Drake & Future reveal overhyped ‘What A Time To Be Alive’ mixtape
The streaming and social media worlds have become engrossed today with the release of Drake and Future’s much-hyped mixtape, What A Time To Be Alive, which premiered last night on Drake’s OVO Sound show on Apple’s Beats 1 radio. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Drake revealed that the 11-track compilation took only 6 days to complete adding, “when you get around Future, it’s like a vortex, that guy can outwork anybody right now… It’s tough to see someone do four, five songs in one night and not try to match it.” With the mixtape predictably shooting to number one on the iTunes Top Albums chart in a matter of hours, it’s important to point out the effortless immediacy Drake’s influence draws – even if the mixtape’s lyricism and subject matter are limited.
Although Drake shines on his “30 for 30 Freestyle,” it seems tracks like soon-to-be strip club banger “Plastic Bag,” the ignorant lifestyle anthem “Change Locations” and the oxymoronic “Live From the Gutter” just apply to a culture too far removed from the poignant depths of reality. Yes, the technicality and flow are predictably well-executed, but it seems the pair’s relationship is like that one friend who’s more successful than you at everything (Drake) helping you out every now and again (Future) in an effort to not leave you behind. In other words, Drake is better than this; Future, is right in his sweet spot.
Maybe Kendrick Lamar ruined it for me with To Pimp A Butterfly. Or maybe this mixtape isn’t supposed to be taken seriously and it’s just a soundtrack to getting turnt, either way it’s definitely not Drake’s best work.
What A Time To Be Alive is available exclusively on iTunes and Beats 1.