Whips-n-Chains
Chi
No coincidence his debut was released during gay month
On this day 15 years ago, Drake released his debut album Thank Me Later
- Thread starter Street Knowledge
- Start date
Redwood
Superstar
One of my cousins liked Fireworks, and that's about it 
The album was very uneven but I preferred this Drake era to the current one.
I used to play the shyt out of "Unforgettable" , as soon as thise Aaliyah vocals hit
I used to play the shyt out of "Unforgettable" , as soon as thise Aaliyah vocals hit
agreed on everything besides it was considered a miss part. it definitely was a step down from so far gone, but it seemed generally accepted during that time period. coles album on the other end, that was the major letdown BY FAR.
Ooooh shyt, motherfukker god damn, kicking bytches out the condo like Pam
Rev Leon Lonnie Love
damned mine eyes, DAMNED mine eyes!!
Karaoke
Cece's interlude
Unforgettable
Find Your Love
These were my goto songs when this dropped. I was in college partying & chasing bytches so it hit different for me. When I was in my feelings I would loop Karaoke and Cece's Interlude while
'ing with the lights off.
Good times.
Cece's interlude
Unforgettable
Find Your Love
These were my goto songs when this dropped. I was in college partying & chasing bytches so it hit different for me. When I was in my feelings I would loop Karaoke and Cece's Interlude while
'ing with the lights off.Good times
.
Mike the Executioner
What went on up there? Poppers and weird sex!
I grew up with the singles and didn't listen to the album in full until two years later. It's not the same quality as Take Care and Nothing Was the Same, but it was still good. Drake just hadn't found his sound yet.
I feel like this was a problem with a lot of rappers back then who made their names off mixtapes. Labels didn't realize that the industry had changed, so mixtapes had transformed into album-quality projects that built the artist's fan base. The rapper gets signed, and then the label tries to make them into a superstar with these big features and all-star producers, not understanding the rapper is already a star.
I'm guessing most Cole fans got into him because of The Warm Up or Friday Night Lights, not Sideline Story. But Jay felt like Cole needed a big hit for his debut album when he was already past that point. Kendrick was lucky to have people who believed in his vision and left him to his own devices, so he didn't need to put out a mainstream-sounding debut album (GKMC had pieces of this, but it was more ambitious and thoughtful than most labels would have allowed).
I feel like this was a problem with a lot of rappers back then who made their names off mixtapes. Labels didn't realize that the industry had changed, so mixtapes had transformed into album-quality projects that built the artist's fan base. The rapper gets signed, and then the label tries to make them into a superstar with these big features and all-star producers, not understanding the rapper is already a star.
I'm guessing most Cole fans got into him because of The Warm Up or Friday Night Lights, not Sideline Story. But Jay felt like Cole needed a big hit for his debut album when he was already past that point. Kendrick was lucky to have people who believed in his vision and left him to his own devices, so he didn't need to put out a mainstream-sounding debut album (GKMC had pieces of this, but it was more ambitious and thoughtful than most labels would have allowed).
I mostly agree with this. There was growth between Thank Me Later and Take Care. After that, he stopped.
Thank Me Later is a safe, by the numbers album. What I mean is it could've been any major label artist's debut. Its a big budget album filled with super producers and big features. Add to the fact, he was taking rejects from Beyonce ("Find Your Love"). "Fancy" could've easily been a T.I. single. "Fireworks" could've been an Alicia Keys solo. "Light Up" could've easily been a Jay Z solo as could "Unforgettable". "Up All Night" didn't need Drake. What was Drake doing exactly on "Thank Me Now". The outro of the song is the only part that sounded like a Drake song.
The only studio album from him I truly liked.
I disagree with (some of) this. As on the nose as Work Out was, it did what it was supposed to do. Kendrick is just a better album creator and more dynamic artist but he needed the mainstream-potent singles that GKMC had also.
The early 10s was a transitional period and some of the traditional path was still there to be beaten. The Big 3 are the final rappers to be on their level for a reason.
that song isnt a top 3 song on this album lol, not even 5. no one ever talks about that song
this album was solid but take care drake hit his stride
its crazy cuz hes really be on top for 15 years which is double what any other rapper was able to do
his next album tho will have huge make or break preasure
Iverson_64
Superstar
This.
I remember the songs being played but I don't remember this album getting praised as an actual body of work at all.
It was a bit of a let down from his earlier mixtapes as a debut album similar to J Cole like you said.
But Drake was on a great feature run then which helped built hype for Take Care which was his true breakout album and a classic contender which defined an era.
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Mike the Executioner
What went on up there? Poppers and weird sex!
I think Cole's momentum was slowed down by needing to make "Work Out" and not getting the chance to put out Friday Night Lights as his debut. By the time FHD came out, he was seen as #3 and it wasn't until Drake and Kendrick slowed down that he started getting looked at as the guy. Even when he put out Born Sinner, he was going through depression and was genuinely afraid that his career would end if the album didn't perform well.
I don't even have a problem with "Work Out," but it's not like Cole needed to learn how to become an artist. He was already producing his own stuff and had a supportive fan base that wanted to see him succeed. That's why Nas was disappointed, because it's like the industry was telling Cole what he needed to do to be successful. Kendrick was clearly the most talented of the three, but his vision wasn't compromised. "fukkin' Problems" was his song originally and he decided not to put it on GKMC because he didn't need it. Cole and Drake knew what they wanted to do musically, but it took some time for them to be allowed to make the music they wanted to make.
feelsthecitybreathin
All Star
Unforgettable’s the one…Jeezy blessed him. Still gets spin on warm weather playlists of mine
I’m just riding round the city with my hood on and my windows downnnnn
I’m just riding round the city with my hood on and my windows downnnnn
The thing is I don't believe releasing FNL as his debut necessarily makes his career better. Cole was always the least commercial of the 3. Even with FHD, Cole was regarded as finally achieving his potential more or less, but he was still #3, as Drake was always the commercial darling who was regarded as having enough substance*, while Kendrick was the critical monster who knew how to be commercially viable.
I actually think that Sideline Story was somewhat of a necessity in Cole's development. He's a guy who probably got hurt by the decline of A&R functions by the late 00s but was talented enough to figure it out.
I don't think Drake really had any restriction or lost footing on what music to make, he had already proven commercially dominant in the post-SFG run. Obviously we know now that he was essentially on rap PEDs, but whatever glossiness we critique TML for what was Drake's idea of proving himself, he cares about the social currency of anthems and #1s.
2010 was still very much a radio-driven game. The system was the system and Cole was somewhat offering 75% of what each of the other 2 were offering until he settled in his own creative space.
