Drake: For All The Dogs
After a promising return of “old Drake”, ‘For All the Dogs’ is certainly a Drake album for better or for worse as he tries to recapture his moniker in his 8th studio album.
While it has been a long-awaited journey for the LP to release, ‘For All the Dogs’ has definitely hit a longer mark as the album clocks in at an hour and twenty-four minutes. With twenty-three tracks, the project features Teezo Touchdown, J.Cole, 21 Savage, Yeat, SZA, PartyNextDoor, Chief Keef, Bad Bunny, Sexxy Red, a Frank Ocean sample, Lil Yachty and Drake's son Adonis.
Drake frames ‘For All the Dogs’ with a common theme of relationship dynamics, cons of success that materializes enemies, and a struggling balance to find love as it leads to his loneliness. His formula for “old Drake” serves with the right intention of production as his vulnerability and sensitivity are known best for a Drake album. The production standpoint delivers strong and heavy-handed beat switch-ups with a cohesive yet redundant formula throughout the project.
Drake is best in ‘Bahamas Promises’ as his “old Drake” energy is recreated in a minimalistic approach. The same energy is served in ‘Tried Our Best’ as classic Drake and the piano production becomes vividly insightful as his rap and R&B lyricism articulate in melody. The rapper not only creates a vibe in his outstanding tracks but also becomes relatable for listeners in ‘Drew a Picasso’ when he says, “I can’t picture you with him/that’s so embarrassing/ I want to die.” In ‘8 AM In Charlotte’ the best lyrical structure flows and with speculation of dissing Kanye West, “I got you on camera bowin’ down/but the footage is safe/Thank God another USB to put in the safe…”
While these tracks bring out his moniker, ‘For All the Dogs’ features coincide with Drake’s energy and even some excelling beyond him. In ‘IDGAF’ the psychedelic atmosphere transpires while Yeat took the spotlight of the track with his eclectic references. ‘Virginia Beach’ becomes cinematic as Frank Ocean's sample of ‘Wise Men’ interludes, making and taking the track to another level of creativity. As J.cole features in ‘First Person Shooter’, his voice and lyricism deliver with no disappointments and potentially hint at an album, 'I'm namin’ the album The Fall Off/it’s pretty ironic cause it ain’t no fall off for me.’ Lastly, in ‘7669 Santa’ Teezo Touchdown makes a surprising interlude while Snoop Dogg carries out the outro making the tracks delivery.
Though Drake promised an “old Drake” album, the project still delivers quality with a hint of ‘Take Care’. ‘For All the Dogs’ is unapologetic, pushing boundaries in production and music while evolving Drake's artistry.
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