The Return of the Six God
“He’s washed up.”
“His best days are behind him.”
“He hasn’t dropped anything good lately.”
He heard everyone talking reckless, and he came to remind y’all.
Drake. Drizzy. The Six God. Champagne Papi. Heartbreak Drake. One Take Drake. Chaining Tatum. October’s Very Own.
Whatever you wish to call him, there’s no denying that the Toronto MC is, and has been the heaviest hitter in the rap game – over the course of almost a decade.
Most recently, in the midst of promotion for his forthcoming album, Certified Lover Boy, Drake dropped and the game was left in disarray.
However, it wasn’t CLB, it was the follow up to his 2018 EP that gave us “God’s Plan” and “Diplomatic Immunity.” The project, Scary Hours 2, is shorter – containing three tracks with a run length of 12 minutes. He taps Lil Baby and Rick Ross for features on “Wants and Needs” and “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” respectively.
I’m not going to front here, I myself am a massive Drake fan, so in discussing this project, I will do my best to remain objective. Personal fandom aside, this music is the best Drake has sounded in years.
Not to say that his most recent projects (Dark Lane Demo Tapes, Scorpion, More Life) were bad, I very much enjoyed them. But more so than ever, Drake feels locked in and focused, gliding over beats in vintage fashion that is reminiscent of Take Care Drake.
“What’s Next” is an absolute classic banger that is sure to be screamed in the clubs.
“Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” featuring Rick Ross, is a 6:23 song that doesn’t even have a hook. This track adds to a lengthy list of Drake/Rozay collaborations, none of which have been misses so far – “I’m On One, Lord Knows,” “Gold Roses,” “Money in the Grave,” “No New Friends,” “Aston Martin Music,” “Diced Pineapples”… the list goes on.
“Wants and Needs” is a hit showcasing the master, Drake, and the prodigy student, Lil Baby, coming into his own.
Let me provide some context for just how big a star Drake is. He announced SH2 on Instagram on Thursday, ONE day prior to the release. The project consists of three songs, one of which was leaked previously, another of which is a six and a half minute song of Drake and Rozay rapping, no hook. That project is on pace to hit 170 million streams in a week. The list of other artists out right now that could do that, if ANY at ALL, is extremely short.
As the hype for Certified Lover Boy continues to build, this project is sure to offer an appetizing first course that should tide us over until the release.
It seems we can all look forward to Drake continuing to remind everybody who sits atop the throne in the rap game.
Stream below.
