And so, the argument gradually arises about whether Drake’s catalogue is purely what propelled him to his level of stardom or whether his name helped. “Drake” has become more than just the name of that rapper that sings. It’s a brand that has helped elevate him and his team ‘way up’ and the question we must inevitably ask is how much did the persona and appeal to the ladies help? When it’s all said and done, in ten years will our kids look back and ask us what it was like to live whilst the legacy was being made or wonder what all the hype was about? Maybe the novelty is wearing off.
Looking back at the greats in Hip-Hop, they all had their runs, they all had their moments. Whether it was a solid four or five years on top or a consecutive two or three albums which we now consider classic, every rapper who we look up to in 2015 has had a respectable amount of time where they were not to be f*cked with. Could Drake’s be coming to an end? We’re forced to bring our thoughts his upcoming album, Views From The 6. For a rapper who enjoys flooding the scene with music more often than he gets credit for, relatively little is known about direction of The Boy’s next project. What we know for sure is that it could either be his crowning or his downfall. Although he brags the rights to his own style which has birthed numerous new acts throughout the years, it could be getting a little repetitive.
Harsh? Hear me out. Coming off of three stellar Rap LPs, Kanye West released 808s & Heartbreak in 2008 which is, for better or for worse, an R&B album – a shift. When Tha Carter III impacted radio and did numbers like no-one could have imagined, putting Wayne at the height of his career, his next album was Rebirth – a shift. This is that time in Drake’s career. With Views, he’ll either shock and impress beyond what we can currently project or comprehend, proving that a couple of low points don’t define his artistry, or as hard as it may be to imagine, he’ll drop the ball. Even if he exceeds expectations yet again, can he continue and match the longevity of a Jay Z or Eminem? Who knows. We’ll all be here for the ride.
No pressure.
– by Akaash Sharma
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