DONDA, a culmination of years of production and creative versatility. Kanye shines like no other on his tenth studio album. From jaw-dropping performances from newer artists in the game to veteran and refined sounds signature to only one of hip-hop’s legendary MCs and producers. Kanye has done it again, and DONDA is perfect. At least, everything but the cover. Now I better not hear anyone telling me it has to do with immersing yourself in the music because… have you seen Trippie Redd’s album? Trip at Knight was a smorgasbord of art and trust me, it only served to immerse me even more. Kanye could’ve done better in that regard, but that detail pales in comparison to the absolute beauty that is the album itself.
Certified Lover Boy, a callback to every Drake to come before him, this version of our very own “champagnepapi” finds Drake at not only his most braggadocious, but also his most introspective. With tracks like “No Friends in The Industry” simultaneously and masterfully does both. Drake doesn’t delve too much outside of his winning formula. Telling his woes, while also bodaciously letting his audience know of his acknowledgment, not only of his tendency towards toxic masculinity but also his ability to recognize and accept the truth of his actions, and their consequences. Certified Lover Boy is a classic Drake album through and through, filled with vibes, Instagram captions, and heartbreak. But that album artwork makes Kanye’s look like a lost Warhol.
Now, could we compare the two projects and come out with an objective winner? We most definitely could. But we’re not going to, because we don’t wanna. Kanye’s rapping ability, in our opinion, isn’t as polished as Drake’s, even though he’s surprised us time and time again with on-tracks such as pretty much all of the songs on College Dropout. However, with Drake, one thing you know is that there’s going to be wordplay and that we believe is Drake’s one saving grace. Kanye’s production and ability to fit other artists into his style of music surpasses Mr. Graham has going for him, but these two are completely different artists entirely. Drake’s a better rapper. Kanye makes better music. It would be cool if they could squash the beef though. Now that would be a legendary collab.
