‘Certified Lover Boy’ Album Review

Drake, one of our generation’s greatest artists, dropped his highly anticipated album, “Certified Lover Boy” (“CLB”), on Sept. 3, three years after his last album drop. 

2021 has provided listeners with some of the best music released in the last five years, and “CLB” is no exception, leaving both fans and charts buzzing.

The album features collaborations from big name artists — legends like Jay Z, Lil Baby, Rick Ross, and Kid Cudi, and more. The album was expected to be one of the best Drake releases to date, but some fans already have mixed feelings about the project. 

The album art itself was deemed as “childish,” prior to the release because it displays 12 versions of the pregnant woman emoji. In addition, some fans think the songs fit into a more mainstream style of rap. 

With all that being said, I personally enjoyed the album. I wouldn’t say that it is the best project of Drake’s career, but I found bits and pieces intriguing. 

As indicated by the title “Certified Lover Boy,” Drake digs into his feelings to talk about love from a male perspective, a theme which we are starting to see more frequently in rap music. 

Some songs were more upbeat, such as “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, but the overall message of the project is about love and heartbreak. 

After many years of making controversial music, Drake has proved again that he is indeed too big to fail. His goal with all of his projects is to get the media as attached to it as possible, and he has certainly done that. 

Because of the mass popularity of apps like TikTok, snippets of many of the songs from “CLB” were highly desired weeks prior to their release. Drake has full control of social media and he will continue to have it for many years to come.

Love or hate the album, people must admit that Drake has been one of the most influential artists in the rap game. He has been able to produce hits on every project, and that alone keeps the fans ready and waiting for more. 

If he wants to make a different style of music, I can guarantee you we will see many young artists follow the path of the man before them. Music is always developing and changing, and Drake is at the forefront of that change.