Drake — So Far Gone
Just a few months after releasing his latest album Scorpion, Drake unleashes his beloved So Far Gone mixtape to streaming services in honor of its 10-year anniversary. The project initially arrived in 2009 and is considered one of his best releases to date by fans and critics alike.
“I will never forget anybody involved in this journey,” Drizzy told supporters via Instagram. “So Far Gone streaming everywhere for the first time ever.” Originally, the full project was kept off streaming services, in part due to sample clearance issues. Now it’s available in its entirety.
So Far Gone features some major guest appearances, including mentor Lil Wayne, veteran Bun B, and R&B crooners Omarion and Lloyd, among others. Aubrey Graham’s longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib also gets feature credits on a couple of cuts, including “Let’s Call It Off” and “Little Bit.”
Drake was aware of the momentous mixtape even in 2009. “The game got these old handprints on it / But I’ma be the one to pour cement on it,” he raps on the intro, “Lust for Life.” “What I tend to do is think of today as the past / It’s funny when you coming in first, but you hope that you last / You just hope that it lasts.”
One of Drake’s So Far Gone collaborators, Bun B, recently reflected on the mixtape’s legacy. “It definitely was a game-changer,” he told Billboard. “This was a relatively new artist, but he has strong features and that obviously comes with relationships and friendships with a lot of different people. There was a clear distinction very early of where he wanted to go, and how he wanted to be seen.”
Reflect on So Far Gone’s decade-long legacy below.
Cardi B & Bruno Mars — “Please Me”
Cardi B and Bruno Mars keep their finesse game strong with new music. Shortly after teaming up on their “Finesse (Remix),” Bruns and Bardi reunite on their latest collaboration, the seductive and flirtatious “Please Me.”
The new banger features some throwback sauce, much like their original collaboration. “Don’t want no young dumb shit,” Cardi explains in the first verse. “Better fuck me like we listening to Jodeci.” Trap Selena also throws in some bilingual flavor to the mix: “Your pussy basura / My pussy horchata.”
Cardi played the guest role on “Finesse (Remix),” but she takes centerstage on this one, delivering two verses and joining Bruno on the hook sections. “Please me, baby,” sings Mars. “Turn around and just tease me, baby / You know what I want and what I need, baby.” A raunchy Bardi adds: “Cardi don’t play that shit / Do my back like I do these records, break that shit.”
“Please Me” follows a historic night for Cardi B, who became the first solo woman to win the Best Rap Album Grammy. She is now reportedly working on a new album while collaborating with a slew of artists, including DJ Khaled and Blueface. Listen to “Please Me” below.
Salaam Remi feat. Nas & Amy Winehouse — “Find My Love”
Love is in the air. Nas and the late Amy Winehouse celebrate that with their newest collaboration, “Find My Love.” The soulful Salaam Remi track allows Esco to reflect on his past and his future over intricate instrumentation. “I got money on my mind but I still can’t find my love,” he explains.
The Illmatic MC, who released Nasir in 2018, also uses the song as a way to share his experience over the past few years. “Funny now, they wanna hear from me, weird,” he raps on the track. “Been away six years, the kid is still hungry / Runnin’ through these courses of life, divorced the ex-wife / Made more money, I’m doin’ more than alright.”
The late Amy Winehouse’s voice appears throughout the song, mainly complementing Nas’ rapping. The two worked together on previous tracks like 2011’s “Like Smoke” and 2012’s “Cherry Wine.” Both of those cuts were also produced by their close collaborator and producer, Salaam Remi.
Find some love a day after Valentine’s Day below.
Nipsey Hussle feat. Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy — “Racks In the Middle”
Fresh off his Grammy nomination for Victory Lap, Nipsey Hussle teams up with rising upstart Roddy Ricch and seasoned rapper-producer Hit-Boy for his latest single, “Racks in the Middle.” The new cut is presumed to be a single off Nip’s VL follow-up.
Hussle showcases his hustle throughout the track. “Champagne while I shop, hope I splurge foolish,” he raps, before breaking down his business acumen. “Closing escrow twice this month, both commercial units.” Roddy complements that theme with his own take: “Young nigga been focused on my check,” he sing-raps on the hook: “Got a new coupe wrapped around my neck.”
Nipsey also reflects on more somber moments on this cut, including the death of his close friend, Stephen “Fatts” Donelson. “Damn, I wish my nigga Fatts was here,” he rhymes. “Grammy nominated, in a sauna shedding tears / All this money, power, and fame, and I can’t make you reappear.”
Ride around with “Racks in the Middle” below.
CZARFACE & Ghostface Killah — CZARFACE Meets Ghostface
Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck rejoins Esoteric and 7L on their newest album as CZARFACE. Nearly one year after teaming up with DOOM on CZARFACE Meets Metal Face, the trio returns with a new collaborator on CZARFACE Meets Ghostface.
Ghostface Killah kicks off the album with a fury. “It’s CZAR vers’ Ghost, we about to face off,” he raps over boom bap production. “Turn my mic up and when the verse drop, turn the bass off / Dangerous material / Spread like venereal / Got the scoop on the game like a bowl of cereal.” The Rebel I-N-S adds to that with a strong declaration: “They ain’t live as us.”
The guys keep guests to a minimum, with only Kendra Morris popping up on “Morning Ritual” and “The King Heard Voices.” But CZARFACE Meets Ghostface does feature plenty of influences, including wrestling, comic books, and old school soul and hip-hop with references to modern pop culture, as well. It’s another chapter in the CZARFACE saga.
Listen to this face-off below.
