Drake recently dropped his extremely-anticipated, heavily-teased, and now-record-breaking playlist "More Life." And, as is the case whenever Americans are exposed to something outside their scope of understanding, many American Drake fans were perplexed. The confusion came about not because of subliminal shots (*cough cough* Kendrick) or lyrical ingenuity from the Toronto rapper. Rather, "More Life" had some fans wondering, "What's 'riddim'? What is the 'chit chat ting'? Which West End?" and, "Where in the UK is Gyalchester"?

In short, what caught many American listeners off-guard was the heavy UK/Grime influence on the project. That is because, aside from the star-studded features from Kanye West, Young Thug, Quavo, and a low-key Lil Wayne, the so-called 'playlist' features some big-name and up-and-coming UK artists.

Despite having earned Drake some praise for breaking streaming records (90 million in a day) "More Life" was less of a Drizzy project and more an exposure of other talents.

For starters, the production team saw the addition of many newcomers, both to the US and the international scene. Though many of Drake's long-time friends and fellow Toronto producers inevitably worked on the playlist (40, Nineteen85, and Boi-1da to name a few), one lesser-known Canadian producer was also present on the production team: FrancisGotHeat. On "More Life", FrancisGotHeat showcased his signaturemelodiousprod. His harmonious and rhythmic production for "4422" did not disappoint. In terms of foreign producers, "More Life" included the contribution of French producer Stwo for "Get It Together" and UK producer Nana Rogues for the tracks "Passionfruit" and "Skepta Interlude". Nana Rogues has produced tracks for top UK rappers (Grime artists) like Willey and Skepta.

Speaking of which, "More Life" also propelled many vocal artists to the international scene. Back to the "chit chat ting," because most of these artists are from the UK. To answer the questions of many American Drake fans, Giggs and "a" Skepta are prominent Grime artists from London. For those for whom this brings up the question "what is the Grime ting": Grime is an English music genre that emerged in East London from various electronic music styles. It also has a heavy Carribean and African influence due to the many descendants from those areas who live in the UK and take up Grime.

Though many ridiculed Drake for his seemingly recent appropriation of UK slang and other such 'badmon tings', the 2017-Grammy-Award-winner has a long love story with the UK's music scene. Back in 2011, the year he dropped what is arguably the last real Drake album, the Toronto rapper confessed his love for Grime and the surprising heavy influence that the genre has on his own music. Since then, he has shown immense respect for the artists who represent it, notably Wiley and Skepta. Skepta is a major force in the Grime scene, acting as a founding member of the number one Grime label and crew in the UK. He is also the recipient of two MOBO Awards, the UK's version of the BET Awards. Despite his prominence in the genre and due to the lack of interest in Grime from the international scene, Skepta has not seen a similar expansion worldwide. Enters Drake.

Drake's love for the genre has lead to his collaboration with the Grime star on stage in the UK and now on "More Life". Skepta is featured on the playlist with his own track, "Skepta Interlude." This is in addition to fellow Grime artists Giggs ("No Long Talk" and "KMT") and Sampha ("4422"). Drake's love for the UK scene is also present in his sudden change of vernacular. Drake's adoption of UK slang is apparent from track titles such as "Gyalchester" (a word play on the city of Manchester and its propensity to hold the most attractive gyals, or girls), "Blem" (Jamaican slang meaning to be high on Mary Jane, specifically), and "Madiba Riddim" (riddim being the rythm of reggae or dancehall music, strong influences of Grime), as well as in many of his verses outside of these tracks.

Another talent that's shone through "More Life" was British R&B singer Jorja Smith. Lending her vocals to several tracks on the playlist, Smith is an immensely talented vocalist and writer. Her velvety voice will transport you to an era of powerful soul in an instant, and this with her distinctive British accent. In addition, Jorja Smith's unique approach to music separates her from any teen armed with only a voice as she prides herself in writing pieces that tackle issues of global significance. Jorja's uniqueness in sound can be heard on "More Life" tracks such as "Jorja Interlude" and "Get It Together".

This blatant exposure of UK's finest did not go without yielding a return for the artists. It has been reported that these artists saw a major increase in US streams after the release of the playlist: 146% for Giggs, 21% for Skepta, and 16% for Jorja Smith. Essentially, Americans are on their way to being pengtings like Drake.

However, this brings up the conversation of the project's purpose. Prior to the release, Drake made sure to drive home the point that this was a "playlist." He did not market it as an album or even a mixtape. The term playlist is very telling. It easily implies that "More Life" was a project collaboration between the various artists featured, with Drake guiding the ship. This would explain his absence on the project (as in, the absence of "the old Drake"), the presence of up-and-coming talent, and the overexposure of UK-based artists. Despite providing vocals on the project, Drake mostly acted as a curator.

All in all, "More Life" should not be praised as a Drake work per say. Rather, it should be heralded as a collaborative project between the most talented, yet overlooked, individuals in the industrywho have not gained the international acclaim they deserve. As in, morelife should be spent listening to these artists and producers because they have a lot to offer to the game. Furthermore, the project should not be judged by the whopping millions of streams because, in the words of Skepta, many listeners have clearly "never been in Marquee when it's shutdown eh?" Watch Drake and Skepta shut down the stage at Wireless 2015.