Everything’s Pretty Much The Same…
And That’s OK
!
By Rasheda Browne, 3rd Year
In the new wave of rappers trying to establish themselves outside of the shadows
of heavyweights Jay-Z and Kanye West, Drake is obviously leagues ahead of his peers. It
is arguable he is not the most lyrical, in comparison to Kendrick Lamar, or aggressive, a
la Meek Mill, but it is clear that he is the most successful. Apart from his ability to make
great catchphrases and being the subject of our favorite memes, his appeal comes from
his ability to be completely “real”. Third year Samantha Williams remarks, “I respect
Drake because he has stayed true to who he is and…[has] not let the fame get to him like
many other artists.” In the vein of Kanye (early Kanye, not Kanye Kardashian), Drake
has built his music on transparency and emotional availability. This deeply contrasts most
of mainstream rap, which is rooted in fake bravado in objects no one really has and
actions no one really does.
Despite the title, Drake has not strayed too much from his formula on his recently
released third album, Nothing Was The Same. Drake keeps his focus on the troubles of
being famous. He raps about deteriorating relationships with friends and family who view
him as a star rather than the person they once knew. On songs like “Started from the
Bottom” and “Furthest Thing”, Drake travels on a wavering tightrope between his
growing ego and the humility he struggles to maintain. Drake still takes time to brood
over women he once had on songs like “From Time”, reliving mistakes that ended those
relationships as well as the “what-ifs” had he known better.
The major difference in Drake is his overwhelming jolt of confidence. His 2009
mixtape, So Far Gone, reflected Drake’s desire to prove himself, shown in the angst in
his voice and the large number of features from music’s biggest artists in what seemed to
be an attempt for a giant seal of approval. In Nothing Was The Same, Drake has not lost
that passion, but he does seem more comfortable in his position. The power in his voice
shows that Drake is reveling in the success he has now, rather than on past struggles or
worries about the future. For most of the album, Drake stands alone, unabashedly telling
every other rapper he is bigger and better than they are. He shows that he is able to meet
and exceed the expectations people have for him and those he has for himself.
Nothing Was The Same marks a transition in Drake’s career. He is slowly moving
away from only expounding upon the same-old topics of girls and fame. Drake is “on a
mission…to shift the culture.” The album’s theme of homage to 90’s artists like Whitney
Houston and Wu Tang Clan, as well as a Jay-Z feature that rapper and Roc Nation artist J.
Cole could only dream of, all show Drake’s new desire to become a legend in his own
right. However, only time will tell which road he will take: he may take the Jay-Z
approach and become a business entity, follow Nas’ example and remain great through
his musical contributions, or carve out a new path that continues to set him apart. Judging
from his resume, whatever path Drake decides on will undoubtedly keep him on top.