Drake drops the More Life album, speaking directly to my life. His uncle looks like a darker skinned Donald Grefe – who filled the role as “uncle”, and eventually “dad”, for me, for a while. The Toronto, Ontario Northern artist has been a part of the journey since I started recording music. I don’t know how long he’s known I’m God, and that the industry has sucked and siphoned whatever they possibly could off me for their profit, but he knows something. My favorite project so far from Drake. Views played a role too, or “Once Dance” did at least.
The fourth studio album from Toronto, Canada OVO founding artist Drake (April 28, 2016). He’s been a big part of the scene up there for many years now. This is his testament for “The 6”.
This is a smooth collection. Drake’s voice cuts through the mix, and he has the lungs to keep the track going. He’s known for biting flows and sounds, which Meek Mill and others called him out for not that long ago. We know he doesn’t write at least some of his music, and as a Hip Hop artist and supporter, I feel that harms those that always speak for themselves.
Drake’s music is always on point, though, and he did this one nearly alone. His production is the finest in his synthy Trap with R&B tendencies. Drake has finessed his style of Hip Hop into pop radio, so now, producers line up to make the next “Drake type beat”. Just look on Youtube, they’re all over.
This tape also has a lot of Jamaican Dancehall on it, and I think it can be good to incorporate music, old or new, to make new good music. Kanye West has played a big role in incorporating different cultures into his heavily sampled style. Drake has been working with a lot of folks and repping the fuck outta OVO and his city in the process. He’ll be known for bringing it in.
Drake had a lot of music, so he dropped it. Now, he’ll move forward onto the next project. That’s how it should be. I think it’s time we all look at the music for what it is and then the artist as another entity. Views is a full album of quality rap from Drizzy, inspired at least partially by the changing of seasons in Toronto.
Big Sean has been dropping gems for years but this is his best to date (February 24, 2015). No much to say about his 3rd studio album, just hit play. He’s got many of his common collaborators on here and many new ones. Certified Platinum.
Rockie Fresh dropped his MMG debut on January 21, 2013. Electric Highway is the last conceptual project that the Chicago emcee has dropped on his own. His style is apparent throughout, the Windy City poet can pen a tale as well as Common but hits em with the bars when he feels it necessary.
Cuts like Thick Bitch (Hit My Jack) made life breezier back then. My hometown patnas of Superior Webbs remixed that song too. Rockie Fresh makes me imagine a more honest Wiz Khalifa. The way he talks about life so blasé, through the lense of marijuana, makes his dreams of woman and fast cars more believable to the every day man.
Since Electric Highway, Rockie’s put out The Birthday Tape, an inappropriately titled tape could’ve been huge if marketed better, and Fresh Veggies, a collaborative tape that went over more Casey than Rockie. All 3 projects came out in the same year. I’m hoping to hear more projects like this one and the first I heard from him – Otherside.
