$ome $exy $ongs 4 U Album Review

 Drake links with OVO understudy to fuel his self-pitied, R&B-heavy return to the top

By Dylan Barbee

Courtesy @champagnepapi on Instagram

Release Date: February 14, 2025 

This past year, Drake has had his name dragged through the mud in what some would say was the biggest rap beef ever. From being called a sex offender by the whole world to his two exes, SZA and Serena Williams, dancing on the Super Bowl halftime show stage dedicated to talking down on his name, Drake has had his back against the wall. 

Despite this, Drake has returned to the spotlight with a R&B collaboration album with fellow Canadian artist PARTYNEXTDOOR called $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. The 21-track Valentine’s Day released album extends over a 70-minute listen. Drake returns to his melancholic sad boy R&B roots similar to his approach on past albums like his 2009 release So Far Gone and his 2011 Take Care. However, this is a collaboration album, and I can't help but recognize that PARTYNEXTDOOR feels like an afterthought on the album, having minimal contributions. 

The album starts off strong with songs like “CN TOWER,” “MOTH BALLS” and “SOMETHING ABOUT YOU” as both artists encapsulate the classic dark and cold Toronto sound that rose to mainstream in the 2010s. Ringing phones and female voices spill into hard hitting hi-hats and synths making “MOTH BALLS” an addictive listen and Drake fans feel some sense of nostalgia. Both Canadian artists talk about a love interest they can’t help but be addicted to on “SOMETHING ABOUT YOU.” “Vent to me baby, vent to me baby After that, we should get intimate, baby,” Drake sings on the track. 

The hot streak continues as both artists dish out relatable lyrics over laid-back R&B production. “SPIDER-MAN SUPERMAN” and “LASERS” may be the strongest songs on the album. On “SPIDER-MAN SUPERMAN” both artists admit they can’t give this girl everything she wants. “Girl I wish I could save you, but I can’t,” PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake sing on the song. 

Other than these songs being my favorite tracks off this new album, there are a lot of songs worth mentioning that are catching the attention of listeners worldwide. “NOKIA” is a fun and addictive listen that uses a retro funky production style, comedic lyrics and a clever sample of a Nokia ringtone to ultimately create a creative track that makes listeners want to dance. The effect seems similar to what Drake had with his 2018 release “Nice for What.”

“GIMME A HUG” seems to be a song where Drake counts his blessings and recognizes his core audience. With subtle sneak disses against his nemesis Kendrick Lamar at the beginning and clever but at times pitiful bars throughout the song, “GIMME A HUG” is worth remembering due its high replay value. “SMALL TOWN FAME” has a similar effect on listeners as Drake reminisces on a past fling as she now only seeks men in their hometown despite Drake being famous. Perhaps the most honest bar on the album is the last one on this song where Drake says, “I’m a mess right now.” 

And it’s true that even as hard as Drake tries to ignore the rough year he had in 2024, his bitterness and self pity seeps through the album’s tracklist, disguised as hubris. Lyrics like “n**** is hating the boy for sure, the women in love, walk in the strip club, damn, I missed you hoes, give me a hug,” on “GIMME A HUG” or “I need somebody who gon’ meet me at the top, Who’s out there for me?” on “SOMEBODY LOVES ME,” reek of having a victim mentality but in a confusingly prideful way. 

Additionally, there are a lot of skips on this album such as the confusing and almost offensive “MEET YOUR PADRE,” where Drake sounds like he’s struggling through a 7th grade spanish speaking exam. Songs on the backend of the album like “OMW” and “CELIBACY” serve as uneventful and boring listens where PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake just seem to be rambling about uninspired flings. 

I feel like I’ve barely mentioned PARTYNEXTDOOR’s efforts in this review so far and I think that’s indicative of his role on $exy $ongs 4 U; very minimal. The R&B artist performs very well when he does sing on tracks though like the acoustic led “DIE TRYING” and the outro track “GREEDY.”  PARTYNEXTDOOR fills the album with impressive vocals filled with seductive lines that at times may make an average listener uncomfortable how sexually explicit they are – but it upsets me that he isn’t on this tracklist more often. “You like when I f*ck you from the back but I want to see your face right now,” PARTYNEXTDOOR sings on his only solo track on the album “DEEPER.” Drake has 6 solo performances on $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. 

At times, Drake sounds like he is focused more on winning the fans back on his side rather than allowing his OVO apprentice PARTYNEXTDOOR to shine. It’s almost like PARTYNEXTDOOR is the background character to Drake’s self pity act.

Despite this somewhat questionable approach, Drake proves he is still alive and well on $ome $exy $ongs 4 U with PARTYNEXTDOOR by his side. The album is the biggest R&B/Soul album of all time by first day streams on Apple Music. Admittedly, this will most likely be one of my most revisited albums of the year as most of these songs have been on repeat for me since its release. 

Overall, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U is a great R&B listen even though it's clear that Drake wants people to feel bad for him. If listener’s can look past this approach going forward and appreciate PARTYNEXTDOOR’s minimal but strong contributions, this album will age like fine wine, as many past Drake albums have. 

Rating: 8/10