17-06-2010, 23:57
released June 15th, 2010
![[Image: 200px-ThankMeLater.jpg]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c0/ThankMeLater.jpg/200px-ThankMeLater.jpg)
from the album - Miss Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84N0xXE_WjM
from all music
Known initially for his role as Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Toronto, Ontario, native Drake (born Aubrey Drake Graham) stepped out as a rapper and singer with pop appeal in 2006, when he initiated a series of mixtapes. A year later, despite being unsigned, he scored major exposure when his cocky and laid-back track "Replacement Girl," featuring Trey Songz, was featured on BET's 106 & Park program as its "Joint of the Day." He raised his profile throughout the next several months by popping up on countless mixtapes and remixes, and as rumors swirled about contract offers from labels, he gradually became one of the most talked-about artists in the industry. It did not hurt that he had support from the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne. By the end of June 2009, "Best I Ever Had," a promotional single, had climbed to number two on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. After a fierce bidding war, Drake signed with Universal Motown in late summer and released an EP (So Far Gone) made up of songs from his popular So Far Gone mixtape. It peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and won a 2010 Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year. Thank Me Later, a full-length featuring collaborations with the Kings of Leon, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne, was issued through Young Money the following year.
album review
By the time of the release of Drake's first full-length album, the Canadian rapper was already a star thanks to his huge single "Best I Ever Had," his celebrated mixtape and then EP So Far Gone, and his spots on hits by Young Money and Eminem. Thank Me Later had the tough assignment of living up to the anticipation and further Drake as an artist, and it totally lives up to the hype. Thanks to the rich and nuanced production and Drake's thoughtful, playful, and intense lyrics, Thank Me Later is a radio-friendly, chart-topping collection of singles but also a serious examination of Drake's life that holds up as an album.
Most of the record finds the young rapper (23 at the time of release) conflicted about his growing stardom and fame. Whether itâs a relationship splitting up as on the melancholy âKaraoke,â worries about the fame changing him (âThe Resistanceâ), fears that so-called real hip-hop fans will find him manufactured (âShow Me a Good Timeâ), or the difficult nature of romance when youâre a star (âMiss Meâ), Drake isnât afraid to examine what the past year has done to his life. Heâs also not afraid to talk about how great life has become as well, dropping plenty of lines about the money, the women, and his own prowess as a rapper. His belief in his own skills is well-founded, as the list of collaborators lined up to work with him attests. T.I., Swizz Beatz, Young Jeezy, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Drake's mentor Lil Wayne all drop by to add verses, sing hooks, and produce tracks, and their presence sometimes serves to liven things up and keep Drake away from his melancholy nature.
The T.I./Swizz Beatz track âFancyâ is a fun and sassy summer jam with a huge hook, his track with Jay-Z is a fierce takedown of the Industry and the damage it can wreak, and the Kanye West-produced Nicki Minaj collabo is a tough-as-nails boast that features Drake at his most insistent. Elsewhere, Lil Wayne's verse on "Miss Me" is his usual breathtaking verbal roller coaster, the-Dream's vocals on the verses of "Shut It Down" are heartbreakingly sincere, and Jeezy adds some welcome ferociousness to "Unforgettable." Itâs like all the guests had to bring their best game to keep up with Drake, and they didn't want the youngster to show them up. He never shows anyone up exactly (though Jay-Z's verse sounds kind of out of breath compared to Drake's), but he definitely proves that he belongs at the very top of the game. His nimble flow is impressive; his words are heartfelt, brainy, and surprising; and while his singing may not be the best, it shows a vulnerability that is rare in rap circles. Indeed, it is this willingness to be introspective and honest that makes Drake unique and helps make Thank Me Later special. It is the rare album, rap or otherwise, that follows through on the artist's potential and the fanâs anticipation.
Track Listing
1 Fireworks Shebib 5:13
2 Karaoke Shebib, Starlite 3:47
3 The Resistance El-Khatib, Shebib 3:45
4 Over Shebib 3:53
5 Show Me a Good Time 3:30
6 Up All Night Minaj 3:54
7 Fancy Shebib 5:19
8 Shut It Down Shebib 6:59
9 Unforgettable Isley, Shebib 3:33
10 Light Up Carter, Shebib 4:34
11 Miss Me Dwayne Carter, Shebib 5:05
12 Cece's Interlude Shebib 2:34
13 Find Your Love 3:28
14 Thank Me Now 5:28
from the album - Miss Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84N0xXE_WjM
from all music
Known initially for his role as Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Toronto, Ontario, native Drake (born Aubrey Drake Graham) stepped out as a rapper and singer with pop appeal in 2006, when he initiated a series of mixtapes. A year later, despite being unsigned, he scored major exposure when his cocky and laid-back track "Replacement Girl," featuring Trey Songz, was featured on BET's 106 & Park program as its "Joint of the Day." He raised his profile throughout the next several months by popping up on countless mixtapes and remixes, and as rumors swirled about contract offers from labels, he gradually became one of the most talked-about artists in the industry. It did not hurt that he had support from the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne. By the end of June 2009, "Best I Ever Had," a promotional single, had climbed to number two on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. After a fierce bidding war, Drake signed with Universal Motown in late summer and released an EP (So Far Gone) made up of songs from his popular So Far Gone mixtape. It peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and won a 2010 Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year. Thank Me Later, a full-length featuring collaborations with the Kings of Leon, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne, was issued through Young Money the following year.
album review
By the time of the release of Drake's first full-length album, the Canadian rapper was already a star thanks to his huge single "Best I Ever Had," his celebrated mixtape and then EP So Far Gone, and his spots on hits by Young Money and Eminem. Thank Me Later had the tough assignment of living up to the anticipation and further Drake as an artist, and it totally lives up to the hype. Thanks to the rich and nuanced production and Drake's thoughtful, playful, and intense lyrics, Thank Me Later is a radio-friendly, chart-topping collection of singles but also a serious examination of Drake's life that holds up as an album.
Most of the record finds the young rapper (23 at the time of release) conflicted about his growing stardom and fame. Whether itâs a relationship splitting up as on the melancholy âKaraoke,â worries about the fame changing him (âThe Resistanceâ), fears that so-called real hip-hop fans will find him manufactured (âShow Me a Good Timeâ), or the difficult nature of romance when youâre a star (âMiss Meâ), Drake isnât afraid to examine what the past year has done to his life. Heâs also not afraid to talk about how great life has become as well, dropping plenty of lines about the money, the women, and his own prowess as a rapper. His belief in his own skills is well-founded, as the list of collaborators lined up to work with him attests. T.I., Swizz Beatz, Young Jeezy, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Drake's mentor Lil Wayne all drop by to add verses, sing hooks, and produce tracks, and their presence sometimes serves to liven things up and keep Drake away from his melancholy nature.
The T.I./Swizz Beatz track âFancyâ is a fun and sassy summer jam with a huge hook, his track with Jay-Z is a fierce takedown of the Industry and the damage it can wreak, and the Kanye West-produced Nicki Minaj collabo is a tough-as-nails boast that features Drake at his most insistent. Elsewhere, Lil Wayne's verse on "Miss Me" is his usual breathtaking verbal roller coaster, the-Dream's vocals on the verses of "Shut It Down" are heartbreakingly sincere, and Jeezy adds some welcome ferociousness to "Unforgettable." Itâs like all the guests had to bring their best game to keep up with Drake, and they didn't want the youngster to show them up. He never shows anyone up exactly (though Jay-Z's verse sounds kind of out of breath compared to Drake's), but he definitely proves that he belongs at the very top of the game. His nimble flow is impressive; his words are heartfelt, brainy, and surprising; and while his singing may not be the best, it shows a vulnerability that is rare in rap circles. Indeed, it is this willingness to be introspective and honest that makes Drake unique and helps make Thank Me Later special. It is the rare album, rap or otherwise, that follows through on the artist's potential and the fanâs anticipation.
Track Listing
1 Fireworks Shebib 5:13
2 Karaoke Shebib, Starlite 3:47
3 The Resistance El-Khatib, Shebib 3:45
4 Over Shebib 3:53
5 Show Me a Good Time 3:30
6 Up All Night Minaj 3:54
7 Fancy Shebib 5:19
8 Shut It Down Shebib 6:59
9 Unforgettable Isley, Shebib 3:33
10 Light Up Carter, Shebib 4:34
11 Miss Me Dwayne Carter, Shebib 5:05
12 Cece's Interlude Shebib 2:34
13 Find Your Love 3:28
14 Thank Me Now 5:28