A slew of long-awaited music releases were released last Friday, including Drake’s highly anticipated “Certified Lover Boy” or (“CLB”) album. It has 21 tracks and was originally scheduled to be released in January 2021. Ironically, the album was released 9 months later, hence the album cover being the pregnant woman iPhone emoji.
The album features a variety of flows, including lyrical, mumble rap, melodic and even the slow rhythmic melodies that harken back to Drake’s music from the 2000’s. Numerous artists, including Miami’s own Rick Ross, appear on the album.
The album expresses the various feelings and moods of a modern-day lover boy — a multi-faceted character. There’s the cocky, self-assured side. The slow sentimental side. The cool, calm, and energetic side. Then there’s the “no BS” side, where the only thing he’s concerned with in the song is getting down to business.
The album kicks off with the song “Champagne Poetry”, a play on Champagne Papi, his instagram handle. Around the 15-second mark, the beat begins to sink into the listener’s brain, and Drake, or better yet, the self-proclaimed Certified Lover boy, becomes one with the lyrics, stepping into his musical bag. He switches the beat mid-song, transitioning into a slower tempo, but he continues to excel lyrically as he speaks about the challenges he has faced as one of the top rappers in the game for the past decade. With the tempo change and clever lyrics, this song is arguably the best on the album.
The next song is “Papi’s Home”, in which he begins with a message to his “sons”. On this song, he smoothly flexes his notoriety. He even makes a reference to LeBron James’ son’s high school, Sierra Canyon. Nicki Minaj appears in the song, but not in the way you might think. For 20 seconds, she casually taunts and laughs at up-and-coming rappers who claim to have already made it. Then Drake takes over with his melodic vocals to continue taunting the rappers who believe they can compete with him.
The album’s most contentious track, “Girls Want Girls”, follows. The song is not controversial because of the name, but rather because he begins the song by saying “Staring at your dress because it’s see-through” and then repeats the line “Girls want girls.” He adds insult to injury by saying, “Say that you a lesbian, girl, me too.” In an era in which “cancel culture” has become rampant, Drake, in true form, took the risk and made the song a banger anyway. His hook, as well as the appearance of Lil Baby, elevated the song to the level of a masterpiece. Drake’s vocals had a 2010 vibe to them, and Lil Baby came in with his crisp voice, taking the song to the next level.
“In The Bible” and “Love All”, the next two songs, are slow jams for the ladies. It has a nostalgic feel to it, reminiscent of the music scene in 2015. The songs sound exactly like what you’d expect from an album titled Certified Lover Boy. For this title track, Drake truly wears his heart on his sleeve. The beat’s rhythm and the way the drumsticks tap across the rim of the drum help to keep the tone of “Love All” slightly serious, while the vocals in the back keep the tone mellow. The song “In The Bible” is aimed squarely at women. Drake uses his high-pitched voice to pique the listener’s interest before reverting to his laid-back persona to give the song a smooth, rhythmic vibe with basic drums. Then Lil Durk comes in hard and fast, and within 40 seconds he promotes his girlfriend India Royale’s cosmetic business, demonstrating his undying devotion to his girl.
Future and Young Thug both appear on the popular title track “Way 2 Sexy”, which samples the 90’s classic “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. As evidenced by their past collaborations, when Drake and Future get on a track together, the song is an instant classic, and by adding Young Thug into the mix, the song becomes an instant fan favorite.
Drake’s fun and bougie side shines through in this song. With its new age beat and relatable content, this song is aimed at younger listeners. Future enters with a raspy voice and a hook that references things they’re too sexy for, like you know, syrup, your girl, and the world itself. Drake attempts to implement his new age flow for the new generation, and it works quite well. The song is then closed out by Young Thug’s verse, in which he flexes the diamond-encrusted stones on his chains and the luxuries he carries with him.
The album receives an 8/10 because a few songs, such as “Fair Trade” and “Get Along Better,” are subpar. However, the album was well worth the wait, and Drake’s development will undoubtedly be something to watch after the release of this album. These songs have a high repeat value and will be around for a long time. A quick listen to the album’s diverse melodies, tones, and rhythms is guaranteed to help you confront whatever difficulties you are facing. After listening to this album over the last few days, Certified Lover Boy has become a certified hit in my book.
