Drake has always been criticized as both a person and a musician for what seems years now, but I can’t remember a time when thing’s have been as hot for the kid as they have been now. Let’s be honest, he took the biggest ‘L’ of his career with this whole Pusha T thing and has had to answer a lot of uncomfortable questions. His position at the top hasn’t diminished in any real shape or form but he definitely no longer seems untouchable. Scorpion feels like this is his answer to all his critics and criticisms, past and present. I say ‘feels’ like because while he does answer some things with surprising candor, he skirts around others with impressive agility (Pusha T). And while he does try include enough rap, R&B, and pop to please everybody, he ultimately falls into that trap of pleasing no one by trying to please everyone. Drake always has great moments on his albums but on Scorpion, they feel fewer and further in between. Once you really get past the hysteria, those supposed ‘big moments’ fell flat – that Jay-Z and Michael Jackson songs are quite frankly, not that good. It’s a good listen (Drake doesn’t put out bad listens), but there’s a whole lot that I like on Scorpion but almost nothing I loved. I don’t think I’ve ever skipped through a Drake project as much as I have here. There’s still quotables for days but you gotta get through a lot of uninspired filler to get to it.
Workin’ in the land of the free, the home of the brave
I gotta bring my brothers or else I feel out of place
Breakin’ speed records on roads that these niggas paved
And they don’t like that, it’s written all on they face
I don’t know how I’ma make it out of here clean– “Emotionless”
Have you heard Scorpion? What’d you think about it? Do you think Drake resoundingly answered a lot of the criticism lobbed his way? Do you think it was too long? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your own ratings and reactions for the album.
