[Track of the Week] Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home

It’s not frequently that I remember when artists came on the scene, but leave it to Drake to stand out. The storytelling intonation in his voice lands halfway between sultry and scruffy and when it’s paired with both simple yet deliberate bass lines and minor chords – it becomes thematic and has the ability to move people. Forget the fact he got his start on Degrassi – or don’t, we all have to start somewhere and truth be told, I’m sure his acting experience only enhances his music making abilities. Born and raised in Toronto, Drake spent a good amount of time creating mixtapes in hopes of being discovered by a major label. In 2007, he became the first unsigned Canadian rapper with a video on BET for the single “Replacement Girl”. Drake was signed to Lil Wayne’s label Young Money Entertainment in 2009; later that year, he released his first EP ‘So Far Gone‘ containing the smash single, “Best I Ever Had“. I only caught the song on my radar at the time because of a delightful remix by Indie-Electro DJ Matamatics, but it got me curious. His sophomore album ‘Thank Me Later’ was certified platinum by the RIAA and his third album ‘Take Care’ is behind the (unfortunately) popular and overused phrase, YOLO. I can forgive that little bit because the more I’ve listened to other tracks like “Find Your Love”, “Take Care” with Rihanna, “Headlines” and “Swimming Pools” – the more I appreciate the man’s musical genius as an artists and a lyricist.

The latest jam of Drake’s that I’ve been obsessed with is called ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’ and it’s been remixed to the nine’s by DJ’s across the genres.