By Jesse Omozusi
Drake fans and haters alike will find plenty of fodder on “For All the Dogs.” At over an hour and a half long, it feels bloated and overstuffed, feeling like a rehash of much of his previous work. The album features a mix of singing, rapping, and festival-friendly songs, but lacks the cohesion seen on some of the Toronto rapper’s best albums.
More worrying for Drake and “For All the Dogs” is how often his guests outwork him, whether it’s J. Cole, PARTYNEXTDOOR on “Members Only,” SZA on “Slime You Out,” or Yeat on “IDGAF.” Even Teezo Touchdown croons with more vivid emotion on “7969.” In the past, Drake has been able to cede the spotlight to other artists like Kendrick Lamar (“Buried Alive Interlude”) while still feeling present in the music. However, on this album, Drake seems to have lost this talent, often sounding uninspired. After making music for a decade now, it’s starting to show, and he’s not rapping with the same hunger that he had when he made gems like “Nothing Was the Same.” Moreover, he may have benefited from being more concise by cutting many songs, such as “Gently,” a Latin trap-inspired jam, and “Fear of Heights.”
However, Drake offsets the lows with the impressive tracks of the album, including “Virginia Beach,” a great introduction to the album; “Daylight,” a knuckleheaded turn-up rager; and “Bahamas Promises.” Then there’s “8am in Charlotte,” the latest entry in his time-stamped freestyles and his best display of rapping on the album. It’s produced by Conductor Williams, who is best known for his work with Westside Gunn, and has a muffled, dreamlike quality that recalls Drake’s most spellbinding songs.
Despite this, Drake’s “For All the Dogs” is a disappointing album. Though it isn’t terrible, it doesn’t live up to Drake’s past standards of his music. While traces of his quality music are there, they’re buried in a sea of mediocrity, like a needle in the haystack.