After Kendrick Lamar’s scathing “Not Like Us” gained traction, Drake responded with a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group — which manages both Lamar and Drake — for promoting a song that was damaging to his reputation. Now, after Lamar performed at the Super Bowl, won five Grammys for “Not Like Us” and topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the diss track, Drake has finally responded with an album.

Released Feb. 14 in collaboration with fellow Canadian and OVO Sound signee PARTYNEXTDOOR, “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” enters the scene just before the one-year mark of Drake and Lamar’s notorious rap beef. The feud was initially incited in March 2024 when Lamar dropped a verse on “Like That,” a song on Metro Boomin and Future’s joint album — sparking what has become an ongoing exchange of disses that many fans called the “Rap Civil War.” “$$$4U” sees Drake grappling with the fallout of this feud, leads to some mixed results.

The album features several strong parts where Drake delivers his signature introspective tracks, blending ridiculous, clever wordplay with melodic earworms that stick in your head. Moody opener “CN TOWER” exemplifies this through an undeniably driven lead melody. The track evokes a winter night in Toronto, with Drake using the CN Tower’s changing colors to narrate his current interactions with a love interest with lines like: “What color’s the CN Tower? It’s red tonight / Just like the text I sent you from the bed tonight.” PARTY appears in the second half of the song with his own verse, but his Future-esque vocal rasp and Auto-Tune make his contribution to this track forgettable.

Drake revisits a failed relationship in “MOTH BALLS,” airing his grievances over a hazy, atmospheric beat. PARTY redeems himself with a smooth, hypnotic vocal performance that glides over the slow-grooving production. Drake shifts the focus to reflecting on his struggles with alcohol and substance use, dropping raw confessions like, “I been peakin’ off that Addy every day / It’s been hard for me to put that shit away / Drinkin’ four or five bottles of the wine.”

Two of Drake’s solo tracks on the album are rap tracks, which sound like familiar territory for the artist but are entertaining nonetheless. Drake energetically declares he is done with feuds on “BRIAN STEEL,“ joking that he is “vegan now.” The track is hard-hitting but frustratingly short at just under two minutes with just one verse. On “GIMME A HUG,” Drake powerfully raps, talking down on Kanye West and proclaiming his — as West puts it — “elimination.” The track will keep your head bobbing as Drake hits bar after bar about those waiting on his downfall. 

The album also ventures into more experimental territory. “PIMMIE’S DILLEMA” is a brief acoustic interlude and features up-and-coming talent Pimmie, who delivers a standout vocal performance. “DIE TRYING” is another pop-leaning experiment that finds Drake as vulnerable as he will get in the booth. The lyrics are not profound but get his point across: “This year, me and God, we wasn’t seein’ eye to eye / I prayed to her from time to time.” The melody is unique, and PARTY sings an amazing post-chorus. Rapper Yebba has a strong feature on the outro, elevating the song’s emotional depth. 

“NOKIA” is, without a doubt, the best track on the album. The song samples the original Nokia ringtone, with infectious production and vocals from his producer Elkan. Drake sounds genuinely happy and carefree, making for one of the most enjoyable songs of the year so far. The chorus humorously lists different girls in his phone — all the while punctuated by a playful “Baby girl,” sung by Elkan — to effortlessly blend dance and Miami bass subgenres.

The album begins to stumble with “MEET YOUR PADRE,” where Drake awkwardly ventures into regional Mexican music with auto-tuned, Spanglish verses that feel like borderline cultural appropriation. The last stretch of the album is its weakest, and the PARTY-Drake formula — atmospheric, hazy instrumentals paired with PARTY’S crooning and Drake’s bars about flings, toxicity and heartbreak —  quickly grows stale. The tracks “SOMEBODY LOVES ME,“ “LASERS,” “CELIBACY,” “OMW” and “WHEN HE’S GONE” blend together, offering little variation or intrigue. 

But, PARTY and Drake manage to perfect their formula on “GREEDY,” their harmonies blending effortlessly over a meaningful chorus. The beat remains engaging and avoids the sluggish pacing that plagues earlier tracks before transitioning into a piano-driven outro. When accompanied by actual storm sounds and rising synths, the instrumentals signal a glimmer of hope as Drake offers a sense of closure to listeners.

Drake and PARTY can be a formidable duo, but this album feels more like a titan weighed down by defeat. It is a scattered mix of tracks — some mildly engaging, others completely forgettable. Drake sounds creatively lost and emotionally drained, perhaps as a consequence of hip-hop’s biggest feud to date. Nevertheless, flashes of the hunger that once defined Drake’s music production are still present. It’s only a matter of time before he shakes off the dust and moves to reclaim the throne.

Contact Antonio Johri at [email protected].