Drake is Drake – Take it or leave it
“An idea you felt as strongly as gravity yesterday could easily be mistaken for a feather’s pull today” – Kenenna, 30/07/2019.
A lot has been said over the years concerning Drake about his style and approach. As a concerned fan, I’ve decided to tackle the issue from its root.
Entertainment and music are largely fan-based, translating into patronage which determines pay – cd sales, ticket sales and so on. Artists owe a lot to their fans as a result of this dynamic, but is it enough to determine the creative curve an artist should follow? Let’s discuss it.
Drake – the rap/song phenom who has topped charts like no black man since Michael Jackson (and even he was “white” at some point) – is my muse.
We could go on for days about how much of a successful artist Drake is, but I’m sure a simple google search would sort that out for you. Drake seems like the type that loves to give back (watch the video of his hit song God’s Plan for visuals), but a lot of the time, the OVO star is hated on by many – some of which claim to be his fans.
Since I’ve known Drake, he’s been one of the most versatile acts from the hip-hop band. But for some odd reason, I can’t place, there’s a disconnect within the fanbase for who wants “rapper Drake” and who wants “singer Drake”. This divide has led to a lot of fans criticizing his works on and off social media (thankfully, critiques like these haven’t stopped him smiling to the bank).
As a fan, I’d like to bring a sort of bridge to divide. Why can’t he be both?
I believe the beauty of the man’s music is in the fact that it has no single blueprint. If there is a complaint about the monotony of his sound, then try dropping 25 songs a year for 5 years and watch yourself sound like a 21st century R2-D2. Emphasizing his efforts on diversity, Bad bunny features Drake on his song “MIA” and Drake sings his entire part in Spanish. Drake doesn’t speak Spanish.
Sometimes, the genre of music seems more important than the music itself. An artist aims to share his art the way he/she wants to, and you will never be satisfied with an artist’s art until you come to terms with their methods and decisions.
The role of fans in an artists’ growth is un-comparable and getting stick from your supposed supporters about the kind of music you do and not even the quality of it, can end a career before it even starts.
It follows the popular notion of how a female artist needs sex appeal to thrive. You’re either in love with the art or with your distorted perception of what you think the artist should be.
If you’re a fan of Drake, then share your view with me on what you think about his approach to music and your overall perception of his discography. I’d love to hear from you.
