Hip-Hop Lab Earshot Blog: Drake Missed the Mark..... And It Shows

Drake definitely missed his mark on this one, and somebody in his camp needs to tell him to lose the chip on his shoulder. Across the three albums he dropped overnight, it feels like he’s stuck in a cycle of bitterness, flexing, and emotional misfires in an era where most people can barely afford gas and need something to genuinely vibe to. Kendrick really might’ve knocked Drizzy off balance.

At one point, Drake felt semi-relatable. Even when he was at his most arrogant, there was still a human side underneath it. But this? This doesn’t feel like his era, and it definitely doesn’t feel like his finest work. You hear growth from other artists who survived major rap beefs. Jay-Z got torn apart by Nas, but he evolved afterward.  Drake, on the other hand, sounds trapped by his own ego , bound and gagged by it.

To be fair, some of the production was fresh. A few beats hit hard. But the transitions were rough, and the project as a whole felt empty.

His later work feels very hollow and soulless, but somebody will love it I'm sure. "Ice Man" comes off like Drake taking shots at everybody while feeling betrayed by everybody at the same time. "Habibti" and "Maid of Honour" feel directionless emotional but lukewarm, without much purpose or payoff. It's like "Views" Drake and "Cerified Lover Boy" Drake got into a bitch slap fight.

Honestly, the only track that really stood out to me was the leaked song "Hasta La Vista".

That record actually sounded alive. Final grade? D-. Save your time because your thumb will get tired from skipping tracks anyway. Instead, go check out my pick of the week: Isaiah Rashad’s latest release, "It’s Been Awful". Isaiah sounds hungry. Scrappy as hell. Focused. There’s emotion there, but also purpose  B+. I’m hoping we eventually get a more layered and clear-headed Drake again. But until then, this one’s an easy skip.

 -Bryan "Harvest Blaque" Hancock