Drake sings karaoke with a fan

Music Review: Drake - Take Care

Drake first became famous as Jimmy in the Canadian teenage series "Degrassi" and proved all skeptics wrong by becoming one of the best current rappers in the game. He's like the Rihanna of the rap world; everyone wants him on their track and all his songs become hits. I had a chance to listen to his second studio album, Take Care, in its entirety even though several of the songs had already leaked in the weeks prior to its release.

The two official singles off the album are "Headlines" and "Make Me Proud" featuring Nicki Minaj. The song "Marvin's Room" was also released as a promotional track. All these songs are definitely great but I think other tracks better showcase Drake's growth as a rapper, singer, and writer. And the rapper does sing on the album and is surprisingly great when he does it.

The album as a whole is a great follow-up to the commercial success that was Drake's first album Thank Me Later. Rather than singing about how he beat the haters and proved himself in the rap game, Drake gets humble by talking about love (and heartbreak), fame, relationships, the limited power of money, and self-doubt. The slow-tempo, poetic theme of the album is symbolic; this album is a way for Drake to do some personal reflections about his life and his happiness. The listener often feels like their inside the rapper's head and hearing his thoughts as they develop.

Here are some noteworthy tracks:

1) Crew Love - This song features Canadian singer, The Weeknd, and the production is amazing. It's a mix of electronic and rap but then dives into a R&B sound. Reminiscent of Kanye's album 808s and Heartbreaks.

2) Take Care - The title track of the album features Rihanna who sounds great in her own respect as someone who sings about lost love. The song is about starting a new relationship and it's so infectiously catchy. I love the piano and the drums. Perfection.

3) Over My Dead Body - The song is haunting and features the beautiful vocals of Chantal Kreviazuk.  A great intro track that reflects on the past and brings on visions of the future.

4) We'll Be Fine - An upbeat track featuring Birdman. Drake's lyrics are on fire and the beat is awesome. A song that stands out from the slower theme of the album.

5) Lord Knows - A blazing rap track laced with a gospel background and featuring a funny verse by Rick Ross.

What are your thoughts on Drake's new album?

Drake - Make Me Proud (ft. Nicki Minaj)

Drake's music video for his song "Headlines"

Drake ~ Headlines (Official Video) from OctobersVeryOwn on Vimeo.