For All The Dogs Album Cover

On October 6, 2023, global sensation Drake released his eighth studio album, For All the Dogs. Drake initially announced the article’s impending release this June in an Instagram caption: “They say they miss the old Drake girl; don’t tempt me. For All The Dogs.” Using a line from one of his older hits, “Headlines,” Drake told the world that the old Drake was returning for the new album. And he did. 

In typical Drake fashion, all 23 tracks from the album charted in the top 50 of the Billboard charts. The album was highly anticipated and had many hits across different genres. “Gently” ft. Bad Bunny showcased Drake’s Spanglish skills before transitioning into a dembow beat, a Dominican musical subgenre. Bad Bunny’s performance on the dembow portion of the song was highly revered online, with some fans on X (formerly Twitter) saying that the Puerto Rican carried the song. Another song with talented features is “Rich Baby Daddy” ft. Sexyy Red and SZA. This is the biggest hit from the album, with a viral TikTok dance and a debut at No. 10 on the Billboard charts. The song is an instant classic, with a sample from “My Boo” by the Ghost Town DJs. With the retro sample, along with Sexyy Red’s catchy chorus and SZA’s vocal performance, the song was designed to be a hit.

One of the most anticipated songs on the record was “Calling For You” ft. 21 Savage. After the release of the Atlanta-based rapper’s joint album with Drake, people were excited to see what Drake and 21 cooked up for their newest song together. However, the song was met with mild criticisms of 21 Savage’s performance, with many people claiming that 21 Savage uses the same flow in every piece and calling the song boring. “Calling For You” was one of the more disappointing songs on the album, and considering the quality of their last album together, “Her Loss,” a lot more was expected from the two rappers. 

If you are looking for a promising lyrical performance from Drake, Daylight, and First Person Shooter ft. J. Cole, these are the songs for you. Daylight has made Drake fans question where this version of Drake has been for the past five years. Daylight has multiple beat switches, crazy flows, and a few memorable bars, but what stands out is the performance by Drake’s 6-year-old son, Adonis Graham. His verse has been trending since the album’s release, and the week following its release, Adonis officially dropped his first song, “My Man Freestyle.” In First Person Shooter, both rappers delivered memorable bars and were able to shine without outshining one another. The song’s success and the relationship between the two artists have led to the extension of Drake’s current tour, “It’s All a Blur Tour,” adjusting the tour name to “It’s All a Blur Tour—Big as the What?” Drake added 22 new tour dates and is coming to the South Florida area, performing in Tampa on February 2, 2024, at the Amalie Arena. 

With captivating features and a wide variety of different genres, this is one of Drake’s best albums in recent years. After years of catering to the pop industry, he has come full circle and is back better than ever. This album is definitely for all the bulldogs.