It’s been a good week for Drake. First, he and his team won a second championship. This is the intramural three-on-three basketball league, SBL, that he started with his friends but since it’s Drake, you know it has to be extra. 

 

First of all, they play on the court that was built on his estate in Toronto, a court that’s probably nicer than most actual NBA courts. And, yes, it’s regulation size. Also, the winners don’t just get some toy trophy and a case of Bud for the victory. There are championship hats and t-shirts distributed and champagne is popped and, oh yeah, he had rings made for them last year valued at $50K each. And a whole ass camera crew documenting the game, like it’s supposed to be televised. Like I said, not your average beer league. And the way he reacted when he won is definitely not average. Drake is always gonna Drake: 

Since Drake’s team is the only team that has won since the inception of this league, we don’t know whether or not the same sh-t happens when he’s not in the finals and emerges triumphant. I am curious what that timeline looks like. 

Anyway, Drake and his basketball moves are not the big headline today. The big headline, of course, is that last night he dropped a surprise album. Honestly, Nevermind is Drake’s seventh studio solo album with 13-tracks and comes with an album note that reads as follows:

 

The sound of this album is not like the sound of his previous albums, but Drake’s always consistent about getting into his feelings and his grudges. For all that he is, and with all his wins, Drake will never not be fighting something. The music of Honestly, Nevermind, then, is a little melancholy but it’s also a summer mood. This is “One Dance”, “Controlla”, and “Passionfruit” Drake from his previous releases. For me, personally, since I love those tracks, and especially “Passionfruit”, Honestly, Nevermind is working for me. It's music for sticky hot summer nights. It’s also music to f-ck to, and we’ll come back to the sex in a minute. 

For now let’s talk about reaction. Because where Drake is concerned, Twitter is always going to come through. People who were expecting hip-hop, even though the album is clearly listed as “dance”, are disappointed. I might not agree with them as, again, after one complete listen all the way through, I’m riding with Honestly, Nevermind, but the tweets are still hilarious to me. 

This is the one that sent me… 

But also? People can hate on it but it doesn’t mean that Drake won’t leave his mark on the culture. 

 

It’s true – whether it’s his lyrics or the visuals or the album art or whatever, even when people don’t necessarily like the music, the music will still make an impact. 

And then there’s this: 

It’s an image from the music video for “Falling Back”, with a guest starring appearance by Tristan Thompson who shows up at the beginning to help prep Drake for his wedding… to 23 women. All of them are Instagram models/influencers and they each get their own moment near the end, with their handles all clearly displayed. 

I don’t know if I’m supposed to find this offensive, which is probably a problem in and of itself. Like I get it that for a lot of people this is gross. But also, if I’m honest, many parts of this video made me laugh. The wedding band, for example, is led by Dan Finnerty – you may not be familiar with the name, but you’ll know his work with The Dan Band from the movie Old School and Drake recreated the moment that happens at the 24 second mark of the video below, a comedy classic. It’s Will Ferrell’s expression when he goes from smiling to confusion and his head jerk, LOL forever. This will never not be funny to me: 

 

And this is what happens in Drake’s video, only he’s not singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" but his own song “Best I Ever Had”, and now I’m screaming and does that mean my value system is compromised because Drake’s out here flexing a harem and here I am laughing my ass off? Like I said, I don’t know, so please yell at me and tell me I’m an asshole, I agree. 

But it’s not like Drake has ever pretended to be a one-woman guy. Do you remember the album art for Certified Lover Boy? 

 

That work, by Damien Hirst, also works for many of the tracks on Honestly, Nevermind, including the song “Calling My Name” which includes the lyrics “Your pussy is calling my name/So come on baby, let’s stop playing games”. That line, by the way, also gets played during the new music video on Drake’s wedding day in the presence of his own mother, Sandy, with all his brides. Who are being objectified, no doubt, but also seem to be consenting to it since they look quite happy to be getting married to him, um, together, and of course profiled in the biggest way possible in his video with their handles advertised which means their follower count has already been jacked up exponentially. Is that a valid justification? Doubtful, and like I said, I’m already morally compromised.