![]() It’s not only something he touched on himself in the interviews that lead up to the release of Take Care - he made a pointed effort to ensure a better quality body of work, too. ![]() Quite the opposite, and he was aware of it, too. So, it’s not like Drake (still) didn’t have something to prove. After all, Drake’s debut, Thank Me Later, despite being as hotly-anticipated as basically any and all Drake albums are, proved to be a bit dull, a seemingly watered-down version of the sound we were expecting, with a few moments of brilliance such as “Over.” Two years later, and Drake was on the precipice of his sophomore album, the album that inevitably arrives with a certain amount of concern and speculation- an idea that was verified enough times to coin the term “sophomore slump.” And there was apprehension with Take Care. So Far Gone solidified the rapper as someone to pay attention to our ears collectively perked up with the pop-friendly, but H-town-inspired, slowed-down sound of “Best I Ever Had.” Drake not only tapped into a side of hip-hop that had yet to be fully explored, but it was also a side that allowed the artist to cast a wider net when it came to his fanbase, at least when compared to the overt gangster, and aggressive approach of someone like 50 Cent. The logical continuation of this budding trend: Drake.Īnd so, in 2009, Drake dropped what would be his third mixtape, but his first with long-time collaborator and basically exclusive-to-Drake-producer, Noah ‘40’ Shebib- the not-so-secret sauce in what would come to define Drake’s sound. They all share the spotlight on one of hip-hop’s most celebrated albums of the 21st century.Gangsta rap had been on its decline, to be sure, and Kanye West helped loosen things up when it came to emotionally-charged rapping, with the divisive (that is, in 2008) 808s & Heartbreak. She’s one of several high-profile guests on the album, which also features turns from Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, T-Pain and André 3000. Take Care also finds Drake paying tribute to his Cash Money family members, including Nicki Minaj, who features on “Make Me Proud”. And his fractured relationship with his father takes center stage on “Look What You’ve Done”, in which Drake recounts arguments with his mother, while also name-dropping his then non-famous ex (a tactic that became the rapper’s signature style). ![]() Rather than exuding a manufactured image of what a rapper “should” be, Drake is fully himself on tracks like “Marvins Room”, a hit that became known as the drunk dial heard ’round the world. Working as both a producer and a performer, The Weeknd would get a major status upgrade with the release of Take Care, collaborating with Drake on such tracks as “Crew Love” and “Shot for Me”.Įlsewhere on Take Care, Drake proves that, though he was just in his mid-twenties, the Canadian child-actor-turned-rapper had mastered his identity. The album also marked the mainstream arrival of Drake’s fellow hometown hero The Weeknd, who at the time was an underground dark R&B crooner releasing acclaimed mixtapes. The rapper wasn’t shy about acknowledging the discrepancy between Thank Me Later and Take Care: On “Headlines”, one of Take Care’s standout pop moments, he raps: “I had someone tell me I fell off/Ooh, I needed that.” It was this honesty and vulnerability that allowed Drake to rap-sing his way into the hearts of millions of fans worldwide, ushering in a new wave of commercial hip-hop draped in tender emotion.īut despite the album’s chart success-and its eventual Grammy win-Take Care is more than just a career-catapulting moment for Drizzy. Released in 2011, Take Care was an instant smash, debuting at the top of the album charts, despite being leaked online ahead of time. Shebib and Drake drew on the very “Toronto sound” they’d pioneered-a sound that was situated at the sweet spot between rap and R&B, and that had defined Drake’s acclaimed 2009 mixtape, So Far Gone. After receiving mixed feedback on his studio debut Thank Me Later-an album Drake himself felt was rushed-the rapper made a return to his own sonic roots, enlisting musical savant Noah “40” Shebib to spearhead his second studio album. ![]() And, like a vintage port, the album has aged beautifully, standing as one of the most beloved, most decadent moments of Drake’s illustrious discography.Īs the title itself suggests, Take Care is a testament to the theory that the best art requires lots of time. Drake’s magnum opus Take Care is best compared to a fine wine: From the dark, warm tones of its cover art to the long waiting period between inception and release, everything about the album exudes opulence. ![]()
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