It's rare to hear a R&B/rap duet wherein the singing part serves as the hard side of the hard/soft dynamic. Usually it's the other way around. But this is Drake and Mary J. Blige we're talking about, so here we are. Now, I strongly dislike Drake. (That could be a Morrissey song, "Drake, I Dislike You.") Even though I think he is an interesting writer and he raps well. And that makes me like this song even more.
His opening verse gives it some nice variety in texture, and there are some good things about his rhymes—good things that are, as usual, spoiled by his overall mien. He's just so unlikeable. So smarmy and processed. And this lets Mary's singing shine even brighter here than it might otherwise. Because she of course has one of the great, raw, naturally beautiful voices in the world. You just can't wait 'til Drake shuts up so you can hear it.
The melody is one of the strongest ones we've heard Mary sing in a long time. And the beat is nice, too. Made by Jim Jonsin and Rico Love. All spare and moody. Almost like a low-key version of the beat Timbaland made for Ginuwine's "Pony." I mean, it's not that nice. "Pony" is like, what? One of the top ten or fifteen beats in the past fifteen years.
Oh, also, in case you haven't heard, Drake is in a rap beef with Common. Which is like the time in the early '90s when KRS-One got into a rap beef with Prince Be from P.M. Dawn. Except if instead of KRS-One it was the other guy from P.M. Dawn.
@Dave Bry,
Here's the fail about the Drake/Blige video. There's no way that you can make me believe that Mary J. Blige would ever fall for, or be used/abused, by someone like Drake. They might as well have put Bieber at the top.
I'm trying to come up with someone who would have been more of a match, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a singer. I can think of some actors (basically, because I'm looking at it like a video, not a song), but not a singer. Maybe Non-No Country for Old Men Javier Bardem? Shirtless Omari Hardwick? Scorpion Ryan Gosling? Bathing Suit Daniel Craig?
Drake's appeal to the ladies eludes me, too. But he raps about it a lot, so it must be true!
That KRS-One/PM Dawn was the greatest rap beef of all time. KRS once showed up to a PM Dawn gig, pushed them off the stage and proceeded to do his own concert and the crowd loved it. I never do the hyperbolic, each word as its own sentence thing but- Best. Hiphop. Moment. Ever.
You articulated the way I feel about both Drake and the beat from "Pony." (Except I might make it top 5 beats.)
Drake is awesome, specially with Rihanna