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No matter how you feel about Drake, there’s no denying his cultural impact. In a myriad of ways, the Canadian-born pop star appears before us as way more than a musician. Some of us met him as Jimmy, his character on the early seasons of Degrassi, long before “Drake” would grace a mic. Beyond the bars and melodies, Drake’s endeavors include: spearheading his October’s Very Own (OVO) recording label, running his OVO clothing brand which has collabed with Nike very often as of late, hosting the first ever NBA Awards in 2017, being the global ambassador of his hometown’s NBA team in the Toronto Raptors, cameoing the iconic photo of LeBron guarding Kobe in the 2016 NBA All Star Game, and many more accomplishments. Bringing music into the equation, the multi-faceted artist has earned 193 awards throughout his career, including five Grammys from 51 nominations, 29 Billboard Music Awards, and even the “Artist of the Decade” Billboard award in 2021, yet, there are many who still question the legitimacy of this man’s success.
“Well, why is that?,” I thought to myself while writing this.
Though I can clearly see the magnitude of Drake’s greatness, there were times where my vision was blurry. Like many who grew up alongside me, for the majority of my adolescence, I listened to Drake with the same frequency that one should drink cold water on a humid summer day. Then, came summer 2015. This wasn’t a big deal for everyone–and I’m pretty sure that there are countless other reasons for a person to dislike Drake if they truly tried–but the ghost writing accusations held a great deal of weight and would cloud my mind, leading to a questioning of the 6 God's authenticity as a creator within a genre I hold dear to my heart. These accusations, combined with an overall dissatisfaction with the themes of his more recent works, for the subsequent years, I would slowly phase out of fandom and eventually reached a point where I wouldn’t even check for his albums.
Thankfully, I eventually came back around. No matter how much I tried, and trust me, I tried my hardest, I just couldn’t deny his mastery of an artform I hold in the highest regard. Even if I’m not a fan of everything he says, does, or even believes, the fact is, he is a pioneer for the genre and has created pathways for many under him to follow. Now, whether his overall influence on the genre is detrimental or beneficial is something to be discussed in a separate article; what matters most is what has music done for me. The answer: a whole lot. The love I have for Drake’s musical works might be directly tied to the greatest moments from my youth, and that’s because he was the soundtrack for every adventure.
For this reason, he is great.
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When I was asked to write this article by our wonderful Editor-in-Chief, I knew that I would have to rely on my community to do so successfully. Ranking Drake’s 6 best albums is no easy task. The legendary rapper’s catalog is fine-tuned to the point that there are dozens of songs to choose from depending on your state of mind. Additionally, his approach to the craft is so free that there’s almost too much to consider when creating the perfect list. I knew that in order to do my audience correctly, I would have to turn to them for help as I will admit I have been sleeping on the last few albums.
So when I was in the spaces with people who’s musical opinions I cared for, namely coworkers, friends, family and my students in South Ozone and Canarsie, I’d lead the conversation–or group discussion—to Drake and ask for everyone’s album tier list.
It was an interesting study. The results were not surprising, at least not at first. Since most of my friends are twenty-something and watched Drake’s ascension over the last decade, they may carry a particular kind of bias. As we grew from awkward preteens to full-fledged adults, many watched Drake grow up with us and could empathize with him, so typically, the albums from 2011-2016 frequented the top. For my older family and friends, his earliest projects were considered his best, for reasons I still don’t truly understand. Lastly, and most surprisingly, I couldn’t even get a solid list from any of my students. Apparently Drake is “old and has no hits”…..like what? The worst part was that they were so serious. The youngins are out here blatantly disrespecting the legends, writing them off as “played out.” Smh.
With all of this information in mind, I spent a great deal of time debating within myself and amongst anyone who’d listen about the order of my list. Before you read my list, you should also know that I’m a sucker for soul-wrenching RnB and I’m usually always down for some good pop songs, though still, rap is king.
Without further ado, here is my list of Drake’s top 6 albums:
Nothing Was The Same (Deluxe), 2013
Nothing Was The Same (Deluxe) is the crème of the crop as far as I am concernced. The track list is phenomenal, and in terms of showcasing Drake’s raw talent, it’s the best as it effortlessly shifts between rap and RnB tracks. As if that wasn’t enough to qualify the project, Drake and every single featured artist show up and show out, making the project a well-rounded work of art.
My favorite tracks include:
“Pound Cake/ Paris Morton Music 2” featuring Jay-Z
“Wu-Tang Forever” featuring
“From Time” featuring Jhené Aiko
Views, 2016
When it comes to my top three, they are pretty much interchangeable and it really depends on how I’m feeling on that given day. Views is my choice for those days when my mood calls for something slow to sing along to. Every song on this album has a distinct sample which elevates this project to a new stratosphere.
My favorite tracks include:
“Feel No Ways”
“Child’s Play”
“Faithful” featuring dvsn & Pimp C
Take Care (Deluxe), 2011
Though this isn’t Drake’s first album, it’s the first one of his I’ve heard and would be my companion anywhere I went. I vividly remember bumping the first time I heard “Underground Kings” and thinking to myself “yo, this man is amazing.” This early work of his is one of my favorites because of the amount of hits within it. Though they’re not listed below, songs like “Marvin’s Room,” “Crew Love” and “HYFR (Hell Yeah Fucking Right” are but a few of the tracks on this epic album.
My favorite tracks include:
“Underground Kings”
“Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude - M
“Take Care” featuring Rihanna
More Life, 2017
The next three are the projects that literally couldn’t be any more different from one another and still serve testament to Drake's greatness, both as a trailblazer for the culture and hip-hop music. More Life is technically a playlist, and like any good playlist, you’ll find songs on here from other artists, which I believe made it even better. This is also the album where Caribbean Drake, my favorite of the alter-egos, makes an appearance to bring us enamoring tracks like ”Passionfruit.”
My favorite tracks include:
“Blem”
“Get It Together” featuring Black Coffee & Jorja Smith
“Sacrifices” featuring 2 Chainz & Young Thug
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015
From a nostalgic point-of-view, this album is legendary. Despite the track list, which contains the usual mix of banging beats and memorable melodies, and the first appearance of Toronto Drake a.k.a. the 6 God alter-ego, the release of this project will always stick out to me for one reason. I was laying in bed one cold February night, struggling to fall asleep on what was a school-night. I pulled up Drake’s profile on my streaming site in hopes of finding something to help me doze off, and without warning, an album titled If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late seemed as though it was waiting for me.
My favorite tracks include:
“Madonna”
“Know Yourself”
”10 Bands”
What A Time To Be Alive, 2015
It was September 2015, fresh off the feud with Meek Mill which Drake finished two months prior with the song “Back to Back.” Drizzy was scorching hot, and the momentum carried over into an album with the hottest trap artist in the game. From here, the 6 God and Future would display their chemistry before the world, cementing them as the “toxic-trap kings” and a duo fans would continue to look toward for years to come.
My favorite tracks include:
“Digital Dash” featuring Future
“Diamonds Dancing” featuring Future
“Plastic Bag” featuring Future