Drake has clearly stated that his new work titled “More Life” is not an album, but a playlist. Whatever unique thing he chooses to call it, it does not make up for the once again unoriginal and cliché songs.

My first impression of the “playlist” was made when the first song, “4422,”came on. I failed to make it through the full two minutes as the repetitive lyrics and beat drove me to boredom. I continued to listen to the full album and I frequently found myself skipping half way through most songs.

Drake is frequently criticized for not being able to put much meaning behind his works. Many hits came from his album “Views” released in 2016 which basically means it was absolutely mainstream. This time around Drake compiles a wide variety of sounds in attempt to create something different.

Drake indulges himself into a modern rap style as he gives us “Sacrifices” and “Portland”. The hook of “Portland” preaches to “never let these n***** ride your wave” which is referring to not follow what everyone else is doing. I find this quiet ironic considering he has reputation of going with the crowd.

“Passionfruit” has a down beat rhythm that is created with the beat of soft drums paired with an underlying sound of snares that develops the sensual tone of the song. The purity of Drakes voice is exploited especially well in this song. His voice is what saves him as he differs from modern day rappers like Lil Uzi Vert and 21 Savage who lack any advanced vocal skills.

Unlike his previous albums Drake definitely comes out of his comfort zone a bit. “Views” was filled with basic, yet catchy songs by sticking with a simple modern, house rap tune. I applaud Drake for taking some risks and attempting to be original, but there still seems to be little true emotion in his work. Even if Drake attempted to put some feelings into his playlist, most songs on the album are short making it hard for the audience to grasp any relation to his songs.

I hold on to some hope that one day Drake will be able to put together something that doesn’t seem to be solely focused on creating a hit or generating the most sales, but truly create a piece that exploits himself.

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