Drake has always been a little bit of a nerd. Beneath the protein shakes, the tough talk, and the alleged ab enhancement surgeries, there’s an obsessive rap fan who grew up lurking forums and pouring over lyrics, imitating the flows of his heroes like a kid playing dress-up.
But rap nerds haven’t always accepted Drake as one of their own, interrogating his authenticity at every turn, and not without good reason—more than a backpacker with an appreciation for a diversity of rap styles, he’s often rightfully just seen as a culture vulture.
Shortly after the release of For All The Dogs, Drake claimed he was taking a break from the music industry for “maybe a year or something,” due to lingering problems with his stomach. Of course, rappers tend to be notoriously noncommittal about retirement or time-off, and just a little over a month later, Aubrey returns with the third installment of his Scary Hours series.
The EP was announced with a melodramatically cinematic teaser trailer that immediately tries to rationalize and justify why he decided not to actually take a break. The fact that he has to explicitly tell us that “I feel so confident about the body of work that I just dropped that I know I could disappear,” as he claims in the brooding promo, just makes it seem like he’s not actually confident enough to disappear.
Though Scary Hours 3 is longer than its predecessors, almost nothing approaches the earworm potential of “God’s Plan” or the uncut menace of “Wants and Needs.” The EP comes with the unmistakable stench of streaming bait; Scary Hours 3 is not actually its own separate project, but comes stitched onto an expanded deluxe edition of For All The Dogs. Aside from juicing his Spotify numbers, Scary Hours 3 in many ways feels like a calculated attempt to court the kinds of devoted rap fans and hardcore backpackers that might have turned on Drake in the past, or that maybe never embraced him to begin with.
Since the tepid response to the emotional Ibiza vacation of Honestly, Nevermind, Drake has retreated back into more comfortable and familiar territory, returning to a tradition of straight-up rap songs that he seems to think his listeners want; here, he largely spits no-hook iPhone notes analogies over boom-bap beats.
Returning from For All the Dogs is Conductor Williams, one of Griselda’s central sonic architects, who supplies muted horns and jazzy piano riffs on “Stories About my Brother.” Then Drake supplies specific Reddit rap heads with a lab-designed dream collab on “Wick Man,” where the ever-prolific The Alchemist lays down some watery vintage synthesizer textures.
But the EP’s most unexpected beat placements are from Oakland’s ovrkast, on “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits,” suggesting that Drake—or someone in Drake’s circle—is more tapped into the emerging underground than you might anticipate. It’s not just the beats themselves that gesture toward alternative rap stylings, but even Drake’s flow at times—on “The Shoe Fits,” he lays down a self-effacing hook with a slightly off-beat delivery that’s more reminiscent of a writerly iconoclast like R.A.P. Ferreira than the most famous rapper in the world: “To all the ladies wonderin’ why / Drake can’t rap like the same old guy / It’s cause I don’t know how anymore.” It’s the rare moment where Drake drops the armor to reveal the uncertainty of the mid-life crisis he’s desperate to mask.
The EP’s lone feature, from J. Cole on “Evil Ways,” indicates how we’re supposed to approach this manifestation of Drake: as a serious lyricist whose words intend to inspire deep reflection and analysis. But the strained wordplay and eye roll-inducing similes undercut any notion of Drake as a thoughtful writer, and overshadow the intricacies of his beat selections. The one track that sees Drake put aside the try-hard lyrical miracle aspirations is closer “You Broke My Heart,” the kind of triumphantly vindictive anthem that few artists can do better. Over sweeping strings, Drake slides into his falsetto croon, repeating “Fuck my ex” like an inspirational mantra.
While Scary Hours 3 intends to serve as evidence of Drake’s lyrical prowess and unchallenged dominance of the rap game, it only makes him look more desperate, as his inability to commit to stepping out of the limelight suggests an attention hog who feels uncomfortable if he’s not dominating the discourse, obsessed with shaping the public’s every perception of his image.
Even when he devolves into petty Drake, taking shots at strip club enthusiast James Harden, or re-microwaving his long spoiled beef with Pusha T, it comes off so attention-seeking and designed for discourse that it barely registers.
No matter what criticisms you make of him, Drake is always going to find a way to have the last word.
Best way to keep Aubrey from having the last word, break his jaw. That’ll shut him up for his supposed “break”
Who is Aubrey? Lol does he actually call himself Aubrey? That’s a girl’s name… I’m confused.
Yo most likely never punched nobody in you life literally lol
I’d rather he try to rap than try to sing. This is better than most of his recent shit, for whatever that’s worth…
2.2 for the Raphael Nadal
As a Drake fan I have to admit this is yet another big disappointment. How many bad albums is it going to take for him to realize he needs to hang it up?
you’re nt a drake fan . u just lying prick
“larry” lol calm down ovo we know that’s you. jus because he put out another trash album don’t mean you gotta take it out on others my brother… especially other drake fans. deep breaths
Ok fine for the past 10 years NAME any hiphop artist who did betta than Aubrey
why would i compare actual hip hop artists who write their own shit to a pop artist who just performs? thats like comparing j cole to rihanna. go lay down brother. deep breaths
Nas & Banks quality trilogies
I give this article a 0/5. Maybe start writing about movies or something because music isn’t for you😂
Listening to music isn’t for you too .maybe you should watch porn movies n jerk off you wankster
Listening to music isn’t for you .maybe you should watch porn movies and jerk off you wankster
This album is is a masterpiece. No forcing hooks are some industry manufacturing hit..straight bars
He’s calling it a masterpiece hahahahahahahhahha
asdsad
@Appreciate It’s a master-piece of dog sh!t
He has 2 groups ghostwriting on deck at all times that rotate in and out based on what the label thinks the fans want at that moment. A younger group who write to appeal to the kids, mostly girls, and the older group who write to appeal to the older fanbase, mostly male, who think Drake is actually hip hop.
Hello
Hello scareed people
Hello scareed peopledsfsdf
Hello scareed peopledsadsadsadsadsadasdasdsadsfsdf
I feel like he has 2 groups ghostwriting on deck and they rotate in and out based on what the label thinks the fans want at that moment. A younger group who write to appeal to the kids, mostly girls, and the older group who write to appeal to the older fanbase, mostly male, who think Drake is actually hip hop.
So easy to be critic.
Not so easy to be creative tour consistently put out product etc.
If everyone on line had to truly stand by their comments (with everything that comes with it) would the be so breezy with their lips……?
Drake if your reading this keep doing you brother. Stay true to yourself. And if The Truth is what u really looking for you will find Him.
Scary hours 3 is actually good. The best music drake has put out in a minute. I give it a solid 4/5
Scary hours 3 is actually good. The best music drake has put out in a minute. I give it a solid 4/5
When Drake announced he was making an album called “ for all the dogs” I thought the route he was going for was a boom bap, conscience style but he didn’t and it left me a little disappointed, even though I liked the album I just visioned it being different. Then like a stroke of genius he puts out the music I wanted on the end of the album to make it a deluxe. So if you listen to the whole project now it’s actually a masterpiece. Something for everyone on there. Well Done Drake
Just because Drake is a successful commercial artist doesn’t mean he cant make a classic hiphop project. Stop hating and accept it. He made a Masterpiece! Lyrics are brilliant and production is crazy. Also recognize all the youngins he in inspiring with this one.
Whoever Reviewed this is TONE DEAF. I give Scary Hours 3 EP a 4.5, Shorty you Must be Tone Deaf or Dont Know Music. The Criticism he Received he got “For All The Dogs” inspired him to Create his Best Work.
Yo why is Drake so damn MID 🤣 Ive never seen this type of mediocre dominance in my life!
🤌🏾
Quality 6-pack
This is an awesome write up. Thanks for calling him out on what I was thinking.
It’s odd that nobody knows how to write an article on Drake without having their personal opinion or overall groupthink portray in an unbiased approach to writing. I think regardless of how polarizing some of these artists are it becomes exhausting reading articles like this. I’m definitely not trying to sound like all these toxic commenters on this site but it’s fatiguing.
I totally get that Drake is corny… but the Drake Hate is becoming the corniest. I’d give it a 3 outta 5. Definitely not the worst. But not something I’ll revisit a year from now minus a song or two.
I totally get that Drake is corny… but the Drake Hate is becoming the corniest. I’d give it a 3 outta 5. Definitely not the worst. But not something I’ll revisit a year from now minus a song or two.
Whoever wrote this could’ve just said they don’t like Drake. These are his best Bars in years. Over the type beats most of us would prefer him to do what he do on.
🗑️
Horrible album .
Go Home Pussy!
Omg guys Drake is so trash! Not like his album hit #1 oh wait…. You ppl are hilarious talk about something you actually know wtf you are actually talking about. Facts > opinions have a great day xD peace.
Omg guys Drake is so trash! Not like his album hit #1 oh wait…. You ppl are hilarious talk about something you actually know wtf you are actually talking about. Facts > opinions have a great day xD peace.
Damn, I actually liked it
Damn, I actually liked it
Completely lazy & disingenuous writing. You’re suppose to be a hip hop critic but it seems like you didn’t even listen to the album. Drake never took shots at James Harden. The Shoe Fits is clearly about Joe Budden, he’s calling out his past domestic violence. You failed at the one thing you were supposed to do & actually listen to the music. Hard to write when you have such clear biases.