.
Through the following set of tracks, Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR continue to have chemistry, but the album’s 21 songs (even with numerous Drake solo records) lead to less memorable moments in the record’s final stretch. Still, the final track, “GREEDY,” showcases the artists at their best as they discuss an emotional disconnect and their underlying desperation for love and acceptance.
Overall, Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR prove to be a successful duo, but “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” lacks the staying power their past collaborations have held. Each showcases their best work on the solo tracks on the album, where they have the room to fully explore their genuine talents in blending rap and R&B. For Drake especially, this collaborative album comes up at an awkward time where Lamar’s “GNX” continues to dominate the charts.
Overall, Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR can work together if they so choose, but perhaps they should stick to single-track collaborations on respective solo records –– especially while Drake still lives in the looming shadow of a lost feud.