After a long wait, Drake has finally released his 17th album, “Certified Lover Boy,” which he had been teasing the release of since Aug. 2020. Drake released this album five days after the release of rival rapper Kanye West’s “Donda.” While most can agree that the “Certified Lover Boy” album cover is interesting, to say the least, the rap community has very divided opinions on the actual contents of the album and on who “won” between Drake and Kanye’s albums.
The tracklist contains 21 songs; 12 of which have at least one feature, including one from Lil Wayne, which marks his first return to a Drake album since 2015. Notable features also include Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Future, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z and Young Thug.
The album’s intro “Champagne Poetry” is among one of Drake’s best intros to an album. It is a beautifully produced five-and-a-half-minute two-part sample in which Drake talks about the success of his career contrasted by the aspects of his personal life that seem to be falling apart. The song also takes shots at rival rapper Kanye West and addresses his son and his co-parenting arrangement, a theme Drake focuses on throughout the album.
Aside from “Champagne Poetry,” other upbeat songs on the album include “Papi’s Home,” “Fair Trade,” “No Friends In The Industry” and “You Only Live Twice.” In “No Friends In The Industry” Drake divides the people in the rap game into two categories: people he describes as his brothers and his enemies. He classifies his “brothers” as the people that have been with him from the beginning and he makes it clear that these are the only people he associates himself with.
Of course, it would not be a Drake album if he did not showcase his versatility, so there are also plenty of chill songs. The best ones in this category are “Love All,” “7AM On Bridle Path” and “IMY2.” “IMY2” features Kid Cudi who sings the chorus and partners with Drake on the first verse. This song is about how Drake and Cudi overcame past relationships because they have found peace knowing that they have each found their purpose and feel chosen.
Overall, there are not many songs that should be skipped, which is impressive for an album of this length. Not surprisingly, there is a little bit of something for everyone on the album, even those who are not necessarily Drake fans.