Advantages: Original Disadvantages: A couple of weaker tunes
In early 2009 the Canadian acting child star-turned-R&B singer/rapper, Drake released a third official mixtape. This, entitled ?SoFarGone?, was by far the most significant as the Young Money signee showed that under the wing of label owner Lil? Wayne, he could become the next big thing in the game as he brought this, complete with a couple of tunes which have le to his success and breakthrough.
1. ?Lust For Love? (Intro)
2. ?Houstonatlantavegas?
The mixtape really gets underway with this one as here you find that Drizzy gets down to one where he shows off his skills when it comes to delivering some powerful, soulful R&B vocals as he gets into one where he likens a girl in the club to three of USA?s big hotspots. It is a seductive song, and although it could be regarded as unengaging, the calm start warms you up and progresses as ...
Advantages: Lots of bangers Disadvantages: Nothing specific
?SoFarGone? was released in 2009 and came as the first official release from the Toronto Hip Hop MC Drake. It is an EP of works that the former child star (acting on ?DeGrassi?) has recorded through 2008 and 2009 to act as hype along the way to releasing ?Thank Me Later? as his debut album. It features all of his breakthrough tunes, some of which came from the mixtape that used the same name as this EP has, in addition to some others that have only had play in the underground.
1. ?Houstonatlantavegas?
The EP really gets underway with this one (just as it did on the ?SoFarGone? mixtape) as here you find that Drizzy gets down to one where he shows off his skills when it comes to delivering some powerful, soulful R&B vocals as he gets into one where he likens a girl in the club to three of USA?s big hotspots. It is a seductive song ...
Advantages: Lots of bangers Disadvantages: Not all great track choices
have their eyes on.
**Five Stars**
24. ?Fear?
He gets on DJ Khalil?s beats for the final track to the mixtape (and one that wasn?t originally found on the ?SoFarGone? mixtape. It is a fly one and a tune that is seen to effectively bring the release to a close as you see that in it you have him bringing through some of his innovative rhymes whilst going off from some strong beats that do all they need to support what he does and leave it on a high.
**Four Stars**
You get a good mixtape of Drake?s works compiled here by the DJ. I have to say that I wasn?t too sure about a couple of the choices, with a few rather out-dated and so holding it back when some fresher cuts are added into the mix and so it is strong, but could have been cut back to improve upon it. ...
Recording information: Hotbeats Recording Studio, Atlanta, GA; Night Bird Studios, Hollywood, CA; M.A.D. Studios, Houston, TX; BLD&DSTRY Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; PMCK Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. No doubt about it, Drake blew up big time in 2009. The one-time TV actor (from DEGRASSI HIGH: THE NEXT GENERATION) hooked up with Lil Wayne a couple years previously, worked the mixtape and collabo circuit for a spell and then suddenly hit with the song "Best I Ever Had." The song was taken from the SO FAR GONE mixtape and became the top summer jam of 2009. After a ferocious bidding war, Drake ended up signing with Universal Motown (while keeping his affiliation with Weezy's Young Money and Cash Money intact) and was officially introduced via the SO FAR GONE EP. The release included seven tracks from the mixtape and gave undeniable proof that the hype and noise surrounding the rapper were all justified. The productions (courtesy of members of Drake's Toronto-based crew) are nuanced and powerful, the hooks are huge and Drake has lyrical skills and vocal flow that make him one of the best young spitters on the scene. When an artist is as talked about and hyped as Drake was in 2009, it's easy to write them off as an industry creation or some kind of fluke. SO FAR GONE shows that Drake is for real and works as a tantalizing teaser for his first full-length record.
Album Reviews
Entertainment Weekly (p.129) - "For those unfamiliar with Drake's ambidextrous style -- crooning Auto-Tune love songs one moment, spitting clever bars the next -- it's a handy primer." -- Grade: B
Titles on disc 1
1.
Houstatlantavegas
2.
Successful
3.
Best I Ever Had
4.
Uptown
5.
I'm Goin In
6.
Calm, The
7.
Fear
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
19/10/2009
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