This past October marked the long anticipated release of popular rapper Drake’s album, “For All The Dogs.” In June, rumors suggested a release date of Sep. 22, 2023, but it was delayed. The postponement gave fans high expectations, and while some were met, others say they were disappointed.
The 23-song album includes featured artists such as Yeat, SZA, J. Cole, 21 Savage, and many others. The album’s success has undoubtedly been influenced by its bold-name features. His song “IDGAF,” featuring Yeat, has already gone viral on Tiktok, specifically an audio clip of Drake’s verse, “Money for Fun.”
The album has also gained traction among Meridian students, including senior Ivy Anderson. “I really like the new album because it has a bunch of features from other artists, and it’s a super good listen. My favorite song is Rich Baby Daddy with SZA and Sexy Red,” Anderson said.
“For All the Dogs” is Drake’s third studio album since June 2022 and his fourth in less than two years. In addition to the solo albums “Honestly, Nevermind” in June 2022 and “Certified Lover Boy” in September 2021, he released the joint album “Her Loss” with 21 Savage in November 2022.
The album’s opener, “Virginia Beach,” has quickly become a standout favorite among fans. Its popularity took off after fans noticed the feature of Frank Ocean, taking many by surprise and setting the album off on a good note.
The album has had an immediate and lingering impact. It earned nearly half a billion plays across all streaming platforms, and set a record for the biggest streaming week of 2023 in the U.S.
Beyond the music, the album cover holds a significant and sentimental touch for Drake. His five-year-old son, Adonis, showed off his artistic talents in creating the cover art, featuring a white dog with red eyes and a black background that gave it a very unique look.
Since the album was released, there has been a lot of shifting controversy. Some fans were heavily upset after being promised this release would be similar to his older albums, not quite reaching the standards he had set.
Some students at Meridian also have their own personal takes on the album.
“His features were trash,” freshman Ajwah Jahangir said.
Others have a more selective approach to the album, favoring only a couple songs in the album as a whole didn’t entirely impress them.
“His song ‘Screw the World’ was absolutely terrible; he didn’t need to put that song in the album,” freshman London Lee said.
