Preview: Drake at College Park Center

At the end of last year, I took back misgivings I had about Drake since his studio debut, Thank Me Later, dropped in 2010. One reason I changed my mind "aboat" the Canadian rapper was the title track from 2011's sophomore album, Take Care. The single, "Take Care," samples Jamie...

By Shahryar Rizvi

March 1, 2012

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At the end of last year, I took back misgivings I had about Drake since his studio debut, Thank Me Later, dropped in 2010. One reason I changed my mind "aboat" the Canadian rapper was the title track from 2011's sophomore album, Take Care. The single, "Take Care," samples Jamie XX's mix of Gil Scott-Heron's cover of Bobby Bland's "I'll Take Care of You" and, in turn, inspired a few covers and remixes. While his last single, "Marvin's Room," wandered between ranting about an ex's new boyfriend and boasting about having sex four times that week over a dreary rhythm, "Take Care" is a bit more consistent, and also improves on Drake and Rihanna's last single, "What's My Name?" It sounds like Ri came to her senses and remembered her name, while Drake reduced his offhand quips to one lyrical reference to Lesley Gore. Between finding a consistent sound and enraging DMX, Drake might have a good year.

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