A love letter to…Drake. Illustration by: Matt Fabrizio
Aubrey Drake Graham, better known mononymously as simply Drake, seems like he’s not himself lately. As contentious of a topic as this is, I might be treading on thin ice when I say: Drake has been in a slump since his 2018 record “Scorpion.”
It’s my opinion that his output since then has been pretty boring: the same, drab R&B-trap fusion melodies he was once lauded for popularizing. 2020’s “Dark Lane Demo Tapes” was uninteresting, 2021’s “Certified Lover Boy” sounded almost like a bad parody of himself, and 2022’s “Honestly, Nevermind,” though bold in its new ideas, doesn’t quite reach its full potential. And while Drake hasn’t been known to be the most experimental artist out there, his signature sound is stale by now.
Though if there’s any silver lining to this low point in his career, it’s that fans like myself might just go back to rediscover his older classics. One such record is his 2015 mixtape, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” (IYRTITL).
This, in my opinion, is Drake’s best record to date. It has been eight long years since its release, and it continues to be the rapper’s most concise, cold, and cleanly produced work. Let me explain.
“IYRTITL” comes at an interesting point in the artist’s wildly successful career. Before the release of this mixtape, Drake’s previous chart-topping work marked something of a cultural shift in hip-hop. His music helped introduce R&B sensibilities to hip-hop audiences.
Despite the astounding successes of albums like “Take Care” and “Never Was The Same”, many still resisted this stylistic change from more traditional braggadocio rap.
Then, “IYRTITL” was released with no prior announcement.. Across its 17-track offering, the mixtape was a noticeable departure from Drake’s usual moody sound. “IYRTITL” is loud, confident, and brutally honest, front to back. It contains some of the rapper’s biggest hits ever, such as “Know Yourself,” “Energy,” and “10 Bands.” It’s arguably the best gym playlist ever, too.
Instrumentally, the project leans more towards trap/hip-hop and away from his more ethereal-sounding projects. It was produced by Drake’s longtime collaborator, Noah “40” Shebib, who is often credited for the rapper’s distinct downbeat sound. The duo has always complimented each other very well, and it’s no different here.
Lyrically, Drake is more hard-hitting than ever before. The mixtape is sprawling with clever wordplay, puns, and observations. One of my favorite bars is, “I bought this one a purse, I bought this one a truck. I bought this one a house, I bought this one a mall. I keep buyin’ s***, just make sure you keep track of it all.” This lyric in particular highlights the mixtape’s humorously absurd tone.
“IYRTITL” was of course a commercial hit. Considering its lack of marketing, the mixtape still debuted at the top of Billboard 200 charts and eventually earned double platinum RIAA certification.
For fans of hip-hop, I’d consider this an essential listen. It perfectly checks all the boxes and some more. There was never a dull moment when “IYRTITL” was playing. 9/10.