Last week, Sir Aubrey Graham/Drizzy/Octobers Very Own/6god/Wheelchair Jimmy/ChampagnePapi, but most commonly referred to as Drake, dropped his much anticipated 4th studio album "Views." After three days of binge listening, I've got to admit that I'm not exactly sure where to start. Locked and loaded with 20 songs, this is Drake's longest album to date, so instead of analyzing each and every song, I decided to share my six favorite lyrics, a number that felt appropriate considering the occasion and the city to which this album is dedicated. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. "Three dots you thinkin' of a reaction still" in the track, "U With Me?"
Gone are the days of playing it cool in the middle of a difficult conversation. Today, our loss for words is exposed whether we are on iMessage, Facebook, Whatsapp, or now even Snapchat. The classic type, erase, type, erase, type, proofread, and finally send, is public for our partner to see, and if they're as invested in the conversation is you are, you can bet that they saw it all. Whether you are on the sending or receiving end of that risky text, those three dots will have you on the edge of your seat, and Drizzy is letting us know that he's just like the rest of us, wondering what in the world is taking her so long to just press send.
2. "How you supposed to figure out what I'm going through / You can't even figure out what's going on with you," in the track, "Keep The Family Close"
There's nothing worse than pretending to stomach the advice of a person who has absolutely no clue what they're talking about. On the
3. "I wonder if they wish it could've been different / Wonder what they'd do put in my position / I wonder, when my sh*t drop, do they listen?" found in the track, "Redemption"
This one goes out to your "one that got away." The one who makes you wonder "what if?" What if you'd been able to communicate better? What if they'd had to make the decision you made? You wonder if they still think about you, or wish things had turned out differently. You wonder if they still check up on your page, to see how you're doing; to see if you look happy. You wonder if they wish they could go back and make things work. Champagne Papi is wondering the same thing.
4. "Why you gotta fight with me at Cheesecake? / You know I love to go there," in the track, "Childs Play"
There's not too much to read into this verse but maaaaan, this one cut me the deepest. I mean come on, the man is just trying to enjoy his Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake™, and his girl is trying to pick a fight. As a firm supporter of upholding the sanctity of food, this is outrageous. The bond between a person and their favorite restaurant is one that cannot be put into words, and I think it should be a law that when a person (men and women alike) is at said restaurant, all the drama gets left at home. Especially if it's Cheesecake.
5. "Your body language says it all / Despite the things you said to me / Who is it that's got you all gassed up? / Changing your opinion on me," in the track, "Feel No Ways"
You go on a trip without your girl, but you're on good terms. But while you're gone she starts hanging out with people who don't like you. People who don't want you to succeed. You get back and things are different, but she won't tell you what's up. This is about when someone's body language doesn't match up with the words they're saying, leaving you wondering "What happened while I was gone?" People talk, and in this case, people lie, and Drizzy is getting the short end of the stick on this one. His girl is acting weird towards him because of what someone else told her, and he can sense the disconnect in her words and her actions. We've all been there, wishing he/she'd stop listening to people who don't know the ~ real ~ you. Don't listen to the haters Drizzy's girl!
6. "You don't worry 'bout fittin' in when you custom made," in the track, "Views"
And finally before ending the album on a high note with hit-single "Hotline Bling," Mr. Graham hits us with the realest verse of all on the title track "Views." Drake not only accepts his differences, but he thrives off of it. He is making millions off it. The multitalented actor/singer/rapper/and emotional OG transgresses the lines of our typical musical genres. He crosses between Hip Hop and RnB, sampling songs like Timmy Thomas' 1972 hit "Why Can't We Live Together", and even dabbling in the Jamaican Reggae/Dancehall genre in with a sample of Beenie Man’s “Tear Off Mi Garment” in track number 11, "Controlla." Bottom line is, Drake isn't trying to fit in, and neither should you. We are all custom made, so blur the lines, dance to the beat of your own drum in a color-changing-room, live your life. Drake is rolling in dough because he's living his.
Honorable mention:
I didn't want to mess of the theme of the number 6 that so perfectly fits this album, but this last line threw me back to the classic Lil Bow Wow song, "Basketball," earning it honorable mention in the very least:
"Been flowin' stupid since Vince Carter was on some through the legs arm in the hoop sh*t" from the track, "Weston Road Flows"
Like the cheesecake verse, this one doesn't need much explaining; Wheelchair Jimmy has been spitting #Bars, since 2000 when Vince Carter shocked the world by not only slamming the ball through the hoop, but also casually throwing in 25 percent of his appendages. Swag.
In other words, Drake's been ballin' for 15 years and counting, and he isn't afraid to let the world know. Me and you both, Drizzy.
