Pete Rubens vs. The World

Pete Rubens Vs. Drake - Take Care

“I heard once that they would rather hear about memories than enemies. Rather hear what was, and what will be, than what is. Rather hear how you got it over how much it cost you, rather hear about finding yourself and how you lost you. Rather make this an open letter, about family and struggle and it taking forever. About hearts that you’ve broken, and ties than you’ve severed. No doubt in my mind, that will make them feel better” - Drake

The actor-turned-rapper first burst onto the national scene with his free release mixtape turned Grammy-nominated EP So Far Gone, the story of a Toronto rapper chasing stardom, and further cemented himself as a force with his debut album Thank Me Later. But it’s possible that his latest offering, Take Care, may be his best work yet. Similar to Jay-Z’s Blueprint, Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter II and Kanye West’s Graduation, Drake finally comes to terms with and accepts his superstar persona and annoints himself what many predicted he would be, the next rap king.

Over My Dead Body - From the opening track, Drake sets the tone for the album; the rap game is his and he doesn’t plan on giving it up any time soon. He discusses the over-use of his popularized flow, addresses up and coming rappers who may think it’s their time (another shot at Big Sean?) and accepting the throne as rap’s biggest and brightest star.

“And this is the only sound you should fear, man these kids wear crowns over here”

Shot For Me - A few mixtapes ago, Drake used to rap about how he would stunt on his ex’s once he’s made it, and with this record, he kept good on his promise. He calls out his ex girlfriends, claiming that he made them the women they are today, and the only way they cope with losing the one that got away is with drinking. Wasn’t aware Drake dated women with alcohol problems, but to each his own.

“I made it, yeah I made it/First I made you who you are, then I made it. Now you wasted, with ya latest/Yeah I’m the reason why you always gettin faded”

Headlines - Lead single, Drake addresses the critics who claim that he’s fallen off since his Grammy-nominated So Far Gone mixtape, and takes a few more jabs at his peers who may think it’s their time. 

“When they get my shit & play it, I ain’t even gotta say it, they know”

Crew Love - With his OVOXO clique member The Weeknd, Drake comes with an atypical posse cut, showing love to his crew members.

“There’s times when I might blow like 50k on a vacation/ For all my soldiers, just to see the looks on all they faces, all it took was patience”

Take Care - The Duet with Rihanna is an attempt to capture the chemistry on RiRi’s hit single ‘What’s My Name’. The content of the record is a man convincing a woman to forget the hurts of the past and give him a chance. I wonder how Chris Brown feels about this?

“I know you’ve been hurt by someone else/ I can tell by the way that you carry yourself”

Marvin’s Room/Buried Alive - Second single from the album and the sole reason why men need their phone taken away from them when they’re out. This is Drake’s ode to the drunken phone call to your ex boyfriend and he single handedly made the phrase ‘I’m just saying, you can do better’ a the phrase of the summer.

“The woman that I would try, is happy with a good guy/ But I’ve been drinkin so much, I’m a call her anyway and say”

The second part of the record features Kendrick Lamar, who tells the story of his first meeting with Drake in lyrical form.

“The same day we say we in the area, cruising in Toronto/ Hit me on the cellular, thought he was gonna sell me a false word like the rappers I know/ Sat down with a few drinks, located where you can’t see us/ A white waitress on standby when we need her/ A black Maybach, 40 pulled up, Jeep, all a nigga was missin was Aaliyah”

Underground Kings - Personal favorite track on the album, we here the story from underground Toronto rapper to the biggest artist in the world.

“With fame on my mind, my girl on my nerves/ I was pushin myself to get somethin that I deserve/ That was back in the days, Acura days/ I was a cold dude, I’m gettin back to my ways”

We’ll Be Fine - When you’re worth $15 million, you have a lot to celebrate. This is one of those tracks. And Birdman’s slick talk at the end of this record only adds to it, balee dat.

“The fam here? The drink here? The girls here? Well fuck, let’s get it then”

Make Me Proud - He links with fellow Young Money superstar Nicki Minaj, showing his appreciation for the independent woman.

“Sound so smart like you graduated college/ Like you went to Yale, but you probably went to Howard, knowin you/ Weekend in Miami, tryin’ study by the pool/ Couple things due, but you always get it done”

Lord Knows - Laced by Just Blaze, Drake and Rick Ross float on this record. Proclaiming himself as the opponents “worst nightmare” Drake addresses everything from his trust issues with women, his critics and continues to crown himself as rap’s new king. And after listening to this verse, it’s hard to argue.

“I know, of all the things that I hear they be pokin fun at/ Never the flow though, they know I run that/ Fuck you all, I claim that whenever/ I changed rap forever, the gang’s back together”

Cameras/Good Ones Go - With the Jon B sampled chorus, Drake tried to convince the girl in his life to not believe everything they see in print or on camera.

“Baby girl you need to stop it, all that pride and self-esteem/ Got you angry ‘bout this girl I’m wit in all the magazines/ Baby she look like a star, but only on camera”

In the second part of the record Drake offers advice to anyone trying to balance chasing a dream and keeping the women in their life in tact.

“I shouldn’t be much longer, but you shouldn’t have to wait/ Can’t lose you, can’t help it, I’m so sorry I’m so selfish”

Doing It Wrong - With a harmonica solo from music legend Stevie Wonder, ‘Heartbreak Drake’ gives his version of the Don McLean song ‘The Wrong Thing To Do’. 

“When a good thing goes bad it’s not the end of the world/ It’s just the end of the world that you have with one girl”

The Real Her - In typical Drake fashion, this is his ode to falling in love with and trying to save a stripper. He should probably just stay away from Houston, Atlanta and Vegas. Lil Wayne’s use of the old Drake line is incredibly witty, and Andre 3k’s verse is incredibly irrelevant.

“They keep telling me don’t save you/ If I ignore that advice, and something isn’t right, then who will I complain to?”

HYFR - Typical ignorant Young Money song with no substance. But do I expect the DJ to play this while I’m standing on couches and spilling Hennessy? Hell yeah, fuckin right I do.

“Is it the fall? It’s time for me to revisit the past, there’s women to call/ There’s albums to drop, there’s liquor involved/ There’s stories to tell, we been through it all”

Look What You’ve Done - An open letter reminiscing on his mother, uncle and grandmother and the impact they’ve had on his life and career.

“You knew that I was gon’ be somethin, when you stressed out and you need somethin, I got you”

Practice - Here we have Drake’s version of the classic Cash Money record from Juvenile. He tells the woman that all the men before him were simply practice. Damn, I should’ve thought of this first.

“Don’t give them no more chances, oh girl they’ve had their turn. Everything’s for a reason, there’s things you had to learn from them”

The Ride - The tone of the album is more or less about the acceptance of fame, this is the only track that goes against the grain. Drake describes the vulnerabilities of his stardom and his distaste for people who say they ‘feel him’, but haven’t stepped in his shoes.

“You won’t feel me until everybody say they love you, but it’s not love/ And your suit is oxblood/ And the girl you fuckin hates you and your friends faded off shots of what you ordered”

Hate Sleeping Alone - Nobody likes sleeping alone. Drake explains his position of being with a different girl every night; it’s not that he wants them, the girl he wants just isn’t around.

“And whoever I be with, they got nothin on you/ That’s just somethin to do and it’s nothin to do”

The Motto - Over a Too Short type beat, Drake and Wayne do what they do best; talk that shit and make normal people consider a rap career. And here we have the introduction of Y.O.L.O.

“Now she want a photo, you already know though/ You only live once, that’s the motto nigga, Y.O.L.O.”

Overall, this album is absolute fire. Drake does a good job at balancing his incredible song-writing abilities, digging deeper than he’s ever gone before with where he’s at with life, with incredible flow and impressive lyrics, taking hip-hop enthusiasts back his Comeback Season days. So far, my pick for rap album of the year. Classic? Only time will tell.