“CLB”

Jordan Scales, Staff Writer

“CLB,” features 14 different rap artists including many artists: Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Jay-Z, Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Wayne, and Kid Cudi.

My favorite from Drake’s album was Fair Trade,” featuring Travis Scott. Scott’s verses bring energy to the song. He talks about how instead of hanging out with fake friends, he’s out having the time of his life partying and surrounding himself in a careless environment where he can party like there’s no tomorrow.

I didn’t really love Drake himself on this album. When I was listening to the album, none of the songs caught my attention until I heard the features. On “Fair Trade,” Drake sounds his best because his verses are catchy. I related to the song when he says, “I’ve been losing friends, finding peace, honestly that sounds like a fair trade to me.” Drake appeals to his audience here, everybody knows someone who is annoying to be around and once you cut them out of your life, you have a clearer conscience. 

Unfortunately, Drake’s flows are all similar, his voice seems almost monotone. For some reason he can’t seem to perform his verses throughout the album enthusiastically. He demonstrated the need to feature some of the best rap artists in the industry, like Travis Scott and Lil Baby for this album to be considered good at best.

“I’m a big fan of hip hop, it’s my favorite genre and after listening to a lot of music, I personally feel like I’m biased. I just love Kanye and I think “Donda,” was very successful and the album I like more. I just feel like “CLB,” was a bland album, and it just sounds like the same Drake. I think the production was very good. I really love the beats in the sampling on it, but I just think that it was boring. [Drake] sounded the same, the music was the same, it just felt very repetitive,” Martin said.

“Certified Lover Boy,” featured so many artists like Travis Scott, Dababy, and Jay-Z who really made the sales for this album. In “Love All,” Jay-Z explained how people with less want sympathy from others who have more. When just before the people with less were wishing on the downfall of the people who have more than them. That really stuck out to me. I think of it like how many people who don’t have much money say “money is the root of all evil.” Then still beg for money from those with more, thus asking for sympathy. When Jay-Z said that verse, my mind was blown when I realized how quickly a person’s attitude changes when jealousy and desperation factor in. I think without these features, Drake’s album would not have sold even half the money it made.