thisisNOMA

Last but definitely not least, HABIBTI is the third album Drake dropped within the "ICEMAN" trio of projects. And it might actually be the one I enjoyed the most.

It suffers from the same issues that plague any other post-Views Drake project I have tried to listen to so far: a handful of tracks with atmospheric production that borders on comatose, mixing that can be surprisingly hit-or-miss for a major label artist, and the more-than occasional corny bar and eye-rolling demeanour. ... read more

After listening to ICEMAN and being kind of let down by the bulk of its track list, I decided to take a break before listening to the 2 other albums that he dropped. This helped me process that album for what it is: a messy mix of underwhelming songwriting and lyrics mixed with inconsistent production quality. What kind of saves ICEMAN from being a "bad album" for me is that even at its worst, the songs have some interesting production elements and a decent vibe in its songwriting. ... read more

Unlike most people I know from where I live, I never really grew up listening to Drake's output. Considering I grew up listening to mostly alternative styles of hip-hop mixed with electronic music, he never really appealed to my "underground" sensibilities. It's only when I started to get more involved in my local nightlife scene that I started to appreciate Drake's impact on modern music and stopped keeping his material at an arm's length.

His blend of pop, ... read more

Time has not been kind to the BEP. They went from being one of the most commercially successful hip-hop groups of the 2000's to becoming a relic of the past and (especially after their infamous Super Bowl half-time show) the butt of a joke. After that performance, and their subsequent spotty to downright dreadful releases (with an interesting return to their initial conscious hip-hop sound on "Master of the Sun Vol. 1"), it's safe to say the Black Eyed Peas had their ... read more