love him or hate him, drake’s has an endless line of eyes looking in his direction as he’s finally released his debut record. there’s no doubt that this’ll be a polarizing release. i mean hey, pitchfork loves it and npr hates it – which usually never happens. i personally feel that the whole ‘freshman class’ stigma that he avoided for the past year and some odd months has paid off. through proper channels of some of the biggest co-signs in mainstream hip-hop, drake built a dedicated fanbase out of a bunch of people who couldn’t give less of a shit about some d-list actor from canada. and after a few pushbacks, the records here.

hit the jump for the review.

-grizzly

Artist: Drake
Album: Thank Me Later
Record Label: Young Money/Universal
Release Date: June 15, 2010

All things considered, Drake’s Thank Me Later is fast approaching a critical standpoint to that of a seasoned veteran. Sure, he started out on Degrassi and released a couple of average-at-best mixtapes, and yeah – the guy is almost too dorky to be a hip-hop’s current frontrunner. But after a few collaborations with Lil Wayne, he managed to strike critical gold with So Far Gone, a mixtape that completely flipped the music industry upside down. Millions of downloads and a sold-out mid-sized arena tour later, a half-Jewish actor from Canada has become the face of hip-hop in no time flat.

That brings us to Thank Me Later, which starts off with “Fireworks” and the line, “Money just changed everything/I wonder how life without it will go.” Pick that line apart and couple it with the album title – it’s almost too zealous. The man is rapping about his fifteen minutes of fame starting an hour ago on a debut album and isn’t even getting a second look. With So Far Gone, Drake found and capitalized on a seemingly perfect balance of hip-hop and R&B. He’s got enough soul and his fair share of punchlines to hold up both ends of the deal. Thank Me Later gracefully takes that formula and runs with it – a classic case of the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

On a surface listen, Thank Me Later has every facet of Drake you’ve heard up until this point. The bravado-fueled predicaments of fame (“The Resistance”), dance floor kick-offs (“Fancy”) and slow-burners that would shame even Usher (“Shut It Down”) – it’s all here. However, one thing is apparent – his lyrics aren’t as poignant as they once were. Gone are the bulk of self-aware musings of songs like “Lust for Life” and “The Calm,” which are now replaced with cringe-worthy ‘Go Team!’ collaborations with Nicki Minaj (“Up All Night”) and cornball balladry (“Find Your Love”).

Overall, Thank Me Later is a smooth listen. There is an evident fluidity and consistency in the production which is a successful formula and aesthetic for Drake. The team behind So Far Gone took care of the majority of the production duties, with appropriate contributions from Swizz Beatz, Kanye West and Timbaland – all producers that pull a great deal of relevance in their own right. And more importantly, it’s no easy feat creating a 60-minute hip-hop record that can be listened to in its entirety nowadays.

Almost every feature on the record feels complimentary, negating debate as to “who stole the track,” with the exception of Jay-Z on “Light Up.” Jay takes an almost fatherly approach on the cut, sharing advice about the politics of the industry and precise readings of how fellow rappers will ‘come at’ Drake with petty diss tracks and instigate drama. The cameos from T.I. and Young Jeezy are stark contrasts to Drake’s overall motif, while the likes of Lil Wayne and The-Dream are right at home with the young emcee.

One thing is for sure, though. Drake is about to have a massive year. This album will further support the hype machine that he’s been building for the past year and confirm the suspicion of every naysayer all the same. He’s garnered the respect and support of far too many notable artists to slow down. “Freshman” peers of Drake are no longer in the same league. Through the milestones of So Far Gone and the inevitable success of Thank Me Later, it feels unnecessary to argue, as it’s a jumpstart to a career that has a promise of longevity and importance.

Grade: 8.8/10