Music

Best remembered as the Meek Mill diss track that mostly just made Meek’s point for him, “Charged Up” claims it’s on 100% but sounds more like it’s already sliding into the red. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

If you still had doubts about Drake’s ability to turn the mundane into the divine, just listen to Smiley’s breakthrough hit. Over a creeping, menacing Tay Keith beat, Smiley does his best to entertain with a catchy hook and a few funny bars, but Drake steals the show with trademark boastful slick talk reminiscent of the IYRTITL days. — DS  

A five-minute triple-team from B.O.A.T.S. II, “I Do It” mostly wastes its star trio with stale post-Lex Luger bombast (co-produced by Diplo, of all people) and no real hook to speak of — likely Wayne had already forgotten he’d ever been on this song by the time he gave one of his Funeral cuts the same name. — A.U.

Plays a bit better in the context of the whole album (and when it’s soundtracking a Degrassi reunion, of course), but when “I’m Upset” initially dropped as a single? Woof. It was the first serious sign that the Scorpion rollout would be… troubled, to say the least, days before the world even heard “The Story of Adidon.” — KYLE MCGOVERN

As if bringing U.K. crime drama Top Boy to Netflix in the States wasn’t enough, Drake also offered a bonus cut to the show’s official soundtrack set. If you guessed that he would primarily use it as a chance to try out his favorite U.K. slang with a quasi-cartoonish accent over a moody grime beat, you would be correct. — A.U.

One of the more forgettable jams littering the too-thick middle of Views, “Still Here” sounds uncommitted in both its menacing throb and resilient chorus, instead coming off as an unwelcome reminder that you still have ten tracks on Drake’s worst-reviewed album. — A.U.

“Hype” actually notched the highest debut on the Hot 100 of any non-single from Views, though nowadays, it’s better known as the track sandwiched between fan-favorites “Feel No Ways” and “Weston Road Flows.” Drizzy himself bought into the “Hype,” declaring the album a classic upon release. — MICHAEL SAPONARA

“Just Wanna Rock” gets most of the credit for sending it overground, but, with the syncopated kick thumps and ceaseless bed squeaks of “Currents,” Drake was about six months ahead of the Jersey club wave that swept through Uzi and the rest of pop and hip-hop from late 2022 to early 2024. It’s certainly the thing you’re most likely to remember the song for at this point, because actual lyrics and melodies are relatively minimal; not that you could really hear them over the rocking of that noisy-ass mattress anyway. — AU 

Your mileage may vary on French Montaña and Draké playing blowhard golf announcers on Spanish-language television in the “No Shopping” video, but it’s certainly more memorable than anything in the song itself, phoned in even by French Montana standards: “Sippin’ on drank, sippin’ on drank/ All about the moolah, all about the moolah.” — A.U.

The rat-a-tat hi-hats come in spurts, but an otherwise simple production scheme yields plenty of room for Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR to soar. Unfortunately, the song never really takes flight, instead gliding as more of an interlude than anything else — which perhaps would’ve been more enticing had it not come directly before an actual interlude. — JOSH GLICKSMAN

There was a time in rap when repping for the “down bad boys, sad boys” would have gotten you mocked endlessly, but those days are long gone thanks in large part to Drake. He’s turned that quality into a superpower and proudly carries the torch on petty anthems like “You Broke My Heart.” — MS

What started as a leak in 2010, “Still Got It,” inevitably became a buzzy single for T-Raww and Drizzy the following year. Settling into his role as Young Money’s prized 6th man, Tyga proves to be a love-drunk Casanova looking to reel back the love of his life. With Drake stapled on the hook, the sappy twosome scribble a fun but lightweight jam for hapless romantics around the globe. — CARL LAMARRE

At the tail-end of the already overstuffed Views, Drake serves up one more sultry slow burn with “Fire & Desire,” but he’s just a bit light on the former to inspire the latter. Despite an uplifting Brandy sample and a lyrical confessional that has become his R&B strong suit, Drake meanders around a repetitive rhyme scheme that seems to lull him to sleep, evidenced by his third verse-capping line “Girl, I’m sleepy.” — BRYAN KRESS

Mary J. Blige’s staggering run as a reliable hitmaker started to finally run aground with 2009’s Stronger With Each Tear, which bet big on advance single “The One” — a song that squanders Queen Mary’s peerless voice with Auto-Tune (!!) and a blandly self-aggrandizing lyric — and came up short of the top 40. Drake brings solid brio to his verse, big-upping Rebirth-era Wayne for “rockin’ out like a White Stripe,” but this One ain’t it. — A.U.

A six-minute, two-part PND collab that stretches out the final leg of the More Life journey, “Since Way Back” crawls its way to the finish line, without even the beat switch halfway through really livening things up much. — A.U.

See, Drake can be a comedian at times. On this FATD interlude he compares love to the fat tissue used in a Brazilian Butt Lift. The lighthearted approach to his carnal desires toes the line between corny and captivating in a way only Drake can. And only Drake could turn an otherwise trivial album cut into a Top 40 Hot 100 entry. — MS

The title alone lets fans know exactly where Drake’s going with this record. The 37-year-old’s tears fall all over the icy piano keys as he groans about “broken pinky promises” and a “f—-d up” Bahamas trip thanks to a person named Hayley. “Bahamas Promises” winds up a worthy interlude on For All The Dogs. — MS

Drake tends to overshadow artists on their own tracks, and he held nothing back with “No Stylist” — his sixth collaboration with French Montana. Yet French’s high-pitched rhymes aren’t enough to carry the song on his own. Enter Petty Drake, who takes over with that Kanye West burn: “Keepin’ it G, I told her, ‘Don’t wear no 350s ’round me.” — BIANCA GRACIE

The lead-off track on Side B of Scorpion, “Peak” sets the tone for the back half’s more nocturnal vibe — though maybe a little too well, since the thing’s after-hours creep is so wound-down that you’re at real risk of falling asleep before things eventually pick up a little. — A.U.

Good on Lil Wayne for giving The Alan Parsons Project 20-plus seconds of airspace to themselves on the most anticipated rap album of the early ’10s — but otherwise the proggy pomposity of “It’s Good” feels pretty empty, and Weezy’s alley-oop to “Drake Griffin” wouldn’t get more than a 6 from anyone besides Dwyane Wade. — A.U.

The 6 God boastfully writes the table of contents of what’s to come with his Scorpion double-album opener. The brash introduction ends up getting lost in the shuffle, as Drake bears the scars he’s garnered in battle throughout his career. Whether that was going to war with Meek Mill or his scuffle with Diddy, Drake knows that what hasn’t killed him has made him stronger. — M.S.

Be honest: As you read the title “KMT,” are you able to recall even a single detail about how the song sounds? Why would you? It’s one of a few anonymous tracks from More Life’s back half, and might as well be tagged as an interlude. A quick refresher, though: It’s the one where the Brit signs off, “Batman / Da-na-na-da-na.” — K.M.

A pleasant enough More Life leftover-sounding jam that could’ve at least been a solid post-“Sunflower” victory lap for Swae Lee, but instead kinda floats adrift to nowhere with a lazy refrain and a clapping beat that sounds like it was programmed on a 30-year-old Casio. — A.U. 

Early leaks relegated “Race My Mind” to being an underrated Certified Lover Boy track. Drake croons about a drunk lover coming home and falling asleep on him before shifting gears to his rapping bag. “Picture me caring what n—-s sayin’ on Wi-Fi they don’t pay for,” he raps in vintage Drake jabs. All things considered, though, the 6 God’s dexterity deserved a better reception. — MS

Drake has long paid homage to the legendary DJ Screw, dating all the way back to So Far Gone. Fourteen years later, Drizzy salutes the Houston rap dignitary by featuring the late Screwed Up Click leader’s chopped-and-screwed freestyle over Nas’ “If I Ruled the World” for a short break on the For All The Dogs. — MS

The quasi-title track for More Life that wasn’t, “Two Birds” still feels like something of a mission statement for the album — down to its opening line being included in a Letter From the Editor that accompanied the album — but musically, sounds like Drake getting impatient for Kanye to clear “Say What’s Real” already. — A.U.

Whether Drake closing his biggest (in size if not necessarily in stature) album with a tribute to a kid that he was still keeping secret months earlier reads as maturity or opportunism probably depends on your opinion of Drake to begin with. At the very least, it’s an undeniably graceful note to end on: “You got a good spirit/ We’ll talk more when you hear this.” — A.U.

“Signs” was debuted at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week, which sounds about right: It’s solid runway-walking music, brisk and thumping and not overly obtrusive. Maybe a little better than you might remember, likely in large part because you haven’t thought about it at all since 2017. — A.U.

Based on the title, many thought Drake would come out the gate guns blazing taking aim at Virginia-bred foes Pharrell and Pusha T. Instead, the pump-fake welcomes fans into For All The Dogs with a fluttering pitched-up Frank Ocean sample where he compares a woman to the ruggedness of Virginia Beach. — MS

Metro Boomin’s angelic production clears the tarmac for a smooth Air Drake takeoff with Thugger sitting shotgun in the cockpit. “Oh U Went” proved to be the more commercially successful OVO x YSL collab on Thug’s Business Is Business as the track outlasted “Parade On Cleveland” on the Hot 100 by 14 weeks. — MS

“I’m still working on me” Drake croons on the PartyNextDoor-penned CLB cut. Many complained that Drake’s sixth studio album was too reminiscent of music he’s already made. “Fucking Fans” doesn’t do much to dissuade those accusations, but the slinking, sin-baring track is at least a great version of a beloved time-tested formula. Who can be mad at that? — DS  

This track from the 2010 Diddy-Dirty Money opus Last Train to Paris features a fresh-faced Drake in pure Thank Me Later mode — working his way up to superstar, still mastering hashtag rap. And no, you didn’t imagine that whisper of Auto-Tune in his verse. — JASON LIPSHUTZ

If the opener sounds familiar, that’s because it’s also the chorus for Drake’s DJ Khaled teamup “I’m On One” — a much better fit for its club-ready lyrics. As one of the promotional Take Care singles that missed the final cut, Drake can’t make up his mind between his sultry, R&B and flexing, rap star personas, ultimately resulting in a confusing blend that takes a few too many turns to arrive successfully at its destination. — J.G.

“Wrote this with a Cartier pen, do I sound different?” Drake boasts while simultaneously driving up the value of the designer pen brand. The Canadian dignitary’s dopamine kicks in and he continues to flex on the opposition with an array of braggadocios rhymes as he boards Air Drake. — MS

With its relatively generic Metro Boomin beat and lazily delivered verses, “Scholarships” feels about as dashed-off as the rest of What a Time to Be Alive (which, to be fair, was written and recorded in its entirety in a total of six days). But its slowness almost works to its advantage — an unlikely banger, plodding through the crystal rain. — W.G.

Released to celebrate the 2019 NBA championship win by his beloved Toronto Raptors, “Omertà” catches Aubrey counting his millions and trying out a cadence reminiscent of the Notorious B.I.G. It’s all fine, but the truth is, we wouldn’t have been affected in the slightest if a code of silence kept Drake from sharing this one. — K.M.

Can’t fault the beat here — a frenetic little footwork two-stepper, with house piano loving laid on top — but some crucial ingredient was missing here in turning “To the Max” into a pop smash to follow the radio mega-success of previous Khaled khollab “For Free.” (“A hook” would probably be the first and best guess.) And certainly no one needed Khaled shout-quoting Drake’s already overused “More chune for ya head top” at the end.  — A.U.

A 33-year-old Little Brother fan, Drake likely lurked the Okayplayer boards in the early 2000s to learn about rap history, download rare mp3s, and argue about things like who DJ Premier should produce an album for. Here, Drake sounds appropriately serious rapping over his first Primo beat: “N—as want a classic, that’s just ten of these” — the Okayplayer readership would agree. — ROSS SCARANO

“Guess whose it is, guess whose it is?” Drake asks repeatedly over somnambulist synths in this interlude-styled (but regrettably not interlude-sized) groaner from Nothing Was the Same. Given that the previous cut on the LP liberally sampled Wu-Tang’s “It’s Yourz,” we’re guessing the question was rhetorical. — A.U.

The first Drake and Playboi Carti collab arrived to much anticipation and fanfare but ultimately fell flat. Drizzy passes the rock to Carti who utilizes his signature baby voice, but the two don’t mesh well, resulting in a misfire over a woozy Pi’erre Bourne production. — MS

“You’re too busy dancing in the club to our songs,” he repeatedly pouts on Nyan Lieberthal’s desolate production. Drake salutes Houston and mystifies listeners with his chopped-and-screwed vocals on Honestly, Nevermind‘s penultimate track, which, with “Jimmy Cooks” feeling like a bonus track, really serves as the album’s closer. — MS

Drake and Baby tag-team on this ditty about girls being flirty with other girls. Though Drizzy is typically a marksman when dishing out romantic banter, he bricks on his attempt to pull a triple-double in the bedroom with this snoozer.  — CL

After “SICKO MODE ” delivered diamond plaques, it was only right Travis Scott and Drake ran it back for round two on UTOPIA. Filled with ominous beat switches that takes fans on a menacing rollercoaster ride, the successor proves worthy even though it doesn’t live up to the hype of the original. — MS

Drake carries around an arsenal of alter-egos for whenever he wants to take a break from being the 6 God — and his most coveted (and most try-hard) one is “Champagne Papi.” Drake got deep in his Bachata bag when he paired up with Aventura alumn Romeo Santos on “Odio,” where he sang in Spanish for the first time. — B.G.

Drake has long had an affinity for Houston, a city he treats like a second home. On “N 2 Deep,” the OVO leader addresses a specific flame from the Bayou City while reminiscing on faded club nights and past run-ins. This is one of the weaker OVO-Freebandz team-ups in what’s usually a dynamic connection. — MS

Notorious for his focus on razor-sharp album openers, Views‘ kickoff cut is probably the most forgettable within his discography. “Keep the Family Close” welcomes listeners to snowy Toronto, as the sulking 6 God opens the doors to his world of reflection, chalking up his coldhearted ways to severe trust issues with those in his life. — M.S.

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Drake were produced by Purity Ring, “Now & Forever” is probably your best guess — Drizzy attesting to his free-bird ways over moaning darkwave synths and disembodied vocal samples. A worthwhile sonic experiment, though the results don’t really justify the near-five-minute length. — A.U.

A Views appetizer, “Summer Sixteen” arrived in January 2016, with chilly tough talk for Meek Mill… and Tory Lanez. The two-parter sounds like a John Carpenter movie, in particular the second beat, which makes Drake’s desire for revenge as bloodthirsty as possible. But this is still Drake, so the stakes are more about the size of one’s pool than anything mortal. — R.S.

A better fit for an Aubrey/Mary teamup than the unconvincing “The One,” but the “bad boys ain’t no good, good boys ain’t no fun” ballad still doesn’t really find much chemistry between the generation-separated stars. Good time to instead shout out the Drake-starring remix to Alicia Keys’ “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready),” which actually sounds like a great lost Thank Me Later cut, thanks in large part to gorgeous production from Drake’s artistic soulmate Noah “40” Shebib. — A.U.

A genre of Drake joke is his lop-sided artistic relationship with Future — specifically how silly Drake’s concerns are compared to his Atlanta peer’s. That is, Future’s horrifyingly blunt admission of “I see hell everywhere” vs. Drake’s prattle about pillow talk and how he’s a dog (yeah, yeah). Ironically enough, pillow talk is allegedly how Pusha got the Adinon ammo! — R.S.

Drake transitions out of the dance-leaning house vibes for a moment to stretch his falsetto and give Honestly, Nevermind a welcomed change-of-pace. It won’t be anyone’s favorite track on the album but also shouldn’t receive heavy vitriol. — MS

While he isn’t officially credited as a feature, Adonis Graham steals the show with his “MY MAN FREESTYLE” debut on the song’s outro. How many six-year-olds can say they have a top 10 Hot 100 hit to their name? Drake may have lit the competitive fuse as Travis Scott and Kanye West followed suit by recruiting daughters Stormi and North, respectively, for guest appearances. — MS

QUAVO HUNCHO was supposed to turn the Migos rapper into a solo star on Drake’s level, but not even an assist from the man himself at his most red-hot could get Quavo to the top 40. “Flip the Switch” is jaunty enough, but it hardly sounds like the event release it should have been, and Drake kinda feels like he’s giving his ATL buddy his leftovers — even the phrase “Flip the Switch” was already used in a much bigger recent Drake song. — A.U.

A long-professed H-Town devotee, Drake resuscitating a verse from the late local legend Pimp C of UGK for this mid-Views cut. It’s the most memorable thing about “Faithful,” though OVO duo dvsn also do a solid job of seeing the track out. — A.U.

“Champagne Poetry” may have been CLB’s intro, but “Papi’s Home” could have fulfilled the role just as well. Built around a crisp sample of Montell Jordan’s “Daddy’s Home” and featuring a glorious spoken outro from former Young Money labelmate Nicki Minaj, “Papi’s Home” captures 2020s Drake at his best. He’s comfortably perched on a luxurious throne overlooking his hordes of sons in the rap game, but still reminiscing on past opps and preparing to dead new ones while barely lifting a finger.  — KD

Proving he’s rap’s chameleon, Drake invades the Brooklyn dril world, running with a pair of New York City natives in Fivio Foreign and Sosa Geek. The Toronto rap deity taps into his U.K. flow and compares the NYC duo to NBA stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for the Dark Lane Demo Tapes standout. — MS

Pity that this Drake/Future collaboration from Views is not a more incisive look at the Grammy Awards’ lack of recognition for hip-hop artistry over its history (Future has won a lone Grammy, while Drake, a defining artist of the decade, is not much better with four wins). A wasted opportunity, albeit one with a pretty strong Future hook. — J. Lipshutz

“I’ma always end up as a man in the end” — more slow-paced chest-puffing from If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, Drake’s toughest-talking album. An increasingly rare guest appearance from mentor Lil Wayne is welcome, as is a chirping Wundaugrl beat, but by the time it shows up 2/3 of the way through Reading, you could use a change of speed. — A.U.

It’s touching when Drake raps with admiration for Wayne (see: “Believe Me”), though he only gets a few lines off to that effect on the rotely scatalogical “Gonorrhea.” His flow is straight out of Thank Me Later, which was released a few months prior — listen to how he draws out that “I am” at the top. Not much else to see here though. — R.S.

Part of the slowest bend of Nothing Was the Same, “The Language” is at least buoyed slightly by its floating synth skank, as well as Drake’s first classic bed-related lyric. The song’s repeat Stunna references result in Birdman himself making a brief appearance at song’s end — truly rap’s Candyman. — A.U.

With weeping strings and lack of an obvious hook, it was unsurprising that Scary Hours B-side “Diplomatic Immunity” didn’t have the same pop impact as its flip, “God’s Plan” — though Drake’s commercial clout was as such upon its release that it still debuted top 10 anyway. Thanks for the BBMAs shout, Drizzy, but we still gotta ask you about the particulars of your “I listen to heavy metal for meditation” claim sometime.  — A.U.

Drake takes the distorted bounce of “Overdrive” and submerges himself in a pool of ecstasy. He walks the tightrope and sticks the landing on the Honestly, Nevermind standout that could easily have ended up playing in Zara’s across the globe. — MS

Drake and Hov have had a long competitive relationship filled with respect and memorable bars. On “Love All,” a desolate OVO frontman is down in the dumps about an ex-lover who is speculated to be Jorja Smith. Jay steps in and immediately starts heaving missiles in all directions. While “Love All” doesn’t stand out on CLB, Jigga leaves pocket-watching listeners with a powerful verse closer: “You know the price of everything but the value of nothing.” — MS

It’s usually a celebratory moment when this Young Money trio comes together, but “No Frauds” was something of an unfortunate anomaly. Nicki Minaj was in the middle of a nasty feud with Remy Ma, and unleashed this response in an attempt to dismantle Ma’s lethal “Shether” diss track. But instead, she fumbled — and inadvertently dragged Drake and Weezy down with her. — B.G.

Dennis Graham’s voice from a 2020 Instagram Live gives OVO faithful COVID-19 lockdown PTSD. That aside, “Losses” has faded to the background of his catalog as Drake’s made poignant records about ex-lovers like this 100 times over throughout his illustrious career. — MS

Drake meets Saturday Night Fever. Khaled once again employing the 6 God’s Midas touch for a chorus sampling the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” is going to smash just about any streaming algorithm. Throw in a viral music video scene featuring Drake in scrubs smoking hookah and a top five Hot 100 hit along with a platinum plaque is nearly undeniable. — MS

Strange choice of track for Drake to leave in his multiple requests for the audio to be turned up: “Finesse” is among the least-hype tracks in Drizzy’s catalog, basically an extended moan about not wanting to go to Fashion Week over a half-time beat. Still, the audibly ellipsised “It… takes…. some… finesse” hook is a little bit of a brain-sticker. — A.U.

Originally slated to land on For All The Dogs, the highly-anticipated Drake-Nicki Minaj reunion eventually found a spot on the Queen’s Pink Friday 2. Sonically, it wasn’t the direction most thought the Young Money duo would explore, but Drake gets the dancefloor jumping with island vibes that could’ve called Honestly, Nevermind home. — MS

This 21 Savage collaboration works better than it ought to. Released as a one-off during the lead-up to More Life, it didn’t make the tape’s final tracklist, but distinguished itself with a paranoiac refrain and a foreboding, horror-film instrumental from London on da Track, who was more or less unstoppable that year. — W.G.

A decently fun team-up between the two ATLiens and their oft-visiting out-of-town buddy, with Drake thumbing his nose at those who doubted him as a double-threat: “Remember shorty told me, ‘The rap’s good, but the singing’s off.’” Most of the creativity was saved for the song’s video, though, which star kiddy versions of the trio (and producer Murda Beatz) in a “Sky’s the Limit”-worthy middle school clip. — A.U.

“I can’t write my wrongs, but I can still write these hooks” is one of the signature Savage bars from this early-Her Loss cut, but “On BS” is a little lacking in the latter department if anything, with a fairly non-descript bass-booming hook, and a repetitive “On that bulls–t” refrain that doesn’t exactly tell us anything we don’t already know. Points for the song’s ace handoff moment between the duo, though, as Savage boasts, “I jump on your song and make you sound like you the feature,” and Drake one-ups him, “I jump on your song and make a label think they need ya.” — AU 

We’ve seen PARTYNEXTDOOR activate the patois before to great effect, and after the longest hiatus of his career he returned in late 2019 with “Loyal,” a tune indebted to his Jamaican and Trinidadian heritage. Of course Drake is game, crooning “you nuh need fi raise war with my friends” alongside him. A chill song. — R.S.

Not one of the finest-grade WATTBA jams, but one that still brims with the infectious self-satisfaction that makes the set so exhilarating. “Really, I’m the plug,” Future insists — kinda sounding like someone trying to give themselves their own nickname, but in Nayvadius’ case we’re likely to take his word for it anyway. — A.U.

Another Giggs feature on More Life where the U.K. collaborator is given the song’s biggest look. Nothing as memorable here as the “BATMAN!” closing to “KMT,” but the track itself is a little more efficient at a tight 2:30, and the lead in to the roller-rink disco of the ensuing “Passionfruit” is a blindsider. — A.U.

After Metro Boomin helped propel What a Time to Be Alive to warp speed, it was natural Drake would return the favor by appearing on the superproducer’s first album as a lead artist. “No Complaints” doesn’t quite maximize either of their talents, but the title sums up fans’ likely reaction to a perfectly acceptable album cut. And hey, another Billboard reference! — A.U.

Couldn’t accuse Drake of frontloading Scorpion: “Elevate,” its eerie third track, is fine but far from an obvious highlight, suffocated by wailing synths and tensed up by its ticking beat. Does function to clear the runway well for the much more resounding 1-2 of “Emotionless” and “God’s Plan” to come afterwards, though. — A.U.

The logic of “9” is simple, if corny: Drake put his hometown “the 6” on the map and every release flips the city on its head. And yet on the second track of Views, Drake still appears to be finding his footing. Its clever turn-of-phrase may have cost us the full title of the once-confirmed Views From the 6, but “9” marks yet another instantly memorable 6 GOD catchphrase to add to his collection. — B.K.

Buried in the back half of More Life, this Drizzy/Yeezy team-up sports some personal tidbits about the trappings of fame from the superstars’ respective points of view. But it sounds half-baked, as if they came up with a hook and waved off the need for anything else musically interesting — that is, until Earth, Wind & Fire slides in for an unexpectedly blissful (and too-short) outro. — J. Lipshutz

Attempting to move past being on the receiving end of an array of embarrassing memes and jokes thanks to Pusha T’s scathing “The Story of Adidon,” Drizzy attempts to flip the humor on his opposition. This is classic passive-aggressive Drake, as he admits to his “comment section killing him” and blasts his detractors for being sensitive within seconds of each other. — M.S.

Borrowing the most rapturous dance-pop song of the early 21st century only to pitch it down and totally invert its energy for a thumping trap banger: a degree-of-difficulty challenge, to be sure. But “Circo Loco” does a surprisingly good job of coming off more inspired than gimmicky with its woozy loop of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” running underneath the duo’s grinning negative-energy rhymes. It may ultimately be something of a Drake-tolerance litmus test, though: Does the prospect of The Boy singing “One more time, hit my line, you know the head was great/ Oh yeah, all right, don’t do romancing” sound funny, insufferable or both to you? — AU 

About as carnal as we’ve yet heard Drake, and he basically admits from the jump that we’re in uncharted territory: “I never really talk about dick that I want to give you/ Or places I want to get to.” The sound of Drake imitating the sound of “p—y like waves hitting” isn’t going to have fans clamoring for a whole X-rated Aubrey LP, but “I hope the apocalypse is the only thing that doesn’t come now” hits a little differently for lovers this month, no doubt. — A.U.

With Thugger behind bars as the YSL RICO case continues on, the OVO/Slime chemistry is lacking on the Lil Keed tribute “Parade On Cleveland.” It’s essentially two solo tracks connected by a Cobb County Jail call with Drake checking in on Young Thug who plays it cool “Pushin Peter.” — MS

Could Drake breathe on a track and have it land on the Hot 100? He just might. Khaled turned a 40-second swagger-filled snippet from the OVO honcho into his album opener and it netted a No. 78 chart peak, which is somehow better than Nothing Was The Same’s “Worst Behavior” Hot 100 performance. — MS

Drake and Lil Boat’s friendship has blossomed over the last couple of years but it didn’t pay dividends here. The two chase sonic trends instead of creating something unique, rapping about their lineups of women over a serrated beat that’s better suited for Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red. — MS

Jahaan Sweet and 40 craft a sparkly soundscape to give Drizzy the necessary breathing room to spitefully ruminate over spacey piano keys. The layered “Treated you right” chants properly push “Tried Our Best” across the finish line for a robust For All The Dogs entry.  — MS

Drake has long approached trusting others from a reserved angle — but the rugged, distant Views takes such skepticism to career-high levels, highlighted best in the album’s closer and title track. “Need y’all to know that I never needed none of y’all n—as/ F–k being all buddy buddy with the opposition,” he laments in two lines not so subtly aimed at Kanye West and JAY-Z. Drizzy is seldom concise on the 20-track Views, but he certainly doesn’t mince words here. — J.G.

The OG reference track for this Jamie Foxx collab is a gem. Foxx is an Oscar winner but can’t sell a line like “Can I save you from you” like So Far Gone-era Drake could. Still, the studio version retains Drake’s rapped verse, one of his finest — if you’re into the special mixture of romantic, petty and insecure he did so well back then. — R.S.

Important historically, both as Lil Baby’s breakout chart hit and as Exhibit B of the kingmaking potential of a 2018 Drake cosign (Exhibit A to come in about 70 songs). Otherwise fairly inessential, with its primary hooks coming via a sample that sounds like a distant memory of “Mask Off” and the lead’s uninspired “waah, waah, waah, b–ch I’m Lil’ Baby” catchphrasing. — A.U.

Upon his release from prison, Guwop and Drake joined forces for his comeback record “Back on Road.” Designated to hook duties, Drake lobs Gucci a punchy refrain while the ATL star tacks on two verses to dropkick his imitators, rapping: “Now that Gucci’s home, it’s over for you Gucci clones.” Though “Back on Road” was a modest attempt, Drizzy and Guwop would rebound with a more successful collab later that year. — C.L.

“GREECE” always felt like an odd choice to pair with “POPSTAR” as the Drake-assisted singles for DJ Khaled’s 12th studio album. Drake’s pitched-up vocals coast over OZ’s bounce and he puts his basic Rosetta Stone French lessons to the test. — MS

Always fun to have Drake on the chorus, channeling his inner Roy Halladay as he chants in sixteenth-note lower register, “Take yourself a picture when I’m standing at the mound/ And I swear it’s going down, I’m just repping for my town.” Not a particular classic besides that, but as Weezy himself would say on an earlier, better single from the same Birdman album, they were gonna be all right if they put Drake on every hook. — A.U.

These two titans of rap joined forces for this track from Future’s ninth studio album, 2022’s No. 1-debuting I Never Liked You. The track’s raw, ethereal beat lays the perfect foundation for the pair’s feel-good trap ode to the high life — and all of the indulgences that enjoyment implies including women and drugs. “I’m on one, I’m on one, yeah / Hold up, slow down, wait, catch up … / I’m on one, I’m on one / I got a different type of body built,” the duo chime in together on the chorus. The popular track, certified platinum, peaked at No. 7 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 11 on the Hot 100. — GM

This song will be most remembered for Drake’s refusing to promote it on Twitter, and for kicking off a beef that would spawn both the excellent “Back to Back” and the not-so-excellent “Charged Up.” Meek actually responded to Drake’s jabs, too—people forget that. — WILL GOTTSEGEN

“Bubbly” appears on Young Thug’s second album, 2021’s Punk, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 thanks in part to this atmospheric track. As its title portends, the song (No. 7, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs; No. 20, Hot 100) is a champagne toast to the good life that music and fame have brought the three successful rappers/business entrepreneurs. Young Thug leads the charge followed by a gung-ho Scott on the second verse. Then Drake caps the proceedings with a slowed-down take on the third verse, noting, “Been on the charts for five hundred weeks / So somebody love when I speak / Doing’ this shit just to show we get down in the 6 / Man, it’s bigger than me.” — GM

When More Life-era Drake isn’t globetrotting in his best sunglasses, he’s talking trash with his chest out. “Can’t Have Everything” is a solid example of the latter, with Drizzy rattling off a series of not-so-subliminals in reference to his rivals, while a low, ambient rumble fills the atmosphere. Like the rest of Life, it’s about the vibe. — K.M.

The first team-up between Drake and Trippie Redd is probably best remembered for the Kanye West shade, with Drake rapping “Ye ain’t changin’ sh-t for me, it’s set in stone” about the closeness of Donda’s release date to Certified Lover Boy’s. “Betrayal” never went higher than its No. 67 debut—probably because the bubbling 8-bit synths sound closer to the indie sleaze era than the early 2020s—but that segue between Redd’s shout and Drake’s croon at the one-minute mark is immaculately executed.  — JL

“Jumbotron Shit Poppin” is another fun, lively record on Her Loss, which finds Drake giving listeners a glimpse of his rockstar life. Sans Savage, Drake rides solo and uses a sing-songy approach that mirrors Young Thug’s frenetic style. He cleverly drops several bars saluting Playboi Carti, including, “Strapped up, f–k it, I’ma die lit.” — CL

Drake may love his bed more than nearly anyone else in his life, but at least he’s not averse to sharing it. “Hate Sleeping Alone” is a Take Care bonus cut understandably lost to history — not even available on the Spotify deluxe version of the album — but at as a confessional it feels lightly revelatory, Drake admitting his late-night pleas aren’t always carnal in nature: “Half the time we don’t end up f–king, I don’t ask her for nothing… I just hate sleeping alone.” — A.U.

Ah, for that first moment when “Intro” turned over to “Falling Back” on your first listen to Honestly, Nevermind: You heard that 4/4 pulse kick in and you knew the rumors were true, this was going to be a Drake house album, like, for real. And it sounded like it was gonna be a pretty good one too, with the burbling synths and propulsive chord changes instantly transporting you to a specifically Drizzy vision of the club floor. Unfortunately, as the song went on, the thrills were undercut by underdeveloped songwriting – meandering vocals with little identifiable structure or lyrical resonance – that plagued much of HM. But damn if the memory of that first kick can’t still raise your temperature just a little bit years later. — AU