Kaytranada has revealed that Drake’s team initially reached out to him about working on Honestly, Nevermind. “I met Drake in L.A. one time, and that was it, really. At one point, one of his boys was like, ‘Your boy wants some beats. He’s gonna do a house album.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, hit me up.’ That’s my thing: anybody that wanna work with me, just hit me up. Maybe my reaction rubbed them the wrong way, but I was just saying, ‘Hey, if you’re serious, hit me up, let’s work, for real,’” he told Montreality.
Despite a mixed critical reception, Honestly, Nevermind was still a No. 1 album, continuing Drake’s trend of top-charting albums. Honestly, Nevermind was Drake’s seventh, with For All The Dogs becoming his eighth this year. However, despite it not being made explicit in Kaytranada’s interview, he was ultimately not involved in Honestly, Nevermind.
Furthermore, speaking of Drake albums, For All The Dogs, his release from 2023, got a lot of praise after it (finally) dropped. Jim Jones declared For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition his best album of the year. Jones gave his answer at ComplexCon. “That extendo clip that Drake just dropped got real spooky on n-ggas,” Jones explained. However, he also gave props to Too Good To Be True and Utopia. The six-song deluxe EP recently helped push the Drake product back to the top of the Billboard album charts. Despite the success of the album, last week only marked its second week at No. 1. It displaced Stray Kids’ ROCK-STAR, which tumbled to No. 7.
Furthermore, For All The Dogs has also reached platinum certification last month. For All The Dogs then returned to No. 1, holding off another resurgence from 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which spent another week at No. 2. Ironically, the first track of Drake’s EP shouts out Taylor Swift. “Taylor Swift the only n-gga that I ever rated. Only one could make me drop the album just a little later. Rest of y’all, I treat you like you never made it,” Drake raps on “Red Button”.
This new decade has seen Drake continue to be a dominant force in the music industry as he consistently shares new music, topping the charts and breaking streaming records in the process. He recently dropped his eighth studio album, For All the Dogs just in time to conclude his It’s All A Blur Tour of North America. The new record follows a trilogy of albums, including the collaborative Her Loss with 21 Savage, last year’s Honestly, Nevermind, and 2021’s Certified Lover Boy. A new Drake release is guaranteed to divide listeners, and it appears that the reception of For All the Dogsis no different. Despite these mixed opinions, Drizzy is not afraid to clap back.
Drake’s output so far this decade has been prolific, releasing at least one full-length album each year. The quick turnaround between projects is commendable and is deserving of some time off. In a recent episode of his Sound 42 radio show, Drake announced that he will be taking a break from music, “For maybe a year or so.” The Canadian superstar cited stomach problems and his overall health as reasons for his temporary hiatus. To commemorate Drake’s prolific run, the release of For All the Dogs, and his well-deserved break, we are ranking his albums since Certified Lover Boy from worst to best. Take a look at the list below.
4. For All the Dogs (2023)
Drake’s latest album has not been out for very long, so comparing it to his other albums may seem early. While it is still fresh in our minds, For All the Dogs does not stack up against Drake’s previous releases. The album’s bloated tracklist is held back by its runtime and features, with some exceptions. J. Cole, SZA, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Bad Bunny contributed standout performances that made for memorable collaborations.
The tracklist has bright moments, but For All the Dogs is ultimately uneven. Lyrically and vocally, Drake has his high points, but there are instances where his performances fall flat. It is a prime example of how Drake can be a victim of his own success with an album that caters to every style. For All the Dogs is still brand new, so only time will tell how it ages in the span of Drake’s discography.
3. Her Loss – Drake & 21 Savage (2022)
Drake has recruited 21 Savage for every album since Certified Lover Boy, so it was only right for the two to lock in for an entire joint album. Their collaborative effort, Her Loss, reinvigorated Drake’s rapping skills as he and 21 brought out the best in each other. While the two certainly have chemistry, it does not always translate to making good songs. The project can sometimes be disjointed, but there are plenty of gems on Her Loss.
Songs like “Rich Flex,” “Hours in Silence,” and “Spin Bout U” displayed the duo’s irresistible synergy. Savage held his own, but Drake was the star of the show as his versatility shined throughout the tracklist. His catchy melodies and skillful bars commanded the songs, not to mention “Middle of the Ocean” is arguably one of Drake’s best songs of the decade so far. Her Loss excited with its highlights, but also felt monotonous at times. For that reason, it sits at No. 3 on the list.
2. Certified Lover Boy (2021)
Certified Lover Boy is far from Drake’s best work but has many redeeming qualities. The album’s lengthy tracklist may be inconsistent, but plenty of highlights exist. Its worst moments do not detract from the best tracks that carry the album’s quality. Certified Lover Boy includes one of Drake’s best intro tracks with “Champagne Poetry,” as well as quality collaborations with JAY-Z, Travis Scott, and Tems. Drake sang his heart out with Future and Ty Dolla $ign and reunited with Lil Wayne and Rick Ross for “You Only Live Twice.” The overblown tracklist and overall sequence of For All the Dogs is reminiscent of Certified Lover Boy, but the latter trumps the former with its strongest tracks.
1. Honestly, Nevermind (2022)
Fans were caught off guard with the surprise announcement of Honestly, Nevermind, but even more with the album’s musical direction. Drake primarily sang on his seventh studio album, with the exception of certain tracks. He experimented with moody house music, Baltimore club, and R&B. It made for a unique listening experience distinct from other Drake albums. Honestly, Nevermind displayed Drake’s effortless knack for creating catchy melodies. He may work well with others, but there were no features besides 21 Savage on “Jimmy Cooks.”
Honestly, Nevermind is a concise body of work and a focused effort with a cohesive artistic direction. It is free of moments on For All the Dogs and Certified Lover Boy, where he occasionally sounded creatively stagnant. The album saw Drake exploring uncharted territory, which is what made it such an exciting listen and undoubtedly his best release out of his most recent run.
This time last year, Drakedivided the internet with his Honestly, Nevermind album. It left many of those hoping to hear the Canadian show off his rap skills disappointed, though others who have been leaning into the resurgence of dance music thoroughly enjoyed the 14-track effort. In just a few days, he and 21 Sav are embarking on the It’s All A Blur tour, which will find Drizzy performing songs fromtheir joint LP, Her Loss, as well as his own recent releases like Certified Lover Boy and Honestly, Nevermind.
To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the polarizing project, Drake shared the album notes over a black screen on his Instagram Story. “I let my humbleness turn to numbness at times letting time go by knowing I got the endurance to catch it another time,” they begin. “I work with every breath in my body ’cause it’s the work not air that makes me feel alive. That’s some real detrimental shit, but that’s that shit my perfectionist mind doesn’t really mind because no one knows what’s on my mind when I go to sleep at nine and wake up at five – unless I say it in a rhyme.”
The following likes find Drake reflecting on the price of fame, and how most people he meets are more concerned with taking photos together for clout than actually connecting with him. “I got plans I can’t talk about with more than like four guys because the last time I shared ’em with someone on the outside… Well, that’s another story for another night. I was tryna get thru that statement to get to saying I’m not at a time in my life where pats on the shoulder help get me by,” he continues.
“I know everyone that tells me they love me doesn’t love me all the time, especially when I’m doing better than alright and they have to watch it from whatever point they at in their life,” Champagne Papi adds before reminding us he got where he is by “being realistic,” not by “being blind” and sending a shoutout to the late Virgil Abloh. Aside from reflecting on his past releases, Drake has also given us a few new features to enjoy this weekend. On Young Thug’s surprise BUSINESS IS BUSINESS album, the father of one shows out on both “Parade on Cleveland” and “Oh U Went.” Check the tracks out for yourself at the link below, and tap back in later this weekend for more HNHH release recommendations.
Drake is facing a possible lawsuit regarding an allegedly unapproved sample on his song, “Calling My Name.” Ghanaian musician Obrafour claims that Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind track uses “elements” of his 2003 song “Oye Ohene (Remix).” In his legal filing, Obrafour says Drake’s team sent him several emails requesting use of the sample, but he “had not yet responded” when the Toronto rapper went ahead and released the album.
“Nonetheless, the Infringing Work is one of the songs appearing on the Honestly, Nevermind album, as released to the world by ‘surprise’ on June 17, 2022,” the lawsuit states. “The copying of the Sampled Phrase in the Infringing Work is so direct in nature that the audio of the Sampled Phrase heard in the Infringing Work contains little or no audible manipulation, processing, or other alteration to its original character as heard in the Copyrighted Work.”
Drake Performing In Atlanta
ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 9: Rapper Drake performs onstage during “Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert” at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Obrafour is seeking at least $10 million, citing “all profits and damages in the following categories attributable to the infringement” for “Calling My Name.” The suit adds, “To date, over the mere 304 days that have elapsed since the Infringing Work was released, the Infringing Work has already been streamed over 4.1 million times on YouTube, streamed over 47,442,160 times on Spotify, and streamed tens of millions of times on Apple Music.”
Drake released Honestly, Nevermind by surprise back in June 2022. It featured a stylistic change from his normal sound, this time opting for dance and house-inspired songs. It debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with 204,000 album-equivalent units, but was met with divisive responses from fans. The single “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Drake’s eleventh song to do so. Lawsuits aren’t the only issue Drake is dealing with this week. Fans also keep using his voice to create new songs with A.I. technology. Universal Music Group has since called on streaming platforms to take down the songs. They shared a statement addressing the issue online on Tuesday.
Drake has been quite busy this year — from releasing two albums and racking up a slew of nominations to eclipsing other commercial juggernauts like Eminem and breaking the Beatles’ record for most top-five singles. The Canadian hitmaker has cemented his cultural footprint with a career that spans nearly a decade.
By collaborating with the hottest artists out right now, like Jack Harlow and Tems, the rapper consistently finds ways to stay relevant and atop the Billboard charts. Drake always finds himself at the center of cultural conversations, whether it’s a new hair change or sparking debates about misogyny in rap. Here are some of the biggest moments from Drake in 2022.
Drake Releases Honestly, Nevermind
With his seventh studio album, Honestly, Nevermind, Drake transports fans into an electronic dance fever dream. With cascading beats and the rapper’s notoriously emo lines, the album will have you pumping your fist in the air in one moment and crying in the next. The album also caused a significant debate about the roots of house music, where fans claimed that Drake was “reclaiming” the Black art form.
The album represents a full-circle moment for the pop star, who has slowly been edging toward more dance-themed hits like 2016’s “One Dance.”
Drake Eclipses Beatles For The Most Top-Five Singles Of All Time
The hitmaker has been racking up record-breaking awards all year, but this might be the biggest. The rapper has now eclipsed the Beatles for the most top-five singles ever. “Staying Alive” by DJ Khaled and featuring both Drake and Lil Baby helped the “Sticky” rapper claim his 30th top-five song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After releasing a collaborative project with Future in 2016, What A Time to Be Alive, fans were eager to know when the rapper would do another collab and, more importantly, with who. Following the release of Honestly, Nevermind this past summer, the rapper teamed up with 21 Savage for his next project, Her Loss.
Along with topping the charts, the album caused quite a bit of controversy. Drake found himself in hot water with Megan Thee Stallion fans after allegedly dissing her on one of the album’s tracks, “Circo Loco.” Vogue also sued the rapper and 21 Savage for using a fake cover during the rollout of their album.
Directed by Theo Skudra, the video opens with a massive crowd hyping up Drake as he walks onto the stage. It then follows him in cars, parking lots, airports, clubs, and even on boats. The words “Free YSL” appear across the screen for a brief moment, referring to the ongoing racketeering case against Gunna’s label that has Gunna, Young Thug, and 28 other members hit with several federal charges.
Shortly after unleashing the LP, the rapper mentioned on a radio show that he has lots more projects that will be arriving soon. “Me and Kenzo have a book coming out this year. Yeah, we have a book coming out this year, a poetry book. So I hope you guys tune into that, too, because that’s going to be some sh*t.” He added, “I got another Scary Hours pack coming, too, in a little bit. Maybe not, like [laughs]… maybe not right now; I need you to just take this [Honestly, Nevermind] in right now. But I have a Scary Hours, I’m gonna slap some head tops off with a Scary Hours pack.”
