After a delayed release from Sept. 22 to Oct. 8, Drake has released his much anticipated eighth studio album, “For All the Dogs.”
Since he was on the “It’s All A Blur” tour, Drake had to postpone the initial album release date by two weeks, announcing on Instagram that the album still needed to be finished up.
The 23 star-studded tracks feature artists including rising star Teezo Touchdown, hip-hop heavyweight J. Cole and Latin superstar Bad Bunny, among others.
Drake comes through with a variety of new collaborations as well, giving fans a mixed bag of beats, lyrics and vibes.
Drake brings aboard Teezo Touchdown for the song “Amen,” in which Drake asks for forgiveness from his partner, further conveying the theme of moving on from the past. Teezo shows off his vocal range as he blends gospel and R&B elements in his chorus, providing something that Drake fans haven’t heard on his previous albums.
For the first time since 2013, J. Cole and Drake reunite to deliver a banger with “First Person Shooter.” They speak about their fame and how they are killing the rap game – hence the track’s title. This is a highly anticipated collaboration that was rumored to be happening for quite some time. Cole was featured in the “Jimmy Cooks” music video in 2022, and Drake brought him onstage during his Montreal concert in June.
The most fascinating song on the album, “IDGAF,” featuring Yeat, shows Drake’s impressive range as he matches Yeat’s signature rage-rap style. While the track plays more like a Yeat song featuring Drake than vice versa, it doesn’t take away from the overall listening experience. The beat is something straight out of Yeat’s playbook, yet Drake still manages to flow with it and take us back to the sound of the album’s predecessor “Honestly, Nevermind.”
The main single of the album, “Slime You Out,” featuring SZA, was released on Sept. 15 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The R&B-style track matches the soft lyrics pouring out of SZA and is reminiscent of Drake’s past albums with its slow, bittersweet lyrics of failed relationships and lost love.
A surprise feature on “Members Only,” PartyNextDoor teams back up with Drake to deliver one of the best songs on the album. Drake’s and PartyNextDoor’s ability to flow off one another’s verses is a testament to the connection the two artists have built over the past decade.
“8AM in Charlotte” was the second single released in the buildup to “For All the Dogs.” It is the sixth song from Drake’s “AM/PM” series, and it does not disappoint. The song showcases Drake’s lyrical talent, paired with a smooth piano beat, easily making it one of the best songs on the album. The end of the track sees Drake reminiscing about his feuds and the darker side of the artist lifestyle.
“Gently” sees another major feature, Latin superstar Bad Bunny, coming together with Drake for the first time since 2018’s “MIA.” Drake completely switches things up by starting off the song in Spanish. It is accompanied by a reggaeton beat drop, which Drake manages to flow to nicely, but Bad Bunny outshines him and really shows why he is the master of the genre.
“Rich Baby Daddy” features Sexyy Red, coming off the heels of her support for the “It’s All a Blur” tour. SZA is featured again as well, with Sexyy Red beginning the song with explicit lyrics and her signature voice. Meanwhile, Drake paints a picture with his storytelling, lyricizing about convincing a woman to leave her boyfriend for him. SZA complements both artists and the fast beat with her softer voice, and leaves listeners longing for more in her short verse.
Though “For All the Dogs” is nothing new, it is a unique mixture of past Drake flows and new sounds from all the different features that make the record stand out. This may not be the album a lot of people expected, but it is definitely worth a spin.
