Drake’s Long-Awaited & Star-Studded “For All The Dogs” Arrives, Social Media Touts Mixed Reviews
After several delays, Drake’s For All The Dogs has finally arrived, much to fans’ delight.
The release comes in October, the month synonymous with his OVO branding, and on the 6th, the nickname is bestowed upon his hometown of Toronto.
Hours before we got the album, Drizzy unveiled the tracklist, which features a jaw-dropping 22 songs and even has some assistance from a lot of his musician friends like Lil Yachty, SZA, Bad Bunny, Chief Keef, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and 21 Savage.
The album also gives us a long-awaited collaboration with J. Cole, entitled “First Person Shooter,” since the two haven’t worked together in over a decade. NBA superstar and friend Kevin Durant serves as the project’s A&R.
Drake talked about hooking up with his contemporary for the first time in a while on the latest episode of his Table for One radio show as he prepped the world for the album’s release.
“I just got out the studio. Fourth quarter magic, me and Cole went crazy,” he said. “Me and Cole went crazy. Shoutout J. Cole. For all the Dogs. October 6. We’re here. I’m very, very proud, and I’m very, very grateful that any of you are still interested in what The Boy’s got to say.”
Fans were expecting the bars to start off with a bang because he named the first track “Virginia Beach,” which happens to be the hometown of nemesis Pusha T and his longtime friend Pharrell, whose jewelry Drake purchased at auction and allegedly melted down.
However, the Frank Ocean-sampled song came and went with no name drops, but he had some words for someone on “8 a.m. in Charlotte” when he alluded to greats placing flowers at his feet and having dirt on his contemporaries.
“You forced a lot of fake love when real ones stood in your face/That’s why you got deserted by your n-ggas like puddin’ and cake,” he raps. “I got you on camera bowin’ down, but the footage is safe/Thank God, another USB to put in the safe.”
He gets a bit more specific with his beef and mentions Virginia again on “Fear of Heights,” bragging that he freely moved around the city, but others could never do the same in Toronto.
“You n-ggas some p-ssy, for real/ You n-ggas some sissy, for real,” he raps. “Virginia, I pull up and chill/You know you can’t come where I stay.”
For All the Dogs marks Drake’s fourth project in four years after capping off his trilogy of Certified Lover Boy, Honest Nevermind, and Her Loss. With all the work he’s put in, he spoke on his SiriusXM radio show, Table for One, that he’ll be taking a break from the studio.
“I probably won’t make music for a little bit,” he said before revealing he’s had stomach issues. “I’m going to be real with you. I need to focus on my health, first and foremost, and I’ll talk about that soon enough. Nothing crazy, but just like, you know, I want people to be healthy in life.”
“I’m a lock the door on the studio for a little bit. Maybe a year or something … maybe a little longer,” he added.
See how social media is reacting to For All The Dogs below.
1.
Drake saying ‘For All The Dogs’ was going to be another “classic” just to drop mid again pic.twitter.com/9Fkjnjm3KZ
— yzyupdates (@yzyupdates) October 6, 2023
2.
Teezo touching Drake album… on “Amen” at that is fucking amazing. It’s really his moment. Love seeing dedicated niggas level up.
— Yan Snead (@YanSnead) October 6, 2023
3.
You unemployed niggas that did a Wake & Drake should be ashamed bruh. Omg
— Deon Must (@PRER0LLS) October 6, 2023
4.
Lmao drake ain’t shit for this https://t.co/TusrGbcCJs pic.twitter.com/QxXJ5Srx0T
— six (@Sixfever) October 6, 2023
5.
Drake and J. Cole on ‘First Person Shooter’ pic.twitter.com/QW0yksHovf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 6, 2023
6.
Travis Scott after wasting 4 years making Utopia just so Drake can drop For All The Dogs and win album of the year pic.twitter.com/wSRIXLMaNj
— Jai (@Jai_305_) October 6, 2023
7.
Me defending Drake after people call the album mid
pic.twitter.com/vwVpzpeEur— rift (@0v0Laker) October 6, 2023
8.
drake in 2021: said that you’re a lesbian, girl me too
drake in 2023: feel like I’m bi cause you’re one of the guys, girl
drake in 2025: i must be poly the way i want this cracker
— Al Shipley (@alshipley) October 6, 2023
9.
Drake fans 0.0011 seconds into listen to For all the dogs pic.twitter.com/vDiWY9ylUJ
— i₿ou (@teamibou23) October 6, 2023
10.
Drake: “She said she was vegan, she eatin’ the GOAT.”
Me: pic.twitter.com/Wl3KVg3e2r
— NUFF (@nuffsaidny) October 6, 2023
11.
Drake having Sexyy Red on the album instead of Nicki Minaj is crazy… pic.twitter.com/WdNQ1WQc6f
— kaisynicse (@kaisynicse) October 6, 2023
12.
Drake fans listening to Virginia Beach and hear there’s no shots at Pusha T…#ForAllTheDogs
pic.twitter.com/4Gm7EkFdyf— alex (@AlexUlrichh) October 6, 2023
13.
Another mid Drake album pic.twitter.com/cSu08AdjcP
— It’s called plane station (@LeaveMalacia) October 6, 2023
14.
Drake is dissing Rihanna but went on Lebron’s show saying he wanted a family with her pic.twitter.com/jygKzrZ0fT
— Kylie (@Kylie59265969) October 6, 2023
15.
Yeat on idgaf he carried the drake album btw pic.twitter.com/XosOw9c5yK
— dalys (@dalysyt) October 6, 2023
16.
Drake had all the unemployed, jobless, broke, no goals and no future people awake in sync at 6 am I gotta hand it to him https://t.co/esJYDbEb9K
— Corn ✧⍣ (@upblissed) October 6, 2023
17.
I liken Drake’s descent into paranoia and misogyny to Kanye’s descent into madness and fame excess. It’s interesting how they’ve used their discographies to timestamp of their spirals.
— Mel Smith (@iamMelsmith) October 6, 2023
19.
Nobody:
Me at work listening to First Person Shooter with Drake and Cole: pic.twitter.com/gojYx2rP8u
— General Booty (@big_hero_chris) October 6, 2023
20.
Drake new career after that album drop pic.twitter.com/B0zzlduk50
— BIG TIDDY TARYN (@skinnymysterio) October 6, 2023
23.
FATD is dropping. Pitchfork already loading up that 6.2 score. Toxic men who can’t fight are already calling it a classic. Music critics have their passive aggressive headlines ready. Shea Butter Twitter is already prepared to meltdown over innocuous rap bars.
Real rap is back. pic.twitter.com/81bEY8AfLg
— Naija Guy (@21Naija) October 5, 2023
24.
Me watching Adonis talk about his paintings in that Drake video: pic.twitter.com/CJH2bzoohb
— (@Rainmanmoe) October 5, 2023
The post Drake’s Long-Awaited & Star-Studded “For All The Dogs” Arrives, Social Media Touts Mixed Reviews appeared first on Black America Web.