If You’re Reading This It’s Too Early

Friday, February 13th, 2015
8:15 AM

So not another interesting night. But a long one. The homegirl cruised through and “watched” the Wedding Ringer with me. Not as bad as I had expected it to be; not a huge Kevin Hart fan. Had a great time. From there I tried to sleep for a few hours until I gave up around 4 AM and decided to throw on the headphone and give this new Drake (album? mixtape?) another chance. My biggest mistake in life is giving things (people) another chance, but I did it for ya boy, for drizzy, know what I’m sayin. First of all let me say the majority of this album isn’t Rap; more like R&B. Now that that’s out of the way, the first song I really connected with and “liked” (and that’s being a generous) was ‘You & The 6’ which is track #15 out of 17. Not typical for a Drake album in my experience. I’ll admit my guilty pleasure(s) are that I really think Drake is dope. That being said, he, and everyone else mainstream, has complete garbage, average/generic, and something extraordinarily dope. That unfortunately is something I did not experience with “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”. “Take Care” was the first Drake album I really gave a chance too, and was glad that I did. It opened my mind up to the possibility of listening to Drake (with the windows up) instead of being a complete hater. Although it didn’t happen quick, Drake grew on me. Starting with ‘Over My Dead Body’ which is great because it was track #1. When “Nothing Was The Same” dropped I was excited. The album hit instantly; track #1 ‘Tuscan Leather’ (which still remains one of my favorite tracks on the album, and/or Drake discography) opened up to a beautifully produced and well rounded album. Just enough singing/rapping to not make me toss this shit into the R&B section that doesn’t exist on my computer and not listen to it again. Sadly that is not the case with “If You’re…” (typing this shit it’s too long of an album name). Now I will take into account the stories circulating around that this title and album are a direct message to Birdman, and a contract fulfillment album. I will grant Drake the benefit of the doubt that perhaps he just wanted the fuck out and make this album to oblige his contract; and if that is/were the case, then I applaud him on the effort. The album isn’t bad. It just isn’t up to caliber, in my opinion, with his previous 2. However, if the soft side of Drake is your favorite side, take a seat and take a piss. This album is soft/trap/2 rap songs/and R&B. Which leads me to the next (not literally but the next and only other song worth talking about), and definitely best track on the album, ‘6PM in New York’. This is the Drake that opened me up to, well, Drake. Whoever handled the beat here, 40 and Shiab or whatever the fuck his name is, whoever/whomever; creates fuego. No bout a doubt it. Drake’s production game always come on point. One thing the man can do is select arrangements and melodies and knows how to make a hit. He has arguably the best production team in the mainstream hip-hop scene right now, and unfortunately doesn’t always do the beat justice; but when he does he does it right. Long story short, ‘nothing was the same’ and everything was the same. The reason I didn’t think this album was that dope is because I’ve heard it before. Even though it was my first time hearing it; ya feel me? This shit’s been done before. If you’ve heard a Drake song you’ve heard every Drake song. My only hope’s are that when his ‘official’ LP that’s rumored to be following up this “mixtape” (but it $12.99, pssh) on Young Money or whatever shit him and Wayne are going to be doing drops, that nothing will be the same. I anticipate the LP will open with a banger as per my expectations for Drake albums, and not be literally full of tracks I have to skip to get to the last 2 good songs. Now I have seen arguments already from dick riders and fans alike that this is an “amazing” album and I get called all sorts of irrelevant names that dickriders love to throw at anyone who doesn’t have the same opinions as them. And that’s fine. As a rapper I reserve the right to be extremely critical about other rappers music. If I feel like I could write what you wrote in a few minutes. If you repeat one or two lines more than 9 or 10 times you’ve pretty much stamped clown on your forehead in my opinion. But you’ve probably stamped a couple fucking zero’s onto the end of your check too. America. Just yesterday I was listening to The Eminem Show, at random, and the line resonates now more than ever, “Hip-Hop is in a state of 911”. And everyone sounds the same. Play me a Rick Ross, Jay-Z (now), Drake, Big Sean, Lil Wayne, (the list can go on) song, and besides for their obvious voice differences, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The flow is the same, the style is the same, the rhyme structure is the same, even the content is exactly the same. They are rich and great, braggadocios and just a machine. Drake, minimally, keeps a heart in his lyrics, making him seem, at times, like a human still. This is where Drake’s “soft” side actually excels. And to finish off the fucking night. I met up with my other homegirl to catch a fade; somehow drove directly into the pigs that decided to follows us back to my house before disappearing. Fuck all that noise. I came through safe and put on the new Joey Bada$$ tape to wash out the bullshit I had heard on the new Drake album..hit her up to find out they had showed up on her way back home and harassed her for an hour before letting her go home. America. “thats why we get high say fuck the police”. Food for thought. Expect more random thoughts of mine in my new section on the website, “Thoughts” -peace. – Intention

EDIT: AND then the album grew on me. and i listened to it nonstop for a week. now i’m over it again.