A short review of Drake's 2010 album 'Thank Me Later.' This piece was published by Mixtape Magazine on May 27th, 2020
Thank Me Later is one of those albums that exudes nostalgia. The smooth, upbeat sounds of hit songs like “Fancy,” “Miss Me,” and “Find Your Love” takes fans back to the rapper’s original sonic pockets. Presenting a mix of singing and rapping, Thank Me Later was the project that secured Drake’s place in the minds of households across Hip Hop.
Thank Me Later holds an impressive roster of features from icons like JAY-Z, T.I., Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj, everything you would expect from a debut studio album. Although the star-dudded album fostered a number of hits, it's clear that Drake was trying to find his place in the game at this point. In many ways, this album was him making cookie-cutter tracks and playing it far too safe. For a debut album, it makes sense to do that, but not when you’re the chosen one. Coming off the heels of his groundbreaking mixtape So Far Gone, the expectations for this album were high to begin with, so the rap-R&B-pop fusion that Drake attempts in Thank Me Later often fell flat because it felt like he was trying to appeal to too wide of a market.
Now, the album’s lackluster sound does not take away from its bright moments. No matter where it is for you on your ranking of Drake’s discography, it is fair to say that Thank Me Later created stable ground for Drake to build the rest of his career off of, even if it was a bit too stable.
~ Haniyah