Review: "Scorpion" by Drake
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In a summer that started out being full of controversy, slick verbal jabs being traded back and forth between him and his competition, and everybody questioning what his response would be to all of this, Drake has released his album "Scorpion" to critical acclaim and praise from his fans. The “double sided” album sports over 25 songs, 12 on side A, 13 on side B. With the first two singles, “God’s Plan” and “Nice for What” both peaking at number one on the Billboard charts, the album was sure to do explosive numbers at its release. This is exactly what happened when Scorpion dropped, breaking single day streaming records for both Spotify and Apple Music.
Drake’s latest project has done the numbers and gained favor from longtime fans that proves that he is still on top; however, how does the album itself stack up against its competition and past work of the Six God?
Side A of the album focuses mainly on Drake’s rapping skill, while side B is driven more towards the R&B and pop side of the artist. Both sides of album feature heavyweight producers, including frequent collaborator Noah “40” Shebib, Boi-1da, No I.D., and others. What makes the production noteworthy in Scorpion is the extensive use of samples used in the album, including classic songs from legendary artists including Marvin Gaye, Aaliyah, and Lauryn Hill.
As far as features go, there aren’t many other artists featured throughout "Scorpion". With an exception of Jay-Z, Static Major, Ty Dolla Sign, and others that were featured through sampling, Drake pretty much goes completely solo for most of his album, something that fans have come to expect from the artist. One of the obvious highlights from the album was “Don’t Matter To Me” which used a previously unreleased recording session between Michael Jackson and Paul Anka.
On that track, as well as the others, Drake’s delivery which often comes with sharp, clever punchlines all work smoothly with the production to do justice to the artists used for the songs. Not trying to invent the wheel with his style, Drake gives more of the same in terms of his style and flow, whether its a rap banger on side A, or one of the pop and R&B joints featured on side B.
While the album does feature some heavy hitters, a few tracks tend to lack the strength of the main highlights of the album. Also, there may also be room for the argument that this album hasn’t completely surpassed his other hits. However, while Drake hasn’t completely reinvented the wheel as far as his style and presentation, he does more than enough to keep the fans entertained.
While this album may not convince everyone that Drake is “The G.O.A.T.”, it does cement Drake as being on the top of the game and shows why he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Whether it’s his bars on side A or the emotional R&B songs of side B, "Scorpion" is definitely a must listen for the summer!