After various false release dates and rumors, the Toronto rapper, Drake, has released his seventh solo album, “More Life”, on March 18. Every hip-hop aficionado has two-cents about Aubrey Drake Graham. Ever since his breakout around 2009 under the wing of Lil Wayne, Drake has sparked arguments and debates about his credibility in the rap scene. However, More Life is a project that shifts the scale on Drake’s completely.

Unlike Drake’s previous album, “Views,” the arrival of “More Life” was far from well advertised. The face of OVO music described the album as a “playlist”, which can never help the anticipation of an album. However, the album has risen above all expectations with a clean-cut and polished style that Drake produced perfectly.

The album transcends the sound of the soft-singing and soulful lyricist, with more rapping than singing. The beats and production are much more rugged and aggressive than his albums such as, “Views” and “Take Care,” two projects that contained melancholy and slow songs about love. The closest album he has released with a similar sound is “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”, which contains pounding beats with energy.

More Life contains various styles and sounds, with features from English rappers such as Skepta and Giggs, a side of rap many Americans have not been exposed too. He adopts many samples from groovy soul music, which gives his work a revitalizing and nostalgic feel. The controversy with Drake’s influences from other music is that some label him a “culture vulture”, or an artist who finds underground or overlooked styles from specific genres, and steals them. For example, Drake is often under fire for adopting a fake Jamaican accent, though he has no Jamaican heritage. Also, he is argued to have stolen the style of an up and coming rapper named XXXTENTACION on his song “KMT”, using an uncanny rhyme scheme and rhythm.

Regardless of the accusations about Drake, he has made a fantastic album with hits such as “Glow”, “Ice Melts”, and “Portland” to name a few. He chiseled an original and iconic tone for the whole project that could be his best work so far. This album is highly recommended to any listener with no issue with explicit music.