The ever-prolific, ubiquitous Drake returns with yet another project, playlist-album āMore Life.ā More Life features a star-studded guest list.
Drake is quite the prolific musician, without question. Equally adept at rapping at singing, his balancing act as an artist doesnāt change on latest project, More Life. More Life isnāt billed as an album, but rather a playlist. Perhaps whatās interesting about this playlist is the fact that it is commercially available whereas many playlists are streaming only. Truly, More Life does sound more like a playlist than an album, but it has its triumphant moments.
āFree Smokeā
ā āFree Smokeā kicks off More Life in electrifying fashion. Following a sample-driven introduction, hard drums and ferocious rhymes by Drake take over. It is great to hear him come out swinging, initially giving More Life punch. Essentially, he raps about his come-up, giving the opening banger more authenticity.
āYeah, I couldnāt get a bill paid You couldnāt buy the real things I was stayinā up at yo place Tryinā to figure the whole thing out... But we all so spoiled now More life, more everything.ā
āNo Long Talk,ā featuring British rapper Giggs, finds Drake employing Jamaican patois, for better or worse. This is an acquired taste ā some will love it while others will hate it. Ultimately, itās no harm, no foul. Positively, the MC keeps things edgy, with tough-minded rhymes matching malicious-sounding production work.
āPassionfruitā
Standout ā āPassionfruitā has a smoother sound than either āFree Smokeā or āNo Long Talk,ā employing the vibe of āHold On, Weāre Going Home.ā Like āHold On,ā Drake sings as opposed to rapping. This marks the return of the more sensitive side of the musician, which he delivers effectively. The āJorja Interludeā follows, contrasting the passionate āPassionfruitā with more oomph. Even so, the production still has a cool, calm, and collected sound, aided by harmonica (Stevie Wonder).
āGet Together,ā featuring Black Coffee and Jorja Smith, is another tropical-infused urban-pop record from Drake. These records tend to be polarizing. Considering that āGet Togetherā is positioned in the same vein as āOne Dance,ā itās another potential love it or hate it moment. Ultimately, itās great background music, but perhaps a bit too sleepy to necessarily be a truly memorable, cutting edge Drake record. Still, the groove is undeniable.
āMadiba Riddimā keeping things tropical. To the credit of the record, like āGet Together,ā the groove is infectious AF. Drizzy reflects on a lack of trust since acquiring fame. Essentially, on the hook, he suggests he needs to learn how to love again.
āI cannot tell who is my friend I need distance between me and them Gonna have to teach me how to love you again God knows Iām trying God knows Iām trying for you.ā
āBlemā continues Drakeās fixation on the Islands ā being from āthe 6ā and all ā with similar results. āBlemā is enjoyable, without necessarily showing innovation or progression. One thingās for sure ā he āBlem for real/ I might just show how I feel.ā
ā4422ā
ā ā4422ā brings Sampha ( āBlood On Meā) along for the ride. Actually, Drake never appears on the record. As always, Sampha blesses the track with his distinctive, beautiful vocals. Drake returns hard on ā āGyalchester.ā This toughness had been missing throughout much of More Life, particularly during the tropical stretch. Clearly, heās cocky and confident, confirmed by the hook:
āHermĆ©s link, ice-blue link Tat on my ribs like I do not know what permanent is They want me gone, wait for the kicker Bury me now and I only get bigger Thatās word to my n*gga.ā
āSkepta Interludeā features Skepta, naturally, another British rapper. Quavo and Travis Scott join Drake for ā āPortland,ā among the crĆØme de la crĆØme of collaborative moments from More Life. Sure, the looped flute synth can annoy quickly, but it does give the record personality. Naturally, all three rappers brag about their status in the rap game.
Another collaboration, āSacrifices,ā follows, featuring 2 Chainz and Young Thug. A lengthier record, the three rappers dabble in various topics, which includes sacrifices, but also material things and of course, sex. Drake maintains the sanctity of the topic more than his colleagues.
āNothings Into Somethingsā
āNothings Into Somethingsā may not be brand new, but it is familiar from Drake weāve yet to hear at this point on More Life. This is lethargic, moody Drake at his best on this brief joint. Another smooth joint, āTeenage Feverā follows, with the Drizzy singing about his feelings about her. At one point, he finally utters the titular lyric: āThis shit feels like teenage fever.ā Love is the M.O., clearly.
āKMTā then changes the complexion of More Life again, featuring Giggs for the second time. On the lengthier āLose You,ā Drake deserves credit for his clever rhymes, which include references to R. Kellyās āIgnition Remixā and spiritual āThis Little Light of Mine.ā As familiar as it may sound, āLose Youā isnāt brand new. Heās released many songs with the same confessional, reflective vibe. Ultimately, itās successful.
ā āCanāt Have Everythingā features a stellar beat, which allows Drizzy to flex effortlessly. As the title suggests, Drake wants it all, but in life you ācanāt have everything.ā At the end, his mom leaves a voicemail in which sheās concerned with his trust issues, a prominent theme of his music.
āGlowā
On āGlow,ā Drake is assisted by Kanye West. This is an interesting record if a bit scattered. The sound is captivating, particularly the bright, glowing vocals of West. Is this a hit? Not quite, but itās intriguing enough to spin a couple of times. āSince Way Backā follows, marking another collaboration between Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR. Thereās nothing rushed about āSince Way Back,ā which is slow in pace and clocks in at over six minutes. Both artists are infatuated with a girl who is ultimately bad news. Itās not the second coming but plays to the strengths of both artists.
āFake Loveā
ā āFake Loveā is another enjoyable, respectable offering from Drake. Ultimately, it is another example of the notion of āNo New Friends,ā a prominent topic for the rapper. Besides tackling fakes, it is also a flex-fest for the superstar by all means. The hook sums up the sentiment of the entire song:
āIāve been down so long it look like up to me/ they look up to me I got fake people showinā fake love to me Straight up to my face, straight up to my face.ā
Drake goes on to pop-rap/quasi-sing on the verses, specifically addressing females seemingly. Beyond familiarity lyrically, the production is also standard fare for the artist. It suits him stylistically. It doesnāt add the element of unpredictability, but he doesnāt necessarily need unpredictability considering his current level of success. The vibe is desirable by all means.
āIce Meltsā features Young Thug for the second time on More Life. The tale imparted this round is about a girl who Drake is into, but comes off as ice cold. Her coldness is attributed to coming out of a bad relationship in which she was treated as she should be. Nonetheless, Drake asserts, āI still need some satisfaction / A little less talk and a little more actionā¦ā Young Thug doesnāt get his own verse, but rather provides the hook that supports Drakeās assessment on the situation.
The album concludes with āDo Not Disturb.ā āDo Not Disturbā is the summation ā the outro for More Life. Interestingly, Drake suggests taking time off and return in 2018. Could More Life be his only project in 2018? If it is, itās understandable ā heās been putting in serious work over the course of 2015 and 2016.
Final Thoughts
So, how does More Life stack up? Arguably, More Life is stronger than Views, even if it is a playlist as opposed to a proper studio album. More Life is bloated, just like the effort that precedes it, but it is a better-rounded project. Itās not perfect by any means, but thereās lots to like or minimally respect about it.
ā Gems: āFree Smoke,ā āPassionfruit,ā ā4422,ā āGyalchester,ā āPortland,ā āCanāt Have Everythingā & āFake Loveā
Drake ⢠More Life ⢠Cash Money ⢠Release: 3.18.17
Photo Credit: Cash Money