Drake announced on August 30th that his sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy, was to be released September 3rd, 2021. The long-awaited album originally was supposed to be released in January of 2021 but due to a leg injury he pushed the album back.
Drake has always been known to be promotion king when it comes to his album releases. This time around his on-gong beef with rapper Kanye West fueled it even more, that it seemed as if it was planned. West posted on Instagram a screenshot of Drake and Pusha T in a group chat after he had sent a picture of the joker threatening Drake. Drake followed by hacking ESPN and announcing that the album would be dropped on the 3rd of September. Two days before the release, Drake puts billboards up in various cities announcing the features on the album. On release day he had pop-up shops in various cities and gave away free limited-edition Nike “CLB” t-shirts.
The 21-track album covers topics of loss love, toxic masculinity, haters, and of course what is a Drake album without mentioning Houston and college girls. A Drake album is not a Drake album without an intro packed of double entendres and name dropping. It opens with “Champagne Poetry” where he samples R&B artist Masago’s “Navajo”. He goes to show us this lavish lifestyle he’s established for him and his OVO camp. This track is showing us how everything just works out for Drake. When it comes to him co-parenting, he’s doing that great. When it comes to finances, he’s excelling at that. There is no more time for him to be humble but to show the critiques that he will always be good because he’s simply Drake.
The album included a few leaks that stans had heard prior to the release. “TSU” previously known as “Not Around” gained major love. Drake describes a young woman all out on her own in Houston providing for herself by dancing. He is feeding into her lifestyle by spending money in the clubs she’s dancing in. But, after a quick look into the writers, producer Noah “40” Shebib and Drake caught heat for having R.Kelly as a co-writer. 40 took to Instagram to explain that Kelly had no actual help in the development in the song, but the sample had Kelly faintly talking in the back, so they had to give credit unfortunately. 40 made it clear that him and no one else in the OVO camp stand with Kelly and instead stand with the victims.
Drake gave guys a “hot boy anthem” with “Way 2 Sexy” featuring none other than Certified Hot Boys Future and Young Thug. It’s a fun track letting everyone one that their confidence is high and because of this they aren’t accepting just anything.
“The Remorse” is the outro track brought in by a piano and faint vocal in the back. The track covers Drake’s journey to the top. Drake in the industry is painted as he had an easy journey through, but he lets us know that he struggled with homeliness, fake friends, and keeping his family afloat. He explains how the people that stuck beside him have helped him become who he is, so he is forever indebted to them.
For the time it took for “Certified Lover Boy” to drop, it did not completely live up to its name. The album had some great songs, but it did not give lover boy Drake as we know him. Many expected for it to be a bit more “in your feelings” than it was. Some even went as far as to call it immature given that he is now 36 years old and still dabbling in topics he started off with. The album was good but not his best work. The order of the songs could also affect how it was initially perceived. All throughout, Drake provided track to get ready to, cry to, and ones that make you want to take that old thang back.
Give “Certified Lover Boy” a listen on all streaming platforms.