Thank Me Later

by Drake

Overview

By the time of the release of Drake's first full-length album, the Canadian rapper was already a star thanks to his huge single "Best I Ever Had," his celebrated mixtape and then EP So Far Gone, and his spots on hits by Young Money and Eminem. Thank Me Later had the tough assignment of living up to the anticipation and further Drake as an artist, and it totally lives up to the hype. Thanks to the rich and nuanced production and Drake's thoughtful, playful, and intense lyrics, Thank Me Later is a radio-friendly, chart-topping collection of singles but also a serious examination of Drake's life that holds up as an album. Most of the record finds the young rapper (23 at the time of release) conflicted about his growing stardom and fame. Whether it's a relationship splitting up as on the melancholy "Karaoke," worries about the fame changing him ("The Resistance"), fears that so-called real hip-hop fans will find him manufactured ("Show Me a Good Time"), or the difficult nature of romance when you're a star ("Miss Me"), Drake isn't afraid to examine what the past year has done to his life. He's also not afraid to talk about how great life has become as well, dropping plenty of lines about the money, the women, and his own prowess as a rapper. His belief in his own skills is well-founded, as the list of collaborators lined up to work with him attests. T.I., Swizz Beatz, Young Jeezy, the-Dream, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Drake's mentor Lil Wayne all drop by to add verses, sing hooks, and produce tracks, and their presence sometimes serves to liven things up and keep Drake away from his melancholy nature. The T.I./Swizz Beatz track "Fancy" is a fun and sassy summer jam with a huge hook, his track with Jay-Z ("Light Up") is a fierce takedown of the Industry and the damage it can wreak, and the Nicki Minaj collabo "Up All Night" is a tough-as-nails boast that features Drake at his most insistent. Elsewhere, Lil Wayne's verse on "Miss Me" is his usual breathtaking verbal roller coaster, the-Dream's vocals on the verses of "Shut It Down" are heartbreakingly sincere, and Jeezy adds some welcome ferociousness to "Unforgettable." It's like all the guests had to bring their best game to keep up with Drake, and they didn't want the youngster to show them up. He never shows anyone up exactly (though Jay-Z's verse sounds kind of out of breath compared to Drake's), but he definitely proves that he belongs at the very top of the game. His nimble flow is impressive; his words are heartfelt, brainy, and surprising; and while his singing may not be the best, it shows a vulnerability that is rare in rap circles. Indeed, it is this willingness to be introspective and honest that makes Drake unique and helps make Thank Me Later special. It is the rare album, rap or otherwise, that follows through on the artist's potential and the fan's anticipation. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	06/15/2010
Label:	Cash Money
UPC:	0602527395319
Rank:	41475

Tracks

1. Fireworks
2. Karaoke
3. The Resistance
4. Over
5. Show Me a Good Time
6. Up All Night
7. Fancy
8. Shut It Down
9. Unforgettable
10. Light Up
11. Miss Me
12. Cece's Interlude
13. Find Your Love
14. Thank Me Now

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Drake   Primary Artist,Vocals,Lead Vocals
The-Dream   Vocals,Featured Artist
Crada   Co-Producer
T.I.   Featured Artist,Vocals
Alicia Keys   Vocals,Featured Artist
Swizz Beatz   Vocals,Featured Artist,Multi Instruments
Jay-Z   Vocals,Featured Artist
Lil Wayne   Vocals,Featured Artist
Kevin Randolf   Keyboards
Matthew Burnett   Strings
Mary J. Blige   Vocals
Jeff Bhasker   Keyboards,Co-Producer
Boi-1da   Keyboards,Co-Producer,Multi Instruments
Al-Khaaliq   Horn,Strings,Keyboards,Co-Producer
A-Trak   Scratching
Timbaland   Multi Instruments
Jeezy   Vocals,Featured Artist
40   Piano,Keyboards
Nicki Minaj   Vocals,Featured Artist
The Dream   Featured Artist
No I.D.   Co-Producer
Francis Farewell Starlite   Multi Instruments
Noah Shebib   Piano,Keyboards,Multi Instruments
Adrian Eccleston   Piano,Guitar

Technical Credits

Ghazi Hourani   Assistant Engineer
Bryan Williams   Executive Producer
Miguel Scott   Mixing Assistant
Aubrey Graham   Composer
David "Gordo" Strickland   Mixing Assistant
C. Kalla   Composer
Crada   Producer
Onika Maraj   Composer
Gee Roberson   Executive Producer
Anthony Palman   Assistant Engineer
Alicia Keys   Composer
Sidney Brown   Composer
Swizz Beatz   Producer,Instrumentation
J. Jenkins   Composer
J. Reynolds   Composer
Chris Gehringer   Mastering
D. Edwards   Composer
Pat Thrall   Engineer
Doug Edwards   Composer
Ernie Isley   Composer
David Richardson   Composer
Patrick Reynolds   Composer
Aubrey Johnson   Composer
Chris Godbey   Mixing
D. Richardson   Composer
Ernest Wilson   Composer
Oliver El-Khatib   Executive Producer,A&R,Composer,Art Direction
Keith Parry   Mixing Assistant
Dale "Dizzle" Virgo   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Yashar Oghabi   Mixing Assistant
Matthew Burnett   Composer,Producer
Philip Golebiewski   Artwork,Photography
Anthony Kronfle   Assistant Engineer
Greg Morrison   Mixing Assistant
Marq "MoodyMan" Moody   Assistant Engineer
Mark "Darkie" Mayers   Design
Derrick "E.I." Lawrence   Executive Producer
Lil Wayne   Executive Producer
S. Brown   Composer
Ronald Isley   Composer
Rudolph Isley   Composer
Kanye West   Composer,Producer
Marvin Isley   Composer
Jeff Bhasker   Composer,Producer
O'Kelly Isley   Composer
Boi-1da   Producer,Instrumentation,Drum Programming
Kasseem Dean   Composer
Al-Khaaliq   Producer
Timothy Mosley   Composer
Timbaland   Producer,Instrumentation
Ann Mincieli   Mixing,Engineer
Joshua Berkman   A&R
Dwayne Carter   Composer
Chris Jasper   Composer
A. Johnson   Composer
Dave Richardson   Composer
40   Instrumentation,Drum Programming
J. Prince   Assistant Engineer,Executive Producer
Nicki Minaj   Composer
Jas Prince   Assistant Engineer,Executive Producer
Matthew Samuels   Composer
Sidney "Omen" Brown   Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Terius Nash   Composer
Christian Kalla   Composer
No I.D.   Producer,Drum Programming
M. Burnett   Composer
Francis Farewell Starlite   Composer,Instrumentation
Aubry Johnson   Composer
Henry Zant   Composer
Anthony McIntire   Composer
Jay Jenkins   Composer
Noah Shebib   A&R,Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation,Drum Programming,Reissue Mastering,Executive Producer
Henry "Red" Zant   Composer
Jonathan Mannion   Photography
Shawn Carter   Composer
Adrian Eccleston   Composer,Instrumentation
Ariel Chobaz   Engineer
Anthony Mandler   Photography
Noel "Gadget" Campbell   Mixing
Francis and the Lights   Producer
Omen   Drum Programming
Patrick "Plain Pat" Reynolds   Composer,Drum Programming
Tone Mason   Producer,Drum Programming
Ronald "Slim Tha Don" Williams   Executive Producer
Michael "Banger" Cadahia   Engineer
Nick Brongers   Composer
Tandra "Lytes" Jhagroo   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton   Engineer
Travis Harrington   Assistant Engineer
Cortez Bryant   Executive Producer
Noel Cadastre   Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer