The mixtape Drake called “pivotal in my life”
Drake is the most decorated rapper of all time, and despite his recent loss to Kendrick Lamar in their exchange of diss records, his prominence and status as an artist haven’t detracted from his prominence. The Toronto native has been one of the most prevalent and consistent musicians in the mainstream since the 2000s. However, his new material has come under much scrutiny.
From Joe Budden to Charlamagne Tha God, podcasters, radio hosts, and cultural commentators alike have been castigating the Scorpion creator for his apparent lack of musical growth. However, as previously stated, it is impossible to erase the indelible mark the lyricist (real name Aubrey Graham) has made on the scene,
With an eclectic catalogue that reflects a range of tastes, even though there may have been a regression in recent times, each Drake project has given fans a sense of what music he was listening to during its creation. From Afrobeat to drill and Amapiano, the ‘God’s Plan’ has explored an array of genres.
That said, Graham listened to particular projects before he even entered the mainstream, and they have continued to have an impact on his music even as he moves away from his initial sound.
In 2011, for the ‘Power 30’ issue of The Source magazine, Drake had an interview with Kim Osario, during which he spoke about his influences before entering the mainstream. He cited Jay-Z’s 2003 The Black Album and The Clipse’s 2002 debut Lord Willin’ as two albums that had a big impact on him.
That said, he also named others, “Opening up about the influence of Lil Wayne on him,” Graham explained to Osario, “Carter 2 and other things that pushed me to rap. Those were definitive albums that opened my sound.” However, he also embraced West Coast hip-hop. Unveiling this, he continued, “Oh, and Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. Those were just definitive albums that opened my mind to sound and melody and cadences and flows and, you know. Those were like really important to me.”
Beyond Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, he also revealed that Outkast and Biggie Smalls shaped his sound, too, adding, “I would have to say, uh, I say Life After Death. And then I will say a toss-up between [Speakerbooxx/] The Love Below and Aquemini.”
It’s understandable that some of these hip-hop staples would make it onto Drake’s list as the most important albums to him personally. However, there was one project that stood out as an outlier. Citing one fairly unknown body of work, Graham told Osario, “Uh, this is not an album, but The Little Brother and Mick Boogie mixtape, that was like pivotal in my life!”
The mixtape he is referring to is entitled And Justus For All. Released in 2007, the mixtape is the epitome of East Coast, New York hip-hop. You can listen to the project below.