If you fancy yourself as any sort of hardcore hip-hop fan, you probably remember where you were when So Far Gone was first introduced to your earlobes.
It was February 2009. My big brother put me on—he told me it was fire unlike anything I’d heard before. The piano interludes, the interchange of tempo throughout, the melodic flows flooded with the angst of the YGB generation…my brother was right, and soon everyone else caught on. Within weeks, if you weren’t talking about So Far Gone, listening to So Far Gone, or talking about listening to So Far Gone on Facebook, you were corny. The record exploded overnight in a way never before seen by a mixtape, let alone a mixtape from an artist void of a studio album. Two months later, I traveled to see the man behind the music—he was set to appear at SpringFest on Bowling Green State University’s campus, only the venue was oversold and the concert moved to nearby Toledo, Ohio. There, my brother, friends and I first witnessed Aubrey Graham rock a crowd inside what was essentially a sweat-box of a local basketball gymnasium. He walked out to the “Congratulations” instrumental and led off with the Coldplay-sampled smash. And from that moment on, nothing was the same.
Sidebar: Seriously, it felt like 100° in that joint (the AC had to be broken), which was also oversold, so it was standing room only.
It wasn’t until years later that I realized I had initially encountered Drake in the summer of 2008 via “Overdose On Life“, a song that ultimately made it to Drizzy’s The Drought Is Over: Friends With Money tape, which I only discovered because of Travie McCoy’s feature. It was clear something unique was afoot—a rapper from outside the United States with a distinct style, voice and vulnerability, who we would later learn previously a gunshot victim on a Nickelodeon show? These was uncharted waters to be sure.
Fast forward 10 full years. This month marked the decade anniversary of So Far Gone. And astonishingly, Drake is as hot now as he was then—an uninterrupted run of dominance that is unmatched in rap.
Compare Drake’s current run to other greats in hip-hop history:
- While his impact knew no bounds, Tupac Shakur only released five solo albums over five years while he was alive, and that’s including the Makaveli project, which technically dropped after he died in 1996.
- Similarly, Biggie Smalls only released one studio album when he was alive, followed by his sophomore double disc Life After Death, which dropped just following his murder. These two albums were released over three years.
- Jay Z’s Reasonable Doubt came in 1996, but he didn’t begin to truly blow up until 1998’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. By 2003, he had announced his “retirement”, effectively ending the height of his popularity.
- Nelly did crazy numbers from 2000’s Country Grammar to 2004’s Sweat/Suit. Beyond that, people weren’t really checking for The Lou’s favorite son the same way, to the point he almost got into it with Charlamagne for calling him “cold.”
- T.I. owned the streets in 2003. He owned the clubs in 2006. He owned the charts in 2008. By late 2012, he was done going platinum and it was clear Tip didn’t have quite the impact he once had (Charlamagne once called him cold, too…Tip took exception).
- Lil Wayne ascended to new heights upon the birth of Tha Carter series in 2004. A decade later, Weezy was beefing with his “father” Birdman and struggled to put any music out. Free Weezy Album was released in 2015 to weak reviews and non-existent sales (seriously, who do you know that’s heard this album?). Though Wayne bounced back with Tha Carter V, his run atop rap had clearly ended prior to the 10-year mark.
- Nicki Minaj’s 2010 debut went platinum three times, and though Queen also went certified platinum, she spent most of last year (roughly the eight year mark for her) tussling with a younger, hungrier emcee, who most believe took her spot.
- Eminem sold more records than anybody ever between 1999 and 2009. But by 2009, he was releasing what was up to that point the worst project of his career—a coaster of a CD called Relapse, which was so bad, even he trashed it repeatedly. Since then, Em has been subject to much criticism as his work has been, at best, wildly inconsistent.
- Few rappers shined as brilliantly as 50 Cent did in 2003, but his run as one of hip-hop’s top acts came to a relatively abrupt end after Kanye West destroyed him in their head-to-head battle in 2007.
- Meanwhile, Ye’s 10-year run began in 2004, but by year nine his creativity had spilled outside the margins, resulting in Yeezus, by far his worst album. He’s struggled to find that sweet spot since and seemed to go completely off the deep end last year.
Now here comes Drake—still killing shit after 10 years without tampering with his formula to the point that he’s alienating his core fans (Kanye, Wayne and Eminem were all guilty of this). While other rappers have been hotter at their apex, Drake’s consistency over time sets him apart.
“Been here for 10 but I feel like a rookie”, Drizzy uttered on “Yes, Indeed”; the secret sauce is revealed within the collaboration itself. Drake’s adaptability has afforded him opportunities to blend in with the hottest new artist, and not only appear on records with them, but legitimately enhance them.
Drake’s chameleon-esque approach feels nearly undefeated. He fit nicely into the Young Money crew, he’s continued to churn out the R&B chart-toppers (while simultaneously reviving Trey Songz career and launching The Weeknd), he teamed with Future seamlessly, he’s been the young up & comer on multiple songs with Hov despite a historically rocky relationship (they weren’t all a success, but “Light Up” and “Pound Cake” were dynamic), now he’s the big bro on records to the new kids on the block.
“Yes, Indeed”, “Look Alive” and “Sicko Mode” (our vote for Rap Song of the Year) were three of the biggest hits of 2018, and all featured the 10-year vet. We’ve seen Snoop jump on the latest trend (be it No Limit, The Neptunes, or otherwise) unapologetically over many years, to varying degrees of success. Jay Z has traded his old-head stamp of approval for young audience relevancy, but it often doesn’t work (see: any Jigga & Future record).
“MJ in every way, I just don’t fade away…”
Maintaining relevancy in music, especially hip-hop is less a skill than an art form. “Almost everything Drake does is calculated and algorithmic. Whether he’s sitting courtside or online with a gamer, his name checks and samples—it’s all deliberate to placate to different markets,” said HHSR’s Kenneth Hicks. “He’s stayed on top in part by aligning himself with all the right buzzwords in searches that will keep his name relevant.”
His sensitivity satiates the female audience, while remaining rugged enough to suit the streets; as a result, Drake has achieved teflon status. Exhibit A would be his rap beefs, which are the stuff of rap lore. Perhaps no moment proved his star power more than the epic L he took to Pusha T (which included a picture of Blackface Drake surfacing online) having absolutely zero impact on Scorpion’s success last summer. It was the most mainstream attention Push had ever received, yet Drake’s June 29 release moved nearly TEN TIMES the amount of first week album-equivalent units as Push did a month earlier (selling over 120k more in pure sales).
The streaming numbers are out of this world, even if fully comprehending them is only a degree away from quantum physics. His trophy room is quickly filling up, too: five American Music Awards, 13 BET Awards, 16 BET Hip-Hop Awards, 15 Billboard Music Awards and four Grammys, the most recent coming two weeks ago. He even once won a Grammy for Best Rap Song for a song that wasn’t even a rap song.
Sidebar: By the way, this is what it looks like when you win a Grammy, but your shit doesn’t get televised. Even still, Drake knew he had a highly gif-able moment on his hands when he shot the video for “Hotline Bling”.
It’s all about winning the viral game with the 32-year-old Canadian MC. The “In My Feelings” challenge was textbook Drizzy. Performances like this are equally innovative and memorable.
There’s a plethora of good rappers to choose from since 2009. Some thrive as live performers, while others prefer a competitive area to showcase their skills. The legacy of Drake and his 10-year run — which can easily be considered the most impressive ever in hip-hop — is his unparalleled equilibristics as an artist and a brand. Drake is all things to all people. He’s struck a sublime balance between respectable male MC and desirable female heartthrob, R&B maven and clever lyricist, pop-friendly chart-topper and traditional rap purest, loyal crew member and celebrity standout, old head to the youngsters; youngster to the old heads.
We seek versatility in virtually every facet of life. Whether we want to buy auto insurance without leaving our living room, watch a movie on our phones, or have a quarterback that can throw on the run, we can have it. Any service that falls short of offering options is in fact a disservice. Entertainment is no different.
Welcome to Drake’s world. You’ve been here for 10 years, and you’ll be staying here for a little while longer.