If You're Reading This It's Too Late [LP]

by Drake

Overview

After a typically busy and fascinating 2014, Drake's 2015 started off much the same way. His chart-topping "album" If You're Reading This It's Too Late started off life as a free mixtape, but his label Cash Money stepped in at the last minute and changed it to a full-priced release. This move came amid reports that Drake was ready to follow his mentor Lil Wayne and leave Cash Money because of money issues. The album's number of references to not getting paid by his label shows that even if the rumors end up being false, Drake was plenty upset with Birdman and his business practices while he was recording this tape. Drake is also mad at women trying to play him for a fool, rappers who diss him, and people who think he's soft. Par for the course for a Drake album lately, but the difference here is that there are no pop singles to balance the claustrophobic rants. There are also no huge radio hooks, and most of the album sounds like it was cooked up (mostly by old mates Noah "40" Shebib and Boi-1da) during sleepless nights behind drawn blinds, with more dank atmosphere than the coach cabin of a passenger jet after an 18-hour flight. His raps sport the same snappy wordplay as usual, but Drake sounds like he's rapping to himself this time out, trying to work out issues and feelings instead of broadcasting to the world. He occasionally breaks out of the murk to make some noise, like on the strutting "6 God," but mostly he keeps his head down and the mood subdued. It makes for an album that's hard to love right away, but if you stick with it, is a rewarding listen. Especially at the end of the mixtape/album when Drake drops three songs that would have been highlights on any of his albums (or anyone's albums for that matter). The heartbreaking conversation with/ode to his mother "You & the 6," the slow-motion Prince-inspired R&B ballad "Jungle," and the swaggering "6PM in New York" sound like the core of what could have been his best album. As it is, they are a stunningly good coda to a very confusing detour in his career. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	10/28/2016
Label:	Island / Republic
UPC:	0602547973450
Rank:	12180

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Legend
2. Energy
3. 10 Bands
4. Know Yourself
5. No Tellin'
6. Madonna
7. 6 God
8. Star67
9. Preach
10. Wednesday Night Interlude

Disc 2

11. Used To
12. 6 Man
13. Now & Forever
14. Company
15. You & the 6
16. Jungle
17. 6PM in New York
18. How Bout Now
19. My Side

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Drake   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals
Boi-1da   Bass
Gabriel Garzon-Montano   Vocals
Travis Scott   Vocals,Featured Artist
Syk Sense   Bass
Lil Wayne   Vocals,Featured Artist
PartyNextDoor   Vocals,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
OB OBrien   Vocals
Sevn Thomas   Bass
Wel   Sound Effects
Ra the Sun God   Sound Effects

Technical Credits

Richard Dorfmeister   Composer
Boi-1da   Arranger,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation,Drum Programming
Frank Dukes   Producer
Timothy Mosley   Composer
Dwayne Carter   Composer
Mark Robinson   Assistant Engineer
Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey   Composer
Jill Scott   Composer
B. Simmons   Composer
40   Engineer,Producer,Instrumentation,Mixing Engineer,Additional Production
Aubrey Graham   Composer
Noah Shebib   Composer
Ken Lewis   Additional Production
Marcello Giombini   Composer
Phillip Thomas   Composer,Composer
Ahmir Thompson   Composer
Gabriel Garzon-Montano   Composer
Noel Cadastre   Arranger,Engineer
Matthew Samuels   Composer
Jenna Andrews   Composer
Benjamin Bush   Composer
Southside   Composer
Nathan Shaw   Composer
Evan Stewart   Assistant Engineer
Travis Scott   Producer
Joshua Scruggs   Composer
Ramon Ibanga   Composer
Syk Sense   Producer,Drum Programming
TM88   Producer
Adam Feeney   Composer,Additional Production
Kenza Samir   Composer
Chozen Williams   Engineer
Alicia Keys   Composer
Tariq Trotter   Composer
Chris Athens   Mastering Engineer
J. Andrews   Composer
J. Evans   Composer
M. O'Brien   Composer
Matthew O'Brien   Composer
Allen Ritter   Composer,Producer,Additional Production
Anderson Hernandez   Composer
Vinylz   Producer,Drum Programming,Additional Production
Kerry Brothers Jr.   Composer
Jacques Webster   Composer
Ebony Oshunrinde   Composer
PartyNextDoor   Producer,Instrumentation
Majid Al Maskati   Composer
Greg Moffett   Assistant Engineer
Thomas Paxton-Beesley   Composer
Scott Storch   Composer
Mosthigh   Producer
Edwin Jantunen   Composer
OB OBrien   Producer
Markus Kienzi   Composer
Jahmar Carter   Composer
Quentin Miller   Composer
Sevn Thomas   Producer,Drum Programming
Eric Dingus   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Jahron Brathwaite   Composer
Rupert Thomas, Jr.   Composer
Daxz   Producer,Drum Programming
Amir Obeid Ahmed   Composer,Additional Production
Stephen Garrett   Composer
Bryan Simmons   Composer
WondaGurl   Producer,Instrumentation
Peter Milray   Composer
Jimmy Prime   Composer,Producer
Coran Nariman   Assistant Engineer
Nylz   Producer
Illmind   Producer
Fred Muehlboeck   Composer
Jordan Andrews   Composer
Ra the Sun God   Sound Effects Engineer
Ging   Producer
CA9   Sound Effects Engineer