Happy” over the hump day”!  Currently, I’m sitting in a aisle seat, on my way to Seattle via Frontier Airlines but found this downtime to be a great opportunity for me bring you Drake’s debut album “Thank me later”.  Now, there have been mixed reviews on Drake’s debut but all I have to say is….”Album of the Year”.  Yes…I said it.  Drake has done the impossible; he has successfully taken two independently strong genres(Hip-Hop & R&B) and made a multi-genre album. Most people expected Drake’s debut album to be an aggressive, hard hitting Hip-Hip album, showcasing his uncanny lyrical abilities but much to our surprise, he took debut album in a completely different (new) direction.

Not to worry; what has made him so famous, his lyrical ability, is definitely showcased on tracks such as: Thank me now, Fancy and Show me a good time but he also shows his R&B side with tracks: Fireworks, Find your love, Karaoke and Shut it down. Both genres, I feel, were presented perfectly and equally represented Drake’s talents.  What must understand that Drake has never claimed to be “just a Rapper” or “Singer”.  He has said multiple times “He is a Artist with a love for both Hip Hop & R&B”.

Finally on a personal note, I must speak to the underling message of Drake’s debut album.  Drake has clearly been hurt by the loss of very special girl.  He communicates on multiple tracks the sacrifice he made for success ,especially the sacrifice of his relationship with his girlfriend. His pain is especially felt on track “Karaoke” when he says “Don’t be fooled be the money, I’m still just young and unlucky…I’m surprised you couldn’t tell”. He very openly addresses how much he regrets losing his girlfriend and how he would trade his new found success to be back in the college dorm room with her (for exact lyrics see CeCe’s Interlude). This really hits home with me because I learned a very similar lesson recently. Like most aspiring young men, I was blinded by my thirst for success and completely ignored the most beautiful, caring and loving woman ever to enter my world. Of course I ultimately learned my lesson by losing her, but understand the lesson learned and hope to one day redeem myself once meeting another special woman.

As much as it hurts to lose something so special, it helps to know that I’m not the only young man to suffer from blinded success and detrimental determination.  Anyways….enough about my personal life, let’s get back to what make’s this blog rock…. the MUSIC!!!! I hope you enjoy Drake’s debut album.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments.  Peace.

Drake - Thank me later (Toronto, Ontario)