The Passion Of The Drake: A (Mostly) Objective Review Of His Three New Albums | Defector

Drake returns with three albums totaling 43 tracks after years of public conflict, legal disputes, and industry backlash. The music is presented as centered on a confrontational theme of being wronged. The piece questions whether Drake has not already provided mainstream rap and pop soundtracks for everyday life, including parties and heartbreak. It also argues that Drake’s long dominance has turned him into a “mad king,” losing grip as the throne scratches accumulate. The piece contrasts healthy cultural cycles that replace aging leaders with stagnating culture that keeps old figures in place, contributing to the current situation.

"Perhaps this is a fair question. Has Drake not given you everything that could be asked of an artist? Has he not soundtracked your summers, spring breaks, and heartbreaks? Has he not given you music to ride around to, to party to, and to sit around moodily in the dark, smoking hookah and moping? Is our 6 God not an awesome God?"

"After two years of stewing over losing a rap beef with Kendrick Lamar, being aired out by seemingly the entire rap industry (which had clearly been sick of his shit for quite some), suing his own record label, and getting sued for his shady involvements with his gambling-company sponsor, Drake has made a splashy return with not only his long-awaited album Iceman, but two more bonus albums Habibti and Maid of Honour. All in total we have 43 tracks, two hours and 30 minutes of music, all essentially based around the same theme: "How DARE You?!?!""

"No one can deny that Drake has for some 15 years now been the top dog of mainstream rap music, and arguably of pop music in general (alongside Queen Taylor Swift). But that's part of the problem: He's been on top for so long that he's become a mad king like Aerys. The throne has left scratches all over him and he's losing his grip on reality."

"Healthy cultures move forward, get newer and fresher, and leave behind the leaders of old the second they start to stagnate. But our culture is anything but healthy, and is defined by stagnation. And so Dr"

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