Album Review: Drake “Take Care” Bossip’s Favorites

Since his quick catapult to hip-hop fame over two years ago thanks to the release of his critically acclaimed mixtape So Far Gone many have been watching and waiting for Aubrey “Drake” Graham to fail. Instead his second studio album Take Care represents a solid sophomore effort that finds the Toronto rapper in his comfort zone, equally at home playing to the ladies with his famed r&b vocal styling as flexing his rap skills alongside more seasoned MCs, Andre 3000, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. His subject matter remains largely the same, women, money and making sure his name is associated with greatness.

And as much ribbing as he’s taken for often emotional lyrics, Drake hasn’t let all the flack stop him from sharing his feelings — possibly to his benefit.

If you haven’t had a chance to hear Drake’s latest effort yet, allow us to tell you about some of our favorites off the project.

“Lord Knows” – Produced by Just Blaze and featuring Rick Ross, this jawn is by far the hardest

on “Take Care.” With a gospel choir’s soulful intonations as his backdrop, Drake boasts of his accomplishments and things to come. Then South Beach’s Don du jour Ricky Rozay jumps in to spin his tales of splendor and spending.

“Underground Kings” – Any true Drake fan knows how he got to this moment, and most would say it wasn’t in Toronto on “Degrassi” but instead in Houston, where Wayne first heard his music and had him come join him on tour. Since that beginning, Drake has always paid homage to Texas kings UGK. This song plays homage to them while injecting a healthy dose of reminiscence.

“Shot For Me” – Yes he’s singing and he’s actually gotten better at it, if only to direct a few biting notes toward his past. As much as his critics might coin it “crying” Drake’s greatest strength may be in his ability to tell his own story, his regrets, the women he loved and left and those who’ve done him wrong. The bittersweet bars he delivers on this ditty are what make it one of our favorites.

“Over My Dead Body”– The office folks who were fans of “So Far Gone” favored “Over My Dead Body” as the one track that gave the best glimpse of the guy we liked when we first met him. It’s not just the near haunting production, Drake falls back into a comfortable cadence as he directly addresses his critics “They say I’m old news, well who the new star? Cuz if I’m going anywhere it’s probably too far. Just performed at a Bar Mitzvah over in the States. Used half of the money to beat my brother’s case.”

Previously released tracks, “Make Me Proud,” “Headlines” and the much-remixed “Marvin’s Room” along with the painfully nostalgic “Look What You’ve Done” round out a solid effort.

So… with that said pick up Drake’s latest today.