Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past week, chances are you’ve already heard about the fact that Drake and Future have decided to join forces for a brand new mixtape titled What a Time To Be Alive. Though speculation around the existence of the joint effort ran rampant earlier in the week, Aubrey confirmed the project’s release date, album art and name through Instagram yesterday. After premiering the entire 11 track compilation during Drizzy’s OVO Sound Radio show earlier today, the duo has finally unleashed the full project on iTunes. Executive produced by Metro Boomin, What a Time To Be Alive also includes additional contributions from the likes of Southside, Boi-1da and of course Noah “40” Shebib. Follow the link below to stream the album through Apple Music and check out the tracklist after the jump.
[NEW] Drake – Heat Of The Moment (Prod. by 40) + 6 God (Prod. by Boi-1da & Syk Sense) + How Bout Now (Prod. by Boi-1da & Jordan Evans)
We probably should have seen this coming, right? With yesterday being Drake‘s birthday, October’s Very Own decided to celebrate by sharing a preview of what he’s been cooking up in preparation for his next album, Views From The 6. The three new tracks, “6 God,” “Heat Of The Moment,” and “How Bout Now,” (which you may remember first leaked earlier this week) seem to be related to Aubrey’s upcoming project, but there’s no confirmation of their origins. The accompanying artwork (above) does seem to imply there is a connection though.
The 28 year old emcee spared no expense with his shiny new gifts. Each single represents a different flavor of Drizzy; so whether you prefer his bombastic, “no-fucks given” attitude, or his more mellow, lo-fi, seductive sound, he’s got you covered. Stream all three tracks above, and make sure to download the free offerings as well. Expect to hear more from Drake’s View From The 6 as he readies the album for release next year.
[NEW] Drake – Days In The East
Days In The East
If you haven’t realized it by now, Drake has essentially mastered the craft of releasing music when his fans least expect it. After dropping his “Draft Day” single seemingly out of thin air on Tuesday night, Drizzy waited until everyone was sleeping to release this follow-up cut in the wee hours of Thursday morning (around 4:00 AM EST to be specific). Luckily for all of you, we ninjas don’t sleep, and were waiting patiently by our computers to snap this one right up. Produced by OVO signee PARTYNEXTDOOR (with some help from his sidekick 40), the track features the Toronto native fluctuating between singing and rapping over a woozy, ominous instrumental. It’s classic R&B Drizzy, but at the same time is an attempt to push the boundaries of his sound to nearly narcotic territory. Now that we think about it, this is the perfect track to be listening to at 4:00 AM, and chances are Drake already knows it.
Sunday Night Soul [Vol. 20]
Hello ninjas, and welcome to Sunday Night Soul Volume 20. We embarked on this journey exactly 5 months ago with the goal of finding only the best tunes the internet had to offer. What started off as a fairly modest effort, has now grown substantially to the monstrosity you see here (and we mean “monstrosity” in the most loving way possible). We’re proud to see how the field has expanded to include various different soundscapes, increasingly pushing the genre to new limits. It’s an exciting time for R&B music, and we’re pleased to be to sitting right here in the front row, watching it evolve right before our eyes.Of course, you can hear that growth for yourself below.
This week’s collection includes multiple doubles. By doubles we mean you’ll be seeing more than a few names repeated multiple times throughout. Whether it’s through remixes or features, what it indicates is that plenty of your favorites were incredibly busy this week. Standouts come by way of Zuper, Dpat & Atu, SZA, White Lights, Bipolar Sunshine, Gallant, Z.Woods, Mila J, Rush Davis, Muzi, Ta-Ku, Fei-Fei, subdaio, elkco, Lido, ForteBowie, TOKiMONSTA, Figgy and Dolphin Tears. That might seem like a substantially long list already, but that’s just scratching the surface of what tonight’s pallet has to offer.
Umbrella’
Sunday Night Soul [Vol. 15]
Sunday is finally upon us, and while that signals the end of yet another (hopefully productive) weekend, at least we have some glorious soul to help make the transition a little bit easier. February is nearly over, and considering that it’s one of the more passionate months of the year, we’ve had plenty of content to work with over the last few weeks. This week’s lineup is no different, as it’s packed with stellar offerings from the likes of Chloe Martini, Matt Miller, Joe Kay, Mar, Estelle, Abrina, LIZ, Hasta, and many many more. Check out the diverse selection below, and let the music take over your soul.
[Hip-Hop] Drake – Trophies
Trophies
The year might almost be over, but Drake still has some new music to deliver to his eager fans. His latest leak, “Trophies,” is a triumphant Hit-Boy, Noah “40” Shebib, and Hagler assisted, horn-heavy celebrity anthem that was previously debuted in a trailer for Nothing Was The Same. The Young Money-affiliate takes an introspective look at his rise to fame, responsibilities in life, and the effect his parent’s divorce had on his young mind. Drake has always been one to let listeners into his personal thoughts, and this track is another look into his past and how it has shaped his future and the artist he is today.
[Album Review] Drake – Nothing Was the Same
More than just the Adele of the rap game, Drake‘s ability to convey both sensitive and egotism with an ear for solid bars with catchy hooks have made him one of the highest selling artists in the industry. In just 4 years, the actor turned unlikely rapper/singer has achieved more with just 3 albums than most artists accomplish in a lifetime in the industry: sold out shows, millions of records, Grammy’s, and chart-topping singles. Now that Kanye West has chosen to explore more of an indie sound with his latest release Yeezus, Drake has arguably become the game’s new unchallenged crossover star. With his latest release Nothing Was the Same, he returns to the style of spitting about former relationships and braggadocious rhymes, but a little less formulaic than before.
Minus the obvious hits, “Started From the Bottom,” “All Me,” and “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” Nothing Was the Same features a more in-depth look into Drake’s life that further explores the upsides and downsides of fame on his personal relationships. On the opening “Tuscan Leather,” Aubrey takes a minute from crooning over hooks and choruses to deliver a straight rap that includes boasting and a mention of his short-lived fallout with fellow labelmate Nicki Minaj. “Too Much” featuring Sampha (of SBTRKT fame) delves into more personal and somber themes, as Drake spits about how the growth of his fame affects family ties.
Read the rest of the review and stream more from the album after the jump