I started hearing mini-hype about Drake maybe two years ago. I’m generally open to new artists, especially those that are unknown. I asked someone via last.fm relatively about it and they told me to check it out, sending me a link to do so. It took forever, but I finally got around to hearing Brand New and I hated it. The second song I listened to didn’t impress me either so I let it go. The following year, I gave it another listen. I still didn’t like him.

Then comes 2009 and Best I Ever Had. Best I Ever Had wasn’t my favorite song, but I liked it. It made me think, “Hey! Maybe I was wrong about this guy!” I tried to listen to a few of his other tracks, but I still didn’t like him.

Fast forward to more recent times. There’s a singer on YouTube who goes by Broadway (user name is hottlikefire03). He sang Bria’s Interlude during one of his live chats and even did a series of Drake songs on his YT. And forgiving person that I am, I decide to give this kid yet another try. I was cruising the internet earlier this month and downloaded So Far Gone, making it the fifth mixtape I’d downloaded since June (remember that Trey Songz entry I wrote?).

And, WHAT do you know? I like it. Best I Ever Had, in my opinion, gives the wrong impression of this mixtape. I was expecting a bunch of rap that I was likely still not going to be bowled over by. That’s not what it is. SFG is a decent mix of styles. A Little Bit, my second favorite song, is a duet with Lykke Li, and the album also includes appearances by Peter Bjorn, Omarion (on the aforementioned Bria’s Interlude), Lloyd, and Santigold.

My main issue with Drake is that people are speaking about him like he’s the end all be all of rap. And I just didn’t and, as of now, still don’t agree with that assessment. I enjoy his singing more than his rapping. Often, when he raps, it sounds like he’s trying to be “hard” and I’m just not buying it. Nothing he does will change that. Additionally, the ladies are drooling over him, but I can’t get past the unibrow and mysterious hairline, while his pancake batter-like complexion is off to me.

Though I’m still not sure if he’s the greatest rapper since Will Smith (….joke), SFG has quite a few tracks on repeat.  Below are my favorite songs on So Far Gone, in order of how much I like them.

1. A Night Off (Featuring Lloyd)
2. A Little Bit (Featuring Lykke Li)
3. Sooner Than Later
4. The Calm
5. Ignant Shit (Featuring Lil Wayne)  [This one made it cause of the beat alone.  Loves it.]