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Celeb News: "Nothing Was The Same" reviews
Member Since: 4/28/2011
Posts: 26,425
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Rolling Stone -
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Earlier this fall, Drake released a moody, downtempo jam called "Wu-Tang Forever," hoping to build anticipation for his third LP. Instead, a sizable contingent of rap traditionalists were outraged. That's because "Wu-Tang Forever," despite featuring a ghostly snippet of the Wu-Tang Clan's 1997 single "It's Yourz," sounds nothing like the Clan – it's a heartfelt requiem for a girl he used to know. "I just love when I'm with you," the Toronto star sighs, in a rueful tone that's hard to imagine coming from Raekwon or ODB, or any other mainstream MC in the past 20 years, for that matter.
"Wu-Tang Forever" might be the Drake-iest track ever, but Nothing Was the Same is full of runners-up. There's never been a hip-hop star quite like him – his taste in beats runs to gloomy synths rather than dusty samples, and passive-aggressively burning his exes (or himself) is his favorite way of bragging. This approach helped sell 2 million copies of his last album, 2011's Take Care, and he's not about to mess with the formula. A more accurate title for this album might have been Everything Was Pretty Much the Same: It's a brilliant summation of all the things you already love about Drake – unless you find him totally annoying, in which case it probably won't change your mind.
As usual, Drake is full of doubts and regrets, though maybe a little less so than before. On the catchy lead single, "Started From the Bottom," he celebrates his success so insistently you can't help but cheer him on – even if you know in the back of your mind that "the bottom," in his case, was the set of the popular Canadian soap opera Degrassi: The Next Generation. Elsewhere, on the bittersweet piano ballad "From Time," he settles a score with a long-gone flame: "She started telling me how I'll never be as big as Trey Songz/Boy, was she wrong!" But just a few bars later, he's switched to kicking himself over an ancient breakup with a Hooters waitress named Courtney: "Girl, I felt like we had it all planned out, I guess I ****ed up the vision/Learning the true consequences of my selfish decisions." Yep, still Drake.
His secret weapon has always been a keen ear for off-beat, vibe-y sounds. Longtime partner Noah "40" Shebib handles most of the production here, layering backmasked instruments that flutter like iridescent seaweed on the ocean floor. It's the perfect backdrop for Drake's quiet-storm raps, which he delivers in his signature suave singsong. The more melodic his flow, the slicker he sounds, allowing him to get away with some truly corny lines ("Girl, you know I've seen you naked"). He's most charming of all when he breaks into a full-on croon for "Hold On, We're Going Home" – an R&B air kiss so Eighties it should come with pastel leg warmers.
Drake reveals so much of himself on Nothing Was the Same that it's easy to poke holes in his tortured-player persona: After a while, his confessions start to sound like sneaky boasts about all the beautiful hearts he's broken. And maybe he wants you to see that contradiction. After all, hiding his flaws has never been Drake's style – they're the whole point.
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Rating - 4/5
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Member Since: 4/28/2011
Posts: 26,425
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Digital Spy -
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The intensely detailed storytelling of Drake's Take Care album has quickly elevated him to the Premier League of the rap game since its release in late 2011. As such, he hasn't messed around too much with its winning formula for his third opus Nothing Was The Same, which once again finds Drake delving into the past and searching for ways to cope with his superstar status.
That said, there are flashes of a significant growth in confidence compared to its predecessor; not least on the six-minute intro 'Tuscan Leather', which hears him boast: "How much time is this n***a spending on the intro?" over a reversed Whitney Houston sample courtesy of long-time collaborator Noah '40' Shebib. It's a piece of atmospheric self-reflection that sets up his current mindset: an artist with plenty of ambition but with a constant nagging fear about losing his way.
It's an issue he contends with throughout and is displayed most plainly on the double-headed closer 'Pound Cake/Morton Music 2, the former a self-congratulatory ode to his success aided by Jay Z, while the latter is an emotional introspection where he thanks those - including Lil Wayne with whom his relationship is often contentious - who helped him get to this point. Even lead single 'Started From The Bottom' takes on a different meaning within the context of the album; more an appreciation of his rise to fame as opposed to a senseless braggathon.
There are still times when Drake feels the need to pointlessly swing his manhood around (see: 'Worst Behaviour' and 'Furthest Thing'), but the flashes of brilliance on the wistful single 'Hold On, We're Going Home' - his poppiest offering to date that somehow blends in with ease - and the subdued but gut-wrenchingly heartfelt tales of family life on 'From Time' and Sampha-assisted standout 'Too Much' more than make up for it. The result is a bold and compelling listen from a hip-hop king-in-waiting.
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Rating - 4/5
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Member Since: 1/1/2013
Posts: 3,442
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Originally posted by DemiNem
Is he gonna be the next extremely overrated artist?
I know none
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How embarrassing.
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Member Since: 4/28/2011
Posts: 26,425
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The Examiner -
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Nothing Was the Same is the kind of album will solidify Drake's status among the rap industry's elite. Hip-hop purists and alternative music press will surely disagree, but this album is one of the best hip-hop/R&B releases of the year.
First and foremost, the production of Noah "40" Shebib and Boi-1da on NWTS is what makes the album. From the first track, "Tuscan Leather," the sonic landscape of this album is an absolutely perfect fit for Drake's white-wine-by-candlelight aesthetic.
As for the rapper himself, Drake continues to hone in on the right balance of rapping versus crooning throughout the album. This album certainly leans toward the softest side of Drake. Even the tracks that are meant to display the rapper's knack for bravado eventually weave into some really heartfelt stuff--and it is actually not a bad thing.
However--unlike most of his catalogue--there is never a moment on NWTS where Drake seems to be trying too hard. Too often in the past, Drake's own insecurities have led him to overcompensate for his supposed wimpiness. Finally, he seems to embrace it. And why not? The formula definitely seems to work for him commercially.
The success and overall quality of the album's first two singles--"Started From the Bottom" and "Hold On, We're Going Home"--are an indication of an artist finally becoming comfortable in his own skin.
On a more esoteric note, tracks like "Started From the Bottom" and "Wu-Tang Forever" almost give the impression that Drake is trolling those who criticize his suburban upbringing and perceived softness. The idea of Drake invoking the name of New York's most vaunted rap collective was enough to set Twitter ablaze. Talk about free publicity.
Suspiciously absent from the album is any sighting of Drake's mentor, and frequent collaborator, Lil' Wayne. This is probably for the best, and seems to signify a passing of the torch among the Young Money ranks. Wayne is still the boss, but Drake has long been the most interesting, relevant artist on that roster.
Though his sad-sack routine can grow weary at times, NWTS is the most earnest effort of Drake's career. In the post-Yeezus era of experimentation, Drake has simply fine tuned what has always worked for him and the result is one of the most listenable albums of the year. He is not pushing any boundaries, but when did that become the sole prerequisite for a good album?
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Rating - 4/5
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Member Since: 12/10/2011
Posts: 12,699
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Nothing Was The Same should not even be considered a hip-hop album.
It sounds like a Justin Timberlake meets Rihanna type mess.
The positive reviews are all bias and payed for in ****.
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Member Since: 1/4/2012
Posts: 1,030
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Originally posted by Big Smoke
Oh White people.
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search '#NWTS amazing' or something on Twitter and try not to feel too embarrassed. we all make idiots of ourselves at times.
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Member Since: 4/28/2011
Posts: 26,425
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Member Since: 2/11/2012
Posts: 11,512
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Drake coming for that 100 score on Metacritic
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