Hey! Apologies for the delay in posting, it's been a hectic week. Between creating content for our TikTok page and taking a quick trip to Chicago, things have been a bit crazy. Originally, I planned to share an interview with a longtime friend as the first guest on this blog, but that will have to wait until next week. In the meantime, I decided to shake things up by selecting a random letter and creating a set around a song that starts with that letter. The letter I landed on was F, leading me to choose the song "FLIP THE SWITCH", giving me the perfect excuse to showcase some of Drake's lesser-known but still sensational hooks and verses. Hope you enjoy!
FLIP THE SWITCH (feat. Drake)
Quavo
“Chain wetter than the river you can cry me. Quick to Timberlake a b-tch now she despise me”
I’m going to be honest. Outside of the Drake verse I don’t like this song very much, but his verse here is too spectacular not to highlight. He’s had so many flows over his career, but I think the pocket he finds within this instrumental is sensational. Each bar starts packed with syllables before ending with a brief pause which serves as a lyrical tension and release. I can't recall hearing Drake use a similar flow on any of his other tracks, making this song feel like a lyrical experiment. In my opinion, this flow experiment, combined with Drake's signature pettiness and bravado, was a resounding success. Perhaps I'm slightly biased, but the evidence speaks for itself.
Talk to Me (feat. Drake)
Drakeo the Ruler
This collaboration caught me off guard. Yet, it's not surprising given Drake's tendency to spot emerging or lesser-known artists from various cities. "Talk To Me" was recorded in late 2020, following Drakeo The Ruler's release from prison, and his excitement for the collaboration couldn't be contained. He tweeted over 10 times expressing how he's the only independent artist with a Drake feature. The track's vibe prompts Drakeo to shift his tone a bit and delve into a more relationship-based theme, while Drake's hook provides a nostalgic feel that could be reminiscent of his early work. Lyrically, however, it's unmistakably the later career "crime boss" Drake we've all become familiar with over the last several years.
ALL I NEED (feat. Drake)
Popcaan
“How long do we just stay friends? What role do I play again?”
Sometimes Drake gets vulnerable. I mean really vulnerable. It’s not frequent, but when he drops into that mode where’s he’s asking questions back to back to back on a track you know he’s going through it. The slow and hollow instrumental on "ALL I NEED" provides the perfect backdrop for his softer voice to ask a series of heartfelt questions. As a rapper, Drake is known for his ability to turn his experiences into compelling lyrics, and this track is no exception. The second half of his verse is particularly striking, as he lays out his confusion and frustration with a woman in a way that's both relatable and heartbreaking. The verse is delivered with so much emotion that it almost makes you feel bad for Aubrey. Almost.
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