Drake and 21 Savage shakily join forces on collaborative album, ‘Her Loss’
‘Sad Boy Fall’ was in motion as soon as Drake and 21 Savage announced their collaboration album Her Loss. Following Honestly, Nevermind (2022), and Certified Lover (2021), it was hard to predict just what direction this project would take. Drake’s reputation precedes him, as he has become subject to relentless internet teasing and memes, which has somewhat tainted his credibility to deliver a serious rap project. I mean, his past two album titles in conjunction with Her Loss do not do him any favours of establishing maturity, despite just celebrating his 36th birthday. Internet sensationalism aside, the buzz surrounding this project has been irrefutable. 21 Savage has proven to be an effortless collaborator, providing the menacing undertone that Drake cannot achieve solely but seems to frequently be in pursuit of. Coming off the hype from the hit ‘Jimmy Cooks’, the standout hit from the experimental Honestly, Nevermind, have the pair been able to live up to fans’ expectations?
Unfortunately, virality and success are somewhat synonymous in today’s music industry. This is nothing new to the likes of 21 Savage and Drake, who have profited massively off this concept by creating tracks with the potential to stick around on TikTok for weeks after release. Her Loss is peppered with these viral moments, which have somewhat taken away from the better tracks on the project, which consist of solid rapping, excellent production, and undeniable chemistry between the two. I am of course directly referring to the opening track ‘Rich Flex’. The track has become somewhat jaded in my perception due to its exhaustive, high meme turnover. No matter how hard I try, it sparks images on Drake teasing 21 in the studio, whining in his ear “21, can you do something for me?”. The track, despite its tainted listenability now, does achieve the balance between the two artists that somewhat lacks throughout the album.
More often than not, it is hard to review the album as a collaborative effort. The project is heavily weighted in the favour of Drake, with 4 solo tracks on the album. Even on tracks where 21 is present, he seems more of an assist, propping up Drake when he needs light relief. For example, the Atlanta rapper feels somewhat invisible on ‘Treacherous Twins’, as his moment is sandwiched between Drake’s verse and chorus. This is not to say 21 fails to impress alongside a big star like Drake. Indeed, ‘On BS’ allows 21 to prove his spot on the project, claiming ‘I hop on your song and make you sound like the feature’. The direct conversation that takes place in the track highlights a natural synergy between the two, as they seamlessly go back and forth. Furthermore, ‘Major Distribution’ provides the perfect menacing backdrop for 21 to flow effortlessly on. Hence, it is unsurprising that 21 fails to hold his own on a track like ‘Circo Loco’. 21 Savage does not belong on a faulty Daft Punk sample – Drake shouldn’t even try himself. The sample flip does not quite work, not to mention the jabs of misogyny directed towards Megan Thee Stallion. ‘Circo Loco’ sticks out sorely, a merely trivial track that quite clearly begs the approval of radio stations – only to be tainted by the controversy it has sparked.
Despite these disparities, Her Loss experiences some of Drake’s best rapping efforts, arguably, since 2015. It is no surprise that Drake flourishes in this sonic soundscape, as production credits go to 40, Metro Boomin, Lil Yachty, Tay Keith – to name a few. From the start of his career, there has been no denying Drake’s effortless ability to put you in your feels over the simplest of beats. Moments on ‘Her Loss’ are reminiscent of older work from the rapper, especially the reflective outro of ‘Hours in Silence’, a personal stand out from the album. The near 7-minute track exudes the aura of If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late (2015) and rings similarities to the likes of ‘Now & Forever’ and ‘Preach’.
The main takeaway, for me, is that Drake is seemingly coming back into his own. His identity and confidence in his music seemed to be slipping out of his grasp with the polarising Certified Lover Boy (2021) and the experiment of Honestly, Nevermind earlier this year. Her Loss, though not without its missteps, has highlighted an encouraging redirection for Drake. 21 Savage proves to be a reliable counterpart once again but is impossible to see him as an equal to Drake on this supposed collaborative effort. This is a shame, as it is clear that the two bounce off each other so naturally. We may have not gotten what we were sold, but Her Loss seemed a necessary step for Drake to regain the trust of those who doubted his abilities.
Her Loss is out on all streaming platforms now.
