Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss was a lightning rod in 2022. The album’s hilarious rollout and fans’ genuine curiosity about a full-length project from the pair made the project quite intriguing. Together on Her Loss, they earned another No. 1 album and the approval of the masses once again.
The Toronto rapper symbolically passed the torch to the Slaughter Gang CEO for his solo outing “3AM In Glenwood,” where the latter dips into a rare reflective, backpack rap bag. Drake, in one of his four individual efforts “Middle Of The Ocean,” follows suit with his vintage stream-of-consciousness flow targeted at party buses, hibachi, and Serena William’s husband, the last of which drew the ire of many fans for Drake’s inability to let go of an old relationship. The duo raises the tempo on the popular opener “Rich Flex,” the fusion force Kamehameha (for my Dragon Ball Z fans) “On BS” and the polarizing “Circo Loco” where The Boy controversially alluded to Megan Thee Stallion lying about being shot by Tory Lanez through a veiled metaphor about women lying about getting butt implants.
Of course, it’s not a Drake project without emotions. An overflow of feelings is poured into “Hours In Silence,” a three-act play where he questions whether or not he can f**ck the idea of another man out of a woman’s mind. The track breaks down the three sides of a very 2022 story and throws in an impressive 21 Savage bridge.
Then there’s the ballad “Spin Bout U,” where they threaten violence against anyone who dares try and run game on their women. The sobering acceptance laced in the album closer “I Guess It’s F**k Me” was palpable: “But you’re not one of mine / You belong to everybody else when you’re bored in your free time / Sh*t could make a thug cry, play it like a tough guy.”
This was a good Drake project made great by 21 Savage, heavy Southern influence, and the braggadocious-yet-earnest lyrics and delivery. — A.S.
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | TIDAL