Listening to "July" while waiting for June 15th

I'm really really anxious for June 15th.  Its mostly because of "Thank Me Later" but I really think I'm just anxious about other things that should fall into place by then, but of course that's not necessary to explain in this blog.  Plus I think I'm still mad about not seeing the concert that I feel like I have holes in my musical experience and that the album can at least fill one of them.  Plus there keeps being leaks of information about this album that its driving me insane! I hate anticipation.  Its always not as bad or as good as it seems.  Like in scary movies when the music and the suspense is really what is scary to you, but once the guy pops out its like ooh...ok.  I kinda want this album to be like an impromptu rave, like you didn't have time to prepare but you are so excited to have new experiences but still have the comfort of familiarity.

It's seems like Drake's been everywhere this week, at least online and somewhat TV. For instance the song "July" leaked, and people are guessing it dates back to 2007, around the time of Comeback Season.  It's a cool song to vibe out to.It was suppose to be on a soundtrack for a movie, but the movie is unknown and obviously it didn't happen.

Since the Find Your Love video dropped about a week ago, more has been coming out about the video and song.  For instance, I saw on mtv.com that that the Jamaican tourism city doesn't like the video because it depicts a negative stereotype of Jamaica.  I think that's dumb to complain about because to me there is no such thing as bad press.  Plus the visual were so beautiful, it was nice to see a part of Jamaica that wasn't a resort.  And there are gangs everywhere so I don't think that was unique to the location.  And I'm sure the production of the video helped the economy in the typically low income are so its not the time to complain.  You could actually make this space a place for future videos for other artists.

Drake spoke about the meaning of "Find Your Love" in this Entertainment Weekly article:

“I look for love in the wrong people,” he recently told us. “It just always seem like the women I find are poison for me. I love women that can just walk into a room and stop the whole area. And I think that those initial qualities always end up getting me hurt, which is a crazy thing for a guy to say.”
On “Love,” Drake, hurt by women many times before, hopes his next relationship doesn’t crash like the others. “I’ve been through this s— so many times that if I go through his again,” he says of the song’s concept, “I better find your love. You better be that one. Because if not, I don’t know what type of guy I’m going to turn into.”
Broken hearts aren’t typically the topic of hip-hop songs. Drake believes that his supporters, especially the guys, will be able to relate. But he knows he’s taking a chance. “Find Your Love” is an extremely vulnerable song,” he says. “And it’s actually a huge risk. It almost feels like the song should be performed by a woman. I’m just hoping that men really hear the song and they’re honest with themselves. I know a lot of men feel that way.”

I can definitely relate to the concept because I'm that type of person.  I'm a very prideful creature and very selective of the men I talk to.  And its like this better work out because I refuse to be wrong about you so I better find something.  This of course blows up in my face but whatever.  I can't say that I, or any other person, has the worse luck in relationships because everyone has it.  Its natural to have bad past relationships because that's the nature of past relationships, they obviously didn't work out for a reason.  If they weren't bad, you would still be in them now.  Even if you have some great story about your ex, it always has that crappy story in the end and that's why you aren't together now.  Its all about trial and error and knowing when its time to bounce and picking yourself up afterwards. But that's as about as open as I will get on a music blog.  Remember what I said about females and feelings on blogs? Yeah, a lot of times its not so cute.

I also found the 5 things you should know about "Thank Me Later" on several sites, but I original saw this on rap-up.com

1. Timbaland produced a track called “Thank Me Now.”
2. Indie pop band Francis and the Lights, who opened for Drake on tour, is featured on one song. “I wanted to take what I love about [their] music and bring it into my world,” says Drake.
3. “Karaoke” deals with the pitfalls of achieving fame at an early age. He recalls how he felt at 15 when his girlfriend told him she couldn’t love a star. “It killed me,” he explains. “I can’t wait till she hears it. She’ll know it’s her.”
4. Jay-Z schools his younger peer on “Light Up,” which he first told Rap-Up.com about in December. “He lets me know how young and naive I really sound,” Drake says. “It’s an incredible moment. He’s like, ‘This is how it really is. Because I’ve lived it.’”
5. Drake made this album for music lovers, not for the Billboard charts. “I didn’t make this album for commercial purposes. A lot of the verses are extremely long. I just made it to share with people. I hope they can enjoy.”

Now, of course I'm excited for all of this, but it kinda worries me.  I don't want the album to be all Hollywood with all these features.  It was already announced that that Alicia Keys will be on "Fireworks." It seems like the album has the potential to be like Blueprint 3.  Not that that was a bad album but it was very super starred filled.  Its like of course having big names on a album is great, but I rather it just be you are the most genuine and rawest form.  Not to say that Jay wasn't real, but Blueprint 3 wasn't his most organic album if you get what I mean. Like I don't want the album to be single ready like man I can hear this on the radio RIGHT NOW. Sometimes that's not always the best thing.  But I'm sure it will be great, just some things to consider.
I also find it funny how Drake talks about loyalty but doesn't mention having Trey on the album, who was down with him waaay before Young Money.  Plus they always make a good collaboration.  It would be great if he was on the album.

Also with talk about the album so are verses that aren't going to be on the album but he's performing on tour.   For instance "You Know, You Know” produced by Kanye West won't be on the album.  Pretty hot though. Watch it here.

The thing about unreleased stuff that irks me is that I want to listen to it!  That bothers me and bonus tracks and re-released album.  It's like, don't let me have a different musical experience just because I bought it on iTunes or Walmart.  Or don't re-release the entire album and say your are doing it for the fans that supported you in the beginning.  If you were, you wouldn't make them buy new songs! Just make a new album.  Rappers typically don't do this and I hope Drake doesn't do that because I find it very annoying.  Remixes are a bit peeve of mine too.  I know that a bit strange, but it like get it right the first time.  I understand its a new spin on the song, but I really appreciate new work.  Clearly this isn't about Drake its just the music industry that drives me insane.

Here's a deleted scene from "When I Was 17" in which Drake briefly talks about Room For Improvement, even though he made that when he was 19.  To me Room For Improvement was really underrated.  All my friends make fun of me because they think its garbage, but I can actually listen to it front to back with no problem.  You should have to have the mindset that this is not a prequel to So Far Gone, its a raw mixtape that's pretty good.  You can see early musical characteristics of him though. My favorite song is "Thrill Is Gone" I listen to that a lot.

When I Was 17 - MTV Shows

Here's the full episode

When I Was 17 - MTV Shows

I guess my major wonder is, after the album comes out and you listen to it, what do you have to look forward to? Music videos? Even though I hate anticipation, its half the fun, and you gotta feed the hungry or someone else will.  I wonder if he's the type to put out album quickly or let it grow and take time to develop an album.  And which one is a smarter move? And what will I write about lol.

"Find Your Love" -Drake [Video with Subtitles]

I finally got the subtitles I requested!  I watched the video a lot so I could interpreted what they were saying but this would have been helpful in the beginning. So watch again as Drake learn the hard way to never trust a big butt and a smile.

Also, if you haven't noticed, the video was taken down online several times and at one point restricted to 18 and up since its premiered and this version seems to be edited.  There is at least one difference, they cut out the part where she points the gun to this head. I noticed that in a lot of over versions too that they took out some sex and the gun. Damn censorship.  You can only see the original cut, which they are now calling the uncensored cut, on October's Very Own Vimeo account, but I posted it with my analysis on the video.  Click here for that.

Update: they keep taking off the uncensored video from OVO's Vimeo, so I posted the MTV unedited one that you have to verify your birthday.

"Find Your Love"-Drake

People think I'm a hardass on everything, but I actually LOVE the video and thinks it completes the story and the concept of the song well.  Visually beautiful.  But I'm going to process this and give my analysis later on today.  Mandler is an amazing director though.  Only request so far, subtitles lol.

20 minutes later...
Well, I can't sleep so I guess I'm just going to write it now.  If you haven't notice, I edit my blog posts a lot during the first 24 hours I write them.  Typos, new ideas, different perspectives, hearing people's opinions, it sometimes alter a lot.  But raw emotions are always best I suppose.  Plus I watched it twice so I had some time to process it.
First off, I'm thankful that Rihanna was not in the video, that would have been way too obvious and made the video really campy. I also glad there wasn't any random celebrity cameos that I know of (even though it includes popular dance hall dancer, but I'm saying main stream American celebrities.) The video was very story heavy and didn't need any distractions.  I also should state that I didn't understand most of the dialouge and that they really should have had subtitles.
But my overall interpretation of the videos was that Drake had to leave Jamaica for safety reasons because he stole the main guy's girl and the old man is telling him to go now.  But Drake is talking about how  he would regret it if he doesn't say goodbye to her.  The video then tells their love story about how they met at the club when she was with another guy (he of course does his signature pursing of the lips and kiss on the hand), them spending time together, being intimate, etc.  You can tell Drake really cares about this girl, enough that he wants to see her one last time.  You can see the fear in his face when he walking down the street to see this girl and when he eventually gets her attention, she doesn't make eye contact with him, knowing what's going to happen next.  When Drake is locked up in the chamber and she enters you can tell that he's hurt but too disgusted by her betrayal to show it.  And even though she still can't make eye contact with him, she doesn't hesitate to take the gun and point the trigger at him.  The video ends (very much like the series finales of "The Sopranos" and "Everybody Hates Chris") abruptly so you don't know what happens. 
So people are talking about whether or not she shot him.  I think of course she did. (Also, the 3 frames at the end of "Find" "Your" "Love" is 3 gun shots.)  While the lyrics of the song are about being aggressive about love and not giving up so easily and that if you give someone all your love, nothing its going to tear you apart, in reality the video was about love and betrayal.  While you think if you give all your love to somebody that nothing can ruin that, sometimes you don't get that back and people will stab you in the back quicker then it took the entire relationship to build. That's where you take the lyrics to the song, "I better find your love, I better find your heart." Obviously, he wasn't able to find it easily, and eventually realizes in the video that he can't find it at all, no matter how much he bets on it, which seems to be his life.  I feel a lot of people can relate to this, not the exact experience, but caring so much about a person, thinking that if you give your all to it that you are going to find their love, their heart, but at the end you get nothing or lose more than you expected.
I think this song is a perfect example of what I was talking about earlier about the video completing the story.  If artists are smart, they use videos the complete the concept and the vision that they had while writing the song.  Of course its not going to be a carbon copy of their exact experience, but its all a metaphor to a experience they had or an emotion that they are trying to convey.  I think Drake, now that he is finally doing solo work in terms of videos, is building a great visual portfolio for the album "Thank Me Later."  Mandler is also an amazing director. I will say that this video improved the song  a lot.  It's still not my favorite song, but I understand and enjoy the concept much more.  But I did focus more on the story of the video instead of listening to the song while watching the video and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

Drake - New Music - More Music Videos

"Find Your Love" -Drake

If this song came out in 2008, it would have been an incredible song.  But its not. Its 2010, and the autotuned 808 love songs are a little played.   Even Kanye abandoned the ship after 9 months by just putting out singles pretty quickly.


"Find Your Love" is your typical summer, island pop single that is very radio friendly. This is probably the most "pop" I ever heard from Drake.  And its not so much because of the lyrics, its because of the beat.  This blog is mine, so I can be a harsh as I want to be, so I'm just going to say it: Kanye always gives medicorce stuff to Drake, which was evident in the Best I Ever Had Video.  Honestly, as a lot of people have said already, this is a left over 808 and Heartbreak beat.  And the beat to me honestly ruins the song which could actually be really good because the lyrics are great, as usual.  The beat is ok, but not really original. I'm not saying the song is awful, its ok, but not really remarkable.  If Drake was going to put out a single of him just singing, he should have finished "Fall For Your Type" and put that out instead. "Shut it Down" would have been better too.  However, I always find it hard to really judge an R & B song.  I feel like they are so personal and they are always there when you need them in a sense. Like have you ever been going through something, you are listening to your music, and you find a forgotten song that fits perfectly to the situation? I might not be able to relate to this song right now, but later on, this might be exactly what I need. Regardless, I know I'll like it more later. Its not like I'm saying I hate the song, I don't, its just a pretty cool song but I've liked other Drake R & B songs a whole lot more. But I also see this being one of the major songs of the summer since its so radio friendly and catchy. I'm just going to let this play out, and see how the rest goes...

So if I had to some all of this up in one sentence I would just say: It's a cool song.  I do think the video could make our break the song, but I feel Mandler, the director, vision will enhance the song.

lol its like I'm trying really hard to like this song, but I just can't get so excited for it.  Maybe I'm feeling pressure from friends.  Every time you tell a person you don't like a Drake song, they act like you insulted their mother.

Click here for "Find Your Love"

If you need another example of a Kanye/Drake collabo, here's the infamous "Best I Ever Had" video.