Drake’s new mixtape, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” is said to be a halfway point between 2013’s “Nothing Was The Same” and the upcoming “Views From The 6.” The new 17-track tape has fans scratching their head at the element of surprise that it carries. The mixtape was probably released due to contractual obligations to Cash Money Records and is weirdly not a free mixtape that we are used to seeing from Drake, who often releases them between his albums.
“Nothing Was The Same” is a great album, one that will be part of Drake’s arsenal for a long time and helps with the argument that he belongs up there as one of the best rappers as of late. However, he fails to add a new element to his sound, making me shake my head and think this has all been done before.
Mixtapes are meant for an artist to experiment and try new things, and don’t get me wrong, the beats go hard and compliment his style. But he’s not innovating anything.
Throughout all the songs I can’t help but feel like I’m at a frat party bumping these songs, asking me to rush and still talking about Johnny Manziel’s glory days.
In the opening song, “Legend,” Drake obviously raps about himself being a legend and whatnot, which will definitely have a place in rap folklore, but the song is repetitive and slow at points.
A few songs of the same demeanor follow. No songs really catch your ear until “Preach,” but only because it makes you actually reach down to your phone and skip the song because you’re tired of PARTYNEXTDOOR whining in an auto tune voice about being in Miami.
The tape continues with a track with mentor Lil Wayne “Used To” that is subpar to what you’re used to hearing from the superstar duo.
And the album doesn’t get much better until “You & The 6,” which is the third-from-the-last song, and the last two finish the album strong, which include a bonus track, “6PM In New York,” a sequel to “9AM In Dallas” and “5AM In Toronto.”
One of the things I appreciate about Drake is that he raps confidently, but he also raps about his faults. This is important for a main character in a story and lets you connect as much as you can with a millionaire rapper. I enjoy when he raps about his past and things he’s going through, and his writing is impeccable — most of the time.
But this release just doesn’t deliver to the level you expect from the Grammy winner. This tape will fade away in a couple of months and won’t stand the test of time, and will only be a footnote in Drake’s career.