On Tuesday evening, December 19, Drake confirmed via his Instagram Story that he will drop a video for “You Broke My Heart” tomorrow, December 20. The announcement is accompanied by a photo of a “BRKNHRT” license plate on the street.
For All The Dogs was released on October 6 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — his 13th-career No. 1 album — and For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition arrived on November 17. “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole also became Drake’s 13th-career No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and J. Cole’s first). Cole and Drake will co-headline the It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? at the top of 2024. See the dates here.
Fabolous celebrated Benzgiving by floating across one of the beats from Drake’s Scary Hours 3 pack. The Boy released the instrumentals this past Friday, challenging rappers to give it their best shot.
Loso delivered a few bars but captioned the video “Y’all ain’t ready for freestyles. Let me stop.. & go home.”
You can see the video with bars over “Evil Ways” below.
At the beginning of last month, Drake dropped off his eagerly-awaited new album, For All The Dogs. As expected, the LP quickly skyrocketed to the top of the charts, with his high-profile collabs getting plenty of praise. His songs with Yeat, J. Cole, SZA & Sexyy Red, and more quickly became fan favorites. Supporters were under the impression that the Toronto native would be taking some time off after releasing the project, however, he came through with a surprise shortly after.
Earlier this month, Drake unveiled the deluxe version of the album, For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition, delivering six brand new tracks. It was immediately well-received upon its release, with countless fans claiming that Scary Hours gave them what they thought For All The Dogs was missing. Now, the album has climbed its way right back up to the top, and is now sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He currently ranks among artists like Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, and more.
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)
Last week, it moved an additional 145,000 equivalent album units, which was mostly comprised of streaming. Following the release of For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition, Drake also came through with instrumental versions of the Scary Hours 3 tracks. He even challenged other artists to rap over them, resulting in some bars from Fabolous.
While fans aren’t surprised that Drake continues to see success, some supporters think he might have Joe Budden to thank. Following the LP’s original release, Budden shared some hot takes on the project, prompting a lengthy and passionate response from Drake. Upon hearing the Scary Hours edition, however, some thought he might have taken Budden’s advice. It offers fans more straightforward bars than the original, seemingly aligning with Budden’s suggestions. When asked about the speculation, however, Joe Budden simply stated “I have absolutely nothing to say.” What do you think of Drake’s For All The Dogs going No. 1 again? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
When Drakechallenged other rappers to tackle his Scary Hours 3 tracks by dropping the instrumentals, he probably expected a couple of smaller MCs to step up to the plate, and maybe a titan or two. Well, for that last category, none other than Fabolous came through with a sharp freestyle over one of these beats, and it’s unsurprisingly quite good. It’s nothing wild- after all, it’s only a simple freestyle- but his charisma and ability to deliver with such conviction carries this to a solidly satisfying set of bars. Moreover, the Brooklyn rapper showed off his brand-new Benz truck for his birthday, making it as opulent as Drizzy would want a freestyle over one of his beats to be.
“New truck, but I been driven,” Fabolous raps over the instrumental for “Evil Ways,” a freestyle that he uploaded just a day after Drake dropped the Scary Hours 3 beats. “Pull up and turn your Friendsgiving to a Benzgiving, told my b***h what is givings, what has been given. I gotta move in where we been livin’, that Brooklyn boy ain’t gon’ play with them boys, that’s word to Ben Simmons.” Check out the new set of bars down below.
Even though the 46-year-old’s career peak probably passed a little while ago, don’t let that fool you into thinking he took his foot off the gas. Just recently, Ne-Yo tapped him for the remix of his single “Link Up,” and he dropped plenty of other great verses over the years. Maybe the response to this brief “Evil Ways” freestyle will inspire Fabolous to drop a mixtape and tackle more beats at length. Regardless, if Drake isn’t going to respond to these challenges and give praise, then maybe they should trade some bars instead.
Jokes aside, Loso knows how indelible, influential, and acclaimed his legacy is, and will take some time to make sure folks preserve it well. For example, he recently clowned a mural featuring him and a couple of other New York rappers that wasn’t really up to par with the quality standards he keeps. When it comes to wax, Fabolous makes sure that what he drops is worth it. For more news and the latest updates on Fab and Drake, check back in with HNHH.
Last Friday, Drake reissued his latest album, For All the Dogs, with a “Scary Hours Edition,” featuring six new songs as a separate disc. Produced by the likes of Conductor Williams, The Alchemist, Ovrkast, and Lil Yachty, Drake’s latest batch of tracks comes just over a month after his 23-track album. Informally titled Scary Hours 3, the new project has been primarily well-received compared to the mixed reception of For All the Dogs.
Drake also recently shared the instrumentals to his latest rap-heavy deluxe edition. Scary Hours 3 is noticeably longer than its predecessors, almost acting as a standalone work compared to the shorter EPs that helped promote his studio albums. With Drake’s latest release still fresh and in rotation, we rank the Scary Hours EPs from least to greatest. Take a look at the list below.
3. Scary Hours (2018)
The first Scary Hours EP arrived in January of 2018. The two-song project notably included “God’s Plan,” which eventually became one of Drake’s biggest singles yet. Also on the first Scary Hours was “Diplomatic Immunity,” a trap song that name-checked Jennifer Lopez in its lyrics and referenced Dipset with its title. With “God’s Plan” eventually becoming the lead single from Scorpion later that year, Scary Hours ultimately came and went as an insignificant moment in the scope of Drake’s discography. As the shortest and least exciting installment in the series, it ranks at the bottom of the Scary Hours EP’s.
2. Scary Hours 2 (2021)
Released ahead of Certified Lover Boy, Scary Hours 2 is a strong EP that compels listeners throughout its three songs. While only 12 minutes in length, the project was varied in production and style. Drake certainly excited fans as he opened Scary Hours 2 with the energetic “What’s Next.” The song “Wants and Needs” saw Drake confidently rap over a menacing beat. Lil Baby contributed an admirable verse to the song, impressively flowing after Drake’s catchy and melodic chorus. Drake ended the EP with “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” a 6-minute track where he and Rick Ross spit bars over a soulful beat, displaying their long-lasting chemistry. Overall, Scary Hours 2 fulfilled its task of satisfying fans before the eventual release of Certified Lover Boy, leaving them hoping for more.
1. For All The Dogs, Scary Hours Edition (2023)
Scary Hours 3 is the only installment in the series released almost immediately after a major Drake studio album. Acting as both a deluxe and a standalone project, it contains some of Drake’s best rapping in recent memory, surpassing the standard edition of For All the Dogs. The rap-driven project sees Drake responding to his toughest critics, sending shots at Joe Budden and Pusha T, as well as people missing the “old Drake.”
Chorus-free songs like “Red Button” and “Stories About My Brother” feature some of Drake’s sharpest bars, while “The Shoe Fits” points out the faults of those who scrutinize him online. He and J. Cole prove to be an even match as they go back and forth on “Evil Ways” before shrugging off his exes on “You Broke My Heart.”
Easily the best-produced project out of the series, Scary Hours 3 is Drake at his most vengeful. He delivers the lyricism and charisma that For All the Dogs somewhat lacked, silencing his biggest critics. A concise listen, it plays like a complete body of work.
Earlier this week, Drake challenged all the rappers out there on his since-expired Instagram Story. “Dropping the instrumentals this week,” he wrote (as captured by Complex). “I wanna hear who’s barring up.”
Like he did during his It’s All A Blur Tour, Drake made this into a scavenger hunt his aforementioned website. Click on the area pointing toward the door of the animated mansion, which will take you into the “Studio.” Once inside, a version of the For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition album art is floating above the couch. Click it, and the instrumentals for “The Shoe Fits” will automatically download (for free).
The “El Chico Studio” is where you’ll find “Wick Man” instrumentals. “Red Button” is hidden in “The Lounge,” and “Stories About My Brother” is up in “Bedroom.” We won’t spoil all the fun. Go ahead and try to locate “Evil Ways” featuring J. Cole and “You Broke My Heart” on your own.
The stakes are higher when vengeance is on the mind. Such is the case with Drake’s Scary Hours 3, an expansion of his latest studio album For All The Dogs. The Canadian rapper found himself at a crossroads in his career where his pop sensibilities have outshined his technical prowess as an MC. That’s not to say that Drake can’t rap but if For All The Dogs measured his lyrical aptitude, there weren’t nearly enough bars to base it on. The album, as a whole, was an intersection between Drake grappling with his own fame (in more ways than one) while adapting and embracing the new generation of rappers in what feels like a torch-bearing ceremony.
Scary Hours 3, however, (officially dubbed For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition), is yet another attempt to feed his rabid fanbase who have undoubtedly been eating good since 2018. More significantly, Drake returns with a chip on his shoulder a month after the release of For All The Dogs, one that has seemingly been weighing on him for nearly five years yet triggered by Joe Budden’s unapologetic criticism. In many ways, Budden was only echoing the public’s creed toward the influx of music. The reception of For All The Dogs wasn’t all the way favorable upon its release but like everything else in Drake’s discography, it has a certain charm that’s bound to grow on you over time.
The most refreshing aspect of Scary Hours 3 surrounds the production choices. Although 40 doesn’t have a single credit production-wise across the six songs, Drake enlists a solid group of collaborators to craft the sounds of the For All The Dogs reissue. Lil Yachty, who has emerged as Drake’s right-hand man in the last year, contributes to the ovrkast.-produced songs, “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits,” a song where Drake finally pushes back against those aiming for the return of “the Old Drake.” Conductor Williams marks his second collab with the Boy on “Stories About My Brother,” while The Alchemist dives into a warped realm of cynicism on “Wick Man.” Then, FNZ, Vinylz, Boi-1da, and Fierce helped form the final two tracks on the short EP.
With a classy and soulful Griselda-esque touch, Scary Hours 3 showcases Drake’s lyrical dexterity in ways that have been sorely lacking in his catalog in the past few years. Drake basks in the ethereal beauty of The Alchemist’s production of “Wick Man” through a rugged and honest approach. “Wick Man” feels like this stream of consciousness where Drake confronts the ideas of retribution and grief in the same breath, paralleling his own existence to John Wick.
In the same vein, “The Shoe Fits” presents his skepticism towards the world, both in his 10+ year career and his love life, as he divulges why the return of the “Old Drake” is impossible. That cold-heartedness that transformed a project like If You’re Reading This into one of the most cherished bodies of work in his catalog doesn’t necessarily carry the same weight on Scary Hours 3. In fact, it could come off as uninspired at times. Maybe, it’s because his decision to openly respond to his naysayers (Joe Budden) was almost immediate. Or it could be the fact that he’s continuing to throw potshots at Pusha T and Kanye when the public’s interest in their feud has died down.
The Immediate Highlight: “Evil Ways”
The collection of records that make up Scary Hours 3 isn’t necessarily supposed to cater to his casual fans who are interested in earworms for hooks. Instead, it aims to make a case for why he’s a GOAT contender of his generation on artistic merit, rather than numbers. It’s evident in “Evil Ways” ft. J Cole, where he goes bar-for-bar with someone of his caliber. It’s another instance of J Cole’s shining as a featured artist, continuing his impeccable run in the past few years. Their chemistry remains fluid, and the 3-syllable rhyme pattern shines across the soulful vocal sample. However, on Drake’s part, it still feels like there’s a lack of vivacity that previously captured his brilliance with the pen.
Overall, Scary Hours 3 isn’t necessarily the second wind that Drake thought it would be. The release of six additional songs largely caters to the back-packer audiences who’ve hoped that one day, Drake would actually return to bars rather than hit records. In a two-plus-year run that found Drake exploring new sonic turf, whether through Lil Yachty’s influence or the sounds of house music on Honestly, Nevermind, these six songs were intended to be a return to form.
Unfortunately, as an MC, Drake sounds stagnant, and his golden touch doesn’t seem to be as effective as it once was, neither in penning quotable bars that penetrate pop culture nor in delivering anything that feels groundbreaking. “You Broke My Heart” exemplifies this adequately. It has all the markings of a Drake anthem, partially due to the fact that its chord progressions feel eerily similar to “Laugh Now Cry Later.” Drake’s delivery is forceful and commanding. Even the minor addition of Smiley’s ad-libs elevates the song as a whole. But by the time you reach the bridge, it feels like Drake’s recycling ideas that we’ve already heard from him. Ultimately, this largely captures the entirety of Scary Hours 3: it fulfills its purpose yet fails to execute the standard that Drake set for himself.
Drake’s Scary Hours 3, also known as For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition, was a tight collection of six tracks and a whole lot of bars. Whether it was his beefs in the industry, relationships with women, and so much more, he had a lot to say and said it in the most fitting ways possible. Moreover, Drizzy spit a lot of funny bars, some cringe, some poignant lines, and with an overall sense of confidence. However, given the incredible production from the likes of Conductor Williams and The Alchemist on here, plus many other names, it stands to reason that there’s plenty of potential for other artists to excel in this lane.
Furthermore, Drake knows this, and took it upon himself to challenge others to beat him at his own game. He’s officially dropped the instrumentals for Scary Hours 3 on his website– but, there’s a twist to it. The Toronto native designed a scavenger hunt of sorts on his website, where you have to click through various rooms and scour for these links to download the beats. We don’t see a lot of stuff like this anymore from artists, especially ones as big as him. As such, this is actually kind of refreshing and a fun idea for die-hards to engage with the music more closely.
Of course, just because Drake got bar-heavy on here over some classic beats doesn’t make Scary Hours 3 an automatic hit. Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop, for example- who isn’t the biggest fan of his music but still gave For All The Dogs a six out of 10- hit the new collection of tracks with a score of five out of 10. Regardless, plenty of fans expressed a lot of happiness with the additional EP. In fact, it’s what many of them wanted for a long time. Maybe this means that these instrumentals will resonate with artists and listeners who feel inspired by the 37-year-old’s own adherence to the pen here.
Meanwhile, after big wins at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, he’s probably feeling more on top of the world than ever this year. Sure, that’s quite the steep competition considering his touring success and all that, but it’s a challenge Aubrey Graham loves to keep up with. Will you accept his challenge and drop a 32 over the “Wick Man” instrumental? Let us know in the comments and log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Drake.
Last week, Drake returned from his surprisingly short “hiatus” from dropping new music. He did so to surprise drop his new Scary Hours 3 EP which added six new songs to his For All The Dogs album from last month. Drake himself spends much of the time on the songs dissing other artists and media figures. He takes shots at familiar foes like Pusha T and Joe Budden while also making some more surprising callouts aimed at Kanye West and 6ix9ine.
Now, Drake is offering other artists the chance to show off their own abilities over his instrumentals. He took to Instagram to announce that versions of the songs with no vocals were coming out soon and issued a challenge to other artists to try their hand at the songs. “Dropping the instrumentals this week I wanna hear who’s barring up” Drizzy captioned his Instagram announcement. It’s unclear when exactly the instrumental will arrive but when it does he’s clearly expecting to hear some talented artists to record their own versions of them. Check out the full announcement below.
The new songs from Scary Hours 3 being attached to the end of For All The Dogs will give the album a chance to return to the top spot on the Billboard 200. It’s expected to land somewhere in the 110k-130k range on next week’s chart. The album’s primary competitor for the top spot is, surprisingly, Dolly Parton’s collaboration-packed new album Rockstar. Parton is seeking her first ever number one album on the Billboard 200.
One of Drake’s biggest critics has been pretty quiet on Scary Hours 3. After being pretty vocal in his critiques of For All The Dogs, Joe Budden simply responded with “I have absolutely nothing to say” when asked about Scary Hours. What do you think of Drake sharing the instrumentals from his new EP and challenging other artists to rap over them? Who do you want to hear over songs from the project? Let us know in the comment section below.
Earlier this year, Drake dropped one of the biggest rap records of 2023. For All The Dogs arrived with a ton of hype and a ton of high-profile features and sold tons of copies as a result. But while fans seemed to eat the album up, critics were much more mixed on it. Review conglomerate website Metacritic currently lists the album with a score of 53 out of 100 based on 13 critics who reviewed it.
That’s pretty much exactly in line with what the “internet’s busiest music nerd” Anthony Fantano gave the album. In a review posted shortly after the release of the album Fantano shared his thoughts. He took the chance to highlight plenty of tracks he likes including “Slime You Out,” “8am In Charlotte,” “Rich Baby Daddy,” and “First Person Shooter.” But he ultimately concluded that the project was very middle of the road and awarded it a score of Strong 5. Check out his thoughts on Drake’s newest EP below.
Anthony Fantano Hits Drake With His Second Consecutive 5
Despite claiming that he was going to take a hiatus from releasing new music shortly after the album dropped, he returned with a new EP. Once again, Anthony Fantano covered the project and once again he had mixed feelings. Fantano highlighted “Stories About My Brother” and “The Shoe Fits” as highlights on the short project. But ultimately he gave it the exact same score as the album that preceded it, a Strong 5.
Much like For All The Dogs, Drake brings up plenty of beef on Scary Hours 3. In the short tracklist he takes shots at Pusha T, Joe Budden, Kanye West, 6ix9ine, and more. Some of those were expected, as he’s often beefed with Pusha T over the years and has been back and forth with Joe Budden since the podcaster criticized For All The Dogs himself. What do you think about Anthony Fantano’s score for Drake’s Scary Hours 3 EP? Let us know in the comment section below.
