R&B/Hip-Hop

Ice Spice earns a guest appearance on “GLORY,” as one of her Y2K interviews is sampled. Drake and Ice had a complicated history, with the former being an early co-signer of the latter but eventually unfollowing her on Instagram, meaning it’s unclear if Drizzy’s extending an olive branch here or burning another bridge in The Bronx. He even utilizes her ad-libs over the sexy drill production, which feels out of place. – MICHAEL SAPONARA

Drake hasn’t been shy about being a fan of Chino Pacas, and he invites the urban sierreño singer into the fray for “MEET YOUR PADRE.” Drizzy tries his hand at a sultry Spanglish anthem, but the four-and-a-half-minute expedition should’ve been cut to an elevator pitch. – M.S.

Pining for a cover girl sounds like a play out of the OVO playbook, right? That’s the case of Drake and Co. With PND designated to hook duties, Drake ruminates about his hoes tendencies and why he has the “worst reputation” in town. It’s run-of-the-mill Drake and nothing out of the ordinary. – CARL LAMARRE

Drake’s on his knees begging for a certain lover and the sparse production allows Drizzy to transform into full-simp mode. He’s shown that can be a lucrative space in the past on tracks like “Marvin’s Room,” but this is more filler on $$$4U. – M.S.

PND opens up about his sexual escapades living out fantasies of threesomes and fellatio in different locations. Drizzy ends up picking up the slack for his label partner while injecting life into the intoxicating tune. “Your ex needs to turn that frown upside down/ Smile and keep it pushing before it goes south,” he threatens while singing – a 6 God specialty. – M.S.

Drake’s in his hater bag on this solo cut and acknowledges that the girls he entertains easily fall for guys who have less than him. Despite his jealous ways, Drizzy brushes off the losses and cleverly name rops Tate McRae and Charli XCX on this fun one. – C.L.

It’s already track 21, but $$$4U doesn’t feel that dense of a listen from start to finish. Drake has always been one to take his time with outros, as he wants the final message he leaves fans with to truly resonate before going our separate ways. He even addresses those who switched sides on him throughout the feud, but he’s keeping it pushing. “I’ve been a nice guy, people I’ve done right by/ Flipped on me, but, girl, it’s alright/ Not surprised by nothing, I just take it in stride,” he laments. Legends never die. – M.S.

Upcoming singer/songwriter Pim makes her mainstream debut alongside the OVO heavyweights and dazzles. Known for her bite-sized records “Over Freestyle” and “I’m Not Ready,” her pain and disappointment bleed through as she begs her man to stay home and not entertain the club life.  – C.L.

Drake and PND slow the pace down and bring out the guitars for an airy instrumental that Natasha Beddingfield could’ve meshed with. The 6 God isn’t seeing eye-to-eye with the decisions God’s put in front of him, and the indecisiveness is slowly killing him inside. Yebba’s soothing coo brings “Die Trying” tastefully across the finish line. – M.S.

Drake and PND continue to wreak havoc and attempt to cajole their lover to engage in some foul play. PND, specifically, is ready to risk it all and toss away an NDA to get closer. “Don’t care where that p—y play, s–t/ NFL, NHL, NBA/ I ain’t ’bout to make you sign no NDA/ ‘Cause I know you can keep a secret, can’t you, babe?” he sings. – C.L.

After his bloodthirsty run on “GIMME A HUG,” Drake sobers up and slides to his home away from home, Houston, for a slow intermission. Another beat switch finds its way onto the album and works for Drake as he cajoles his love to partake in some late-night action on a Friday night. Hookah for the win.  – C.L.

Drake confronts the chatter surrounding his bachelor lifestyle and why he hasn’t decided to settle down with the right one. Money brings out issues in any situation and his bank account doesn’t have a limit, and other situations have left him burned by conniving opportunists over the years looking for clout. “Hoes gon’ be hoes, that’s why I never had married ’em/ All they do is look at me, see me as opportunity/ All that’s left between us is lease agreements and jewelry,” he confesses. – M.S.

A thoughtful homage to Thug’s lawyer Brian Steele, who helped free the once-embattled rapper and brought him home last year. We get our first beef reference from Drake here when he raps: “Broski just hit me, said, ‘Put all the beef on the side,’ I can’t/ Mm-mm, I’m heated now, yeah/ N—as want to meet up, talk about s–t, I’m vegan now (For real)/ Evil eyes were staring at me, and I see it now.” Outside of his barbs against K. Dot, Drake uses Steele as a way to wax metaphoric about why a girl’s sex should keep him “stuck inside.” – C.L.

What happens when two of Toronto’s favorite sons, Drake and PND, link up before the iconic CN Tower? Greatness. Drake’s penchant for memorable intros continues with this one, as heartbreak enters the conversation for him and PND. The CN Tower, a symbol of Toronto, adds a local flavor to the song. “Your girls can’t hold water; they’d rather see you drown,” sings a melancholic Drake on the stripped-down beat. Team OVO gets a “W” for a strong opener. – C.L.

PARTY spells out his raunchy P4 cover art, while Drake plays more of a supporting actor role. The duo refines the moody underwater R&B sound they played a major role in creating in the early 2010s out of Toronto. Drizzy closes out the drowsy track and flips Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” into a more spicy bedroom conundrum. – M.S.

Previously teased ahead of the release of $$$4U, Drake revels in this solo expedition. Trust issues are at the heart of this weighty discussion, where Drake hopes to use sentimental gifts to regain his lover’s love. He rattles off thousands, hoping to reel her back in. “Put that price on your love/ Ten bands; you’re mine/ Twenty bands; you’re mine/ We could have a real good time/ Hundred bands, you’re mine.” – C.L.

Finally, Drake is having fun again. The 6 God takes over the dance floor as the club DJ or radio station emcee with an electronic banger that has girls running around with glowstick necklaces, peaking with a robotic chorus running through the women in his life that would make Daft Punk proud. Drake is a time-traveler and “Nokia” showcases the supreme innovator is still somewhere in there. – M.S.

In this track, Drake and PND attempt to wear their capes and be heroic in their relationships. Despite their courageous efforts, it isn’t enough to shield heartbreak. The cherry on top is when Drake revisits his popular classic “HOUSTATLANTAVEGAS” in the song’s second half and floats effortlessly. – C.L.

Though fans gushed at seeing six solo Drake offerings, PND enthusiasts weren’t left out to dry, as “DEEPER” is quintessential PARTY. The singer aims to be his girl’s favorite and, ultimately, dives head-first without any fear of repercussions. Lathered with sexual innuendos, “DEEPER” quells any concerns of fans needing solo PND on $$$4U. – C.L.

When the idea of a PND-Drake joint project began to take formation, fans largely envisioned a set of vintage toxic R&B anthems like “Somebody Loves Me.” If nothing else, the OVO duo delivered on their promise and showcased they can still dominate the lane when the pick-and-roll is called. – M.S.

Drake lands a home run with the punchy “GIMME A HUG.” Bringing back his classic “Family Matters” flow, Drake feasts on his rivals with his Teflon rhyme scheme. It’s punchlines galore, as Drake revs things up on the song’s beat-switch, saluting 21’s allegiance, denouncing his beef with Kendrick, while thrashing Joe Budden, all while sampling Aaron Hall’s ’90s R&B staple “I Miss You.” – C.L.