Drake silenced in Future’s rushed WATTBA
When asked how the album came about, Drake said, “I went to Atlanta for six days a couple weeks ago with the hopes of doing some songs with Future, and when you get around Future, it’s like a vortex, that guy can outwork anybody right now. It’s tough to see someone do four, five songs in one night and not try to match it.”
October 12, 2015
After announcing his collaboration with Future at a recent concert, Drake released What A Time To Be Alive to fans via Apple Music at 8 PM, on Friday, September 18.
All eleven songs on the album describe the rappers’ lavish lives. According to Complex Magazine, “The set earned 375,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Sept. 24… of that sum, 334,000 were pure album sales.” This makes Drake and Future the first hip-hop artists since 2004 to sell two number one albums in a calendar year. Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and Future’s DS2 both hit number one earlier this year.
Because the mixtape features two artists, WATTBA begs the question, “who was better?” Surprisingly, despite gaining equal success throughout their careers, Drake simply seems featured on a Future album, rather than collaborating with him.
“Although you could tell that there was not much effort put into the album, Future performed better on the album for a few reasons. Mainly because it was produced by one of Futures favorite producers (Metro Boomin), but Drake also seemed to lag in his rhymes, which is uncharacteristic for joint songs with Drake,” said NC alumni Storm McClinton.
Despite some negative public opinion, both Future and Drake garnered serious attention following the album’s release. Fans nationwide either loved the songs or wanted the rappers to step up their game. Sophomore Chelsea Scarborough said, “It’s the only thing I’ve been listening to all week,” while junior Kamree Moore adds “It was overhyped. There were some good songs, but it could’ve been better.” Even two weeks after its debut, WATTBA remains a conversational topic on almost every social media site.
Even with all the hype and success, do not consider WATTBA Drake or Future’s best work. Fans expected songs that sent shivers down their spines, instead receiving mediocre rhymes layered over catchy beats. The album’s quick production attributed to the weak flow on select songs off the record. Songs such as “Jumpman,” “Diamonds Dancing,” “Live From the Gutter,” and “Scholarships” were clearly well-crafted. Other songs such as “I’m The Plug,” “Plastic Bag,” and “Digital Dash” were carelessly thrown together. Overall, the album fails to compare with the rappers’ previous projects.
The Chant’s grade: B-
