Album Review: Drake’s Take Care

I been taking care

Drake – Take Care album Review

By: Myrna Burgess @MsTaboo

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I spent the most part of my Monday “taking care”. Nothing can explain my utter excitement after waking up, checking twitter to see what I’d missed, and seeing that the album I’ve been looking forward to all year had leaked while I was sleeping. It was the simplest pleasure of the day, and this was only in the morning. So after jumping up and down and totally freaking out for a minute, I literally had to pull myself towards myself and got on my download biz. But the joy came the minute I pressed play. And it hasn’t stopped since.

 

Over My Dead Body

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

Starting off on a slow tip, with the beat sampling that of a marching band in the background, Drizzy’s raps are laid back and easy. He’s just spitting to set the mood. “And I be hearing the shit you say through the grapevine, but jealousy is just love and hate at the same time. It’s been that way from the beginning. I just been playing I ain’t even notice I was winning.”

Shot For Me

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

And then he drops that melodic flow on the vocals. And when he sings all resistance crumbles. This track had me leaning closer to the speaker, and when Drake started to rap, there was that single teardrop rolling down my face. The truth in the rhymes of this song is too real. “Ok look, I’m honest. Girl I can’t lie I miss you. You and the music were the only things that I commit to. I never cheated for the record back when I was with you. But you believed in everything but me girl I don’t get you.”

Headlines

(Produced by Boi-1da)

This track goes hard from the time it was released a few months back. This beat is ignorant and deserves to be played at high volumes at all times.  But you gotta listen all the way to the end for this… “I heard once that they would rather hear about memories than enemies, rather hear what was and what will be than what is, rather hear how you got it over how much it cost you, rather hear bout finding yourself and how you lost you. Rather you make this an open letter, about family and struggle and it taking forever, about hearts that you’ve broken and ties that you’ve severed; no doubt in my mind, that’ll make them feel better.”

Crew Love feat The Weeknd

(Produced by Illangelo & Doc McKinney)

I’m a fan for The Weeknd! Everything about the way his voice transports you to another world is something incredibly special. Here Drake pays homage to his crew.  And it’s all love. Real like that; no fronting. “I got a lot of friends that come up off the strip for me, the same ones that’ll come up off the hit for me, the realest niggas say your lyrics do shit for me, I told my story, and made His-story.”

Take Care feat Rihanna

(Produced by Jamie XX) 

It’s just a matter of time before this track will be all over radio playlists. It’s got that feel good vibe. The piano in the beat reminds me of Malaika “Destiny”. I swear I was swaying my head left to right singing along by the second chorus. “I know you’ve been hurt, by someone else. I can tell by the way, you carry yourself. If you let me, here’s what I’ll do, I’ll take care of you.”

Marvin’s Room / Buried Alive (Interlude) feat Kendrick Lamar

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

This must be one of the realest tracks to be released this year. Drake confirmed that at some point or another we all slip up and call up a case of the ex in the middle of the night on some “I’m just saying you could do better” tip, and although it’s not acceptable behavior, we all been through it. “I don’t think I’m conscious of making monsters outta the women I sponsor till it all goes bad. But shit it’s all good.” And then —————> Kendrick Lamar spits one of the dopest collaboration verses on the album. DO NOT skip till you’ve listened all the way to the end.

Underground Kings

(Produced by T-Minus)

Another kick-ass beat. It’s like the beats feed Drake’s lyrical content; the harder the beat the harder his raps. His smoothness allows his raps to paint a masterpiece; something few rappers can accomplish in such a flawless fashion. His voice is every bit mesmerizing. “It’s been two years since somebody asked me who I was, “I’m the greatest” I said that before I knew I was.”

We’ll Be Fine feat Birdman

(Produced by T-Minus)

T-Minus is a beast on the beats, add Drizzy Drake and this is the end result. This is that head-bumping shit where you’ll be forgiven for standing alone in the middle of nowhere with this track blaring at obnoxious volumes, illustrating the realest head-bop. And Birdman is just baaauuwwss! “Seem like yesterday that I was up and coming, still so young and I ain’t had enough of nothing.”

Make Me Proud feat Nicki Minaj

(Produced by T-Minus)

This is like a triple stack of T-Minus in a row for you, and he doesn’t disappoint. But the way Drake raps on this track is nothing short of spectacular. And Nicki Minaj drops some of the illest rhymes like she ain’t already at the top. No doubt that any Drake/Minaj collabo is fire! And this is no different! “Everything’s adding up, you’ve been through hell and back, that’s why you’re bad as fuck and you know you are.”

Lord Knows feat Rick Ross

(Produced by Just Blaze)

This beat is undoubtedly the hottest on the album. I won’t even lie, I been too caught up in this monster of a beat to even listen to the rhymes. And I have been taking care for the last 12 hours straight. It’s like the heavens opened up, the orchestra started up, and the choir broke into song on the most incredible piece of music. This beat is all that matters! Just Blaze did best! And you’ll most likely put this shit on repeat. Trust!

Cameras / Good Ones Go (Interlude)

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

 This was one track I just wasn’t feeling on the album, or in terms of the other bangers this didn’t quite match up. It’s soulful, but Drake sounded so detached, like he was just talking, not like he was even tryna get my attention. Even his tone was way chilled. “They love me like I’m Prince, like the new kid with the crown, bunch of underground kings thought you knew how we get down.” And when he switches into the Good Ones Go interlude he’s back to being emo Drake; singing his ass off.

Doing It Wrong feat Stevie Wonder

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

First there was Marvin’s Room, till there was Trust Issues, and now Doing It Wrong. Believe me when I say this song is so touching. The tagline “I need someone different.” It’s one of those thought provoking tracks that will tug at your heartstrings, and no rapper does that better than Drake dead or alive. I can’t tell you the depth of his rhymes, and when he’s spitting this kind of truths, he spins you into his web. Stevie Wonder rounds off this track with the beautiful sounds of his harmonica. I would have loved to hear him sing, but “Doing It Wrong” was perfect as is.

The Real Her feat Andre 3000 and Lil Wayne

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

You may have heard this track before, but you haven’t heard the version with Andre 3000. This is another example of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” This laid back, rollercoaster of emotion filled tracks is what makes Drake work as an artist. He says things men don’t just admittedly say out in public. Women commend him and men relate from the dark corners of the earth. The highlight for me was Andre doing his thang. After Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Buried Alive Interlude, this is the second best collaboration verse. “Everybody has an addiction, mine happens to be you.

Look What You’ve Done

(Produced by Chase N. Cashe)

When Drake raps about his family you can almost hear the quiver in his voice. Or maybe that’s just me tripping. And when he talks about his moms and dad, it’s so much deeper that just the words he’s rapping. This track is another reminder of his come-up, in case you forgot. “Cheques bounced and we bounced back.” On that mellow tip that will have you listening to the breaks between his verses, highlight is the outtro; a message from his paternal grandmother. My heart. Is just. Wow.

HYFR feat Lil Wayne

(Produced by T-Minus)

Picking up the pace as we head for that home-stretch, there are too many dope quotables in this track. Drake goes hard straight from the word go. He just rapped his ass off, and sang his heart out, and if we had our doubts he’s about to shut it down. Lil Wayne is BOMB on this track too. Weezy and Drake collabs will stay winning because nothing sounds better. It’s that fun track that just makes you wanna act da fool. “Hell yeah, fucken right!”

Practice

(Produced by Noah “40” Shebib)

And how do you end off Take Care in Drizzy fashion? You drop most likely the sexiest track on the album. He makes you wanna ride the whole way out on this track. Like sexy just got sexier! The brilliance, yeah I said brilliance, of this song can only be comprehended once you’re comfortably listening to it. “All those other men were practice, for me.”

When it’s all over you’ll be forgiven for putting Take Care on repeat. And you’ll have your favourites, the way that I have mine. Drake did exactly what I expected him to do… He moved me! And this album is epic. Perhaps not a classic, unless you’re that hard a die-hard fan, but if you listened to Thank Me Later, his debut album, you’ll hear the growth as Drake evolves and comes into his own.

After the album leaked Drake tweeted: “Listen, enjoy it, buy it if you like it…and take care until next time.”  You heard the man. Take Care.

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