Should You Spin It? Drake - Views Album Review
If You’re Reading This, you might be disappointed. After 2 years of hype, Drake finally released his fourth studio album (fifth if you include “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late) “Views”. After the triumphant year Drake had in 2015 with the release of “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late”, slaughtering Meek Mill’s career with “Back to Back”, and his collaboration project with Future “What a Time To Be Alive”, I thought there is no way Drake could fall off. Maybe I set my expectations too high? Maybe I’m not hearing something other people are? Nevertheless, I was quite disappointed with the album.
Starting with the first track, “Keep The Family Close”, Drake spends 5 minutes complaining that all the women that told him “let’s just be friends” aren’t his friends anymore...seriously. Comparing this album opener to his others like “Tuscan Leather” and “Legend”, this song was not strong enough to grab my attention. The next track, “9″, Drake spits his “pause type flow” over a beat that sounds similar to something that would be on IYRTITL. The song gets its’ title because “I turned the six upside down, it’s a nine now” (creative, right?). This song, more attention grabbing than the last, speaks on his love for his city, Toronto. “I made a decision last night that I would die for it”. This GIF below perfectly depicts how much he loves his city and his team the Raptors.
I respect this song because he really does love his city and does what he can to improve it, but I still was not all that impressed.
He continues the album with “U With Me’ and “Feel No Ways”, these are more singing type songs. “U With Me” peaked my interest because I saw it included production from Kanye West, but even with Ye’ production, Drizzy had yet to get my attention! Finally, with “Feel No Ways”, I actually enjoyed the track! It features intriguing and interesting production from Jordan Ullman and 40, and Drake’s singing is not as boring and slow as the previous songs on the album. My interest was sparked, and the next track kept it ignited. “Hype” produced by Boi-1da and Nineteen85, is one of the bangers on the album that’ll keep your head bobbing. With the repeating bar “My enemies wanna be friends with my other enemies, I don’t let it get to me” Drake shows that he has more confidence than before, which he should since Drake practically held the throne last year. The next track “Weston Road Flows” is a smooth track that sounds like its’ straight from his second album, “Take Care”. I liked this track because, though there is no chorus, he has bars to keep you intrigued, like:
I gave niggas like you a reason for celebration
You number one and I'm Eddie Murphy we tradin' places
Lookin' in the mirror I'm closer than I really appear
Creepin' like Chilli without the tender, love, and care
The next song, “Redemption” was incredibly boring, and that’s all I have to say about that. Refreshingly the next song is “With You” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, which is no doubt one of my favorites on the album. “It’s about us right now, girl, where you going?”, in this track PND and Drake explain their love for the women that are leaving them, claiming, no matter what, they are still with them. Though I really liked this song, I realized my main reason for liking it was due to PND killing his part of the song, not so much Drake. “Faithful” featuring Pimp C and dvsn is a pretty good song. Emphasis on the “pretty good” because it isn’t amazing. The production on the song is 10/10 and is handled by 40, Boi-1da and Nineteen85. The beat bangs, yet, it is also smooth. Drake’s verse is solid but his singing on the chorus becomes annoying. dvsn, one of the newest OVO signees, saved this song. His singing is remarkable, to the extent that I had to give some of his songs a listen after hearing this track. Next, Drizzy had to in throw the banger “Still Here”. Drake wants you to know that “Me and all my niggas doin' well, doin' well, dog”...good for you Drizzy. The banging beat is produced by Daxs and 40 and features some standout bars from Drake.
Hittin' like that 30 on my jersey man I'm gifted
Whole lot of sixes, but I'm still like
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
6 point star, Lion of the Judah
All my niggas ain't off rockin' Gucci
One do it then we all gotta do it
Alright Drizzy, we see you flexing. The next two tracks “Controlla” and “One Dance” had already been released before the album came out, and were loved by many. I, personally, cannot stand “Controlla”. Hearing Drake sing in that fake Caribbean or Jamaican accent (whatever he was going for) is just annoying to me, and sadly has to receive the skip from me. He continues with the same accent for “One Dance”, but this song is not as bad, to me, because of Kyla and Wizkid. They kill the song. “Baby I like your style”, they are some vibe-y singers. The next song “Grammys” featuring Future sounds like it was a song that didn’t make their 2015 album “What a Time To Be Alive”. It has a hard beat and Drake has pretty nice flow on it until BOOM, Future’s voice emerges.
First off, Future’s interlude before his verse may be one of the best of all time, asking Drake if he won a Grammy because he’s so turnt up. Suddenly the beat switches and Future goes all the way in, with possibly my favorite verse on the album.
They gon' think I won a Grammy
They gon' think I won a Grammy
Swervin' out the Panoramic
I'm hangin' out, they can't stand me
He flexes hard. Once again I found myself liking a Drake song only due to the artist featured. The next track “Child’s Play” is pretty dope. He has some savage lines like “Don’t make me give you back to the hood" and admits his love for The Cheesecake Factory. In this song he’s telling his girl that all the outfits and material items she wants is just “child’s play” to him, and he’ll spoil her if she can “bounce it, like woah”. “Pop Style” which dropped before “Views”, but originally with Kanye West and Jay Z, is a fire song...but taking Kanye West and Jay Z out of a song is blasphemy. I personally think there was an Apple Music/Tidal issue in the mix, but Kanye’s verse was STUPID (meaning dope)! So c’mon Drizzy...not cool. The next song “Too Good” featuring Rihanna is basically “Take Care” part 2. It’s...cool. I wasn’t impressed by the songs, but I’m sure it is a good dancing song and the women will vibe it.
Man oh man, the “Summer’s Over Interlude” is a vibe! Sang by Majid Al Maskati, the song has a 70′s R&B smooth feeling to it, and although only a minute and 46 seconds, it’s one of my favorites on the album. “Fire & Desire” was another boring Drake singing song! The song aimed at a former lover is meant to imitate Rick James & Teena Marie’s song of the same title. I personally think the album could have done without the song. The closer of the album (since Hotline Bling is a bonus) “Views” is a GREAT song! Finally Drizzy! Drake has always been great at closing albums and he followed through in this sense. From the beggining bar to the end, Drizzy nails this song.
Yeah, you feel the pressure, man, I know the pressure
And my wifey is a spice like I'm David Beckham
In the end, I was throughly unimpressed with this album. It seems like it was aimed to be a “Take Care” sequel, but some things shouldn’t have sequels; The Hangover for example. I will say, the production on this album was VERY good, and 40 never disappoints on his beats, but for the first time in a Drake album, he really needed to rely on his features for his songs to stand out. Nevertheless, this album is selling ridiculously and Drake’s making his money...so do you thing Drizzy.
Just please make a good album next time.
With You (feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR)
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