Released: 2022
Label: OVO
Featuring: 21 Savage
The 6ix God, Aubrey “Drake” Graham, has sketched another picturesque tapestry of his world, packing Toronto’s gloomy nights, and opulent lifestyle into his latest project “Honestly, Nevermind”. Venturing into the inner sanctums of his mind, Drake’s lyricism on this album is a sonic voyage through raw emotions and introspective narratives.
Delving into the bombastic beats and slick production, tracks like “Falling Back”, “Texts Go Green”, and “Jimmy Cooks” provide a fresh taste of Drake’s infectious hook-writing skill. Meanwhile, this album, emblematic of his signature blend of hip-hop and R&B, pushes the margins of genre conventions. “Currents” and “A Keeper” delve into tales of love and loss, underscoring his ability to infuse catchy rhythm with substantive content.
While “Overdrive” underlines his ambition and triumphs, “Down Hill”, “Tie That Binds”, and “Liability”, poignantly capture Drake’s struggles with success and fame. Through every track of “Honestly, Nevermind”, we get to see different sides of Drake, illustrating an opus that is as complex and multifaceted as the man himself.
So let’s get into it. From “Intro” to “Jimmy Cooks (feat. 21 Savage)”, here are the Breaking down the Lyrics on ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ by ‘Drake’.
1. Intro
The 6 God arrives in his unapologetic OVO style, with an instrumental intro that echos the essence of being a pioneer navigating the music industry. It paints a musical portrait about his personal journey, the hustle and the cost of fame.
2. Falling Back
The master lyricist gets personal, baring his soul over the beat with lines like, “How can you say that you know I feel? / Know what I’m feeling, you don’t feel nothing / Nothing is healing, time is just killing.” This track epitomizes Drake’s ability to mix vulnerability with a chill, yet urgent flow, while navigating the choppy waters of uncertainty and perceived betrayal. It’s classic Drizzy, using words as his emotional compass, mapping out a journey that’s as intimate as it is relatable.
3. Texts Go Green
Cleverly, he uses color-coded text messages as a metaphor to mirror a relationship’s regression, with green symbolizing a shift from familiarity to estranged communication. This track boasts Drake’s adept storytelling, lining the verses with the sting of unrequited feelings, regrets, and empty promises. Drizzy unapologetically confronts us with his vulnerability and ego clash as he grapples with moving on. Peep this profound line, “I moved on so long ago / You’re still thinking ’bout me, though,” hitting us with the stark reality that lingering love can create a blurred timeline, elongating the process of detachment. It’s Drake in his element, a confessional tone, lyrical dexterity and tight production, painting a poignant portrait of love’s complex dance.
4. Currents
As the 6 God navigates a turbulent emotional landscape, he finds himself deeply invested in this lit affair. When Drake spits, “Don’t think twice / We’re still in formation / Testing the current / Already I’m sailing, it’s all so sudden / Catching a flight”, we feel the rush of love’s whirlwind. He’s not just testing the waters, he’s already caught in the flow. Rather than fight it, he’s decided to ride the wave, surrendering to emotions that may lead to ecstasy or agony. Drake’s strength lies in his honesty, his openness about the tug-of-war between passion and caution. Yet the line that hits hardest is, “Show me all your colors, I may not deserve you”. It’s a moment of self-reflection, questioning if his actions match his intentions, and a sentiment that rings true for anyone who’s loved deeply.
5. A Keeper
6. Calling My Name
The 6 God explores the complexities and contradictions of desire and detachment, navigating the treacherous seas of emotional longing. His baritone breaking the silence, “Why is it so hard giving you up? I’m counting the days ’til you come” drips with aching honesty, reflecting the internal battle wrapped up in emotional entanglement. The repeated refrain, “Your pussy is calling my name,” underscores the physical pull he feels, in stark contrast to the emotional withdrawal he’s trying for. This ain’t just lust, this is a brother grappling with the magnetic pull of intimacy, the raw hunger that goes beyond the physical. The track ends with an echo of the same turmoil, a testament to the cyclical narrative of love and lust that Aubrey’s found himself caught within. Shorty ain’t just another dime to him, he’s fighting to disentangle himself from his feelings, yet he’s equally drawn to the heat.
7. Sticky
8. Massive
9. Flight’s Booked
10. Overdrive
Candidly articulating emotional turbulence, he alludes to the imperfections within a relationship, oscillating between resisting and embracing the romantic turmoil. He consistently sets the scene of emotional struggles with evocative lines like, “With you beside me, I become unraveled, And you can see right through me”. The verse is testament to Drake’s extensive wordplay, employing the imagery of driving at high speed as a metaphor to depict his tumultuous, racing emotional state. It’s a reflection on the ups and downs, the sacrifices, and the fear of vulnerability that exist between two people. His heartfelt plea for fortitude, encapsulated in the line “Hold the line, we ain’t done,” doubles down on the desire to overcome the challenges and reaffirms his steadfastness in the face of relationship hurdles.
11. Down Hill
Using poignant lyrics, he illumes the struggle, alienation, and ultimate capitulation that can riddle modern love. The crux of his narrative is reflected in the lyrical repetition of “Overnight, we’re done. Overnight”. This line is an echoing testament to the swift, ruthless nature of crumbling connections. Drake’s signature introspection is heavily at play here, with verses like “We tri-tri-tried, tried, tried” and “We don’t connect anymore, far, far, far gone” underlining the futile attempts at rekindling what’s lost. These lyrics, delivered in his familiar melancholic cadence, reflect a reality many of us have battled – the painstaking realization that love isn’t always enough to maintain a connection. The phrase “We’re goin’ down, we’re goin’ downhill” drives home the point, signifying the inevitable decline and emotionally resonating with listeners who’ve experienced similar pitfalls in their own relationships.
12. Tie That Binds
Drake drops verse after verse pleading with an unnamed love interest not to leave, promoting a compelling vulnerability that’s become his signature. A powerful lyric, “Oh baby, I’m feeling all sort of things, I never wanna see you ever leave,” echoes through the song like a tolling bell of yearning, reflecting Drizzy’s poignant lyricism. Drake’s journey through longing, his fear of loss, and desperate commitment on this joint echoes the feelings of many within his broad listener base, making “Tie That Binds” a relatable bop. The track perfectly illustrates Drake’s nuanced portrayal of complex human emotions, blending raw lyrics with an impactful beat, reinforcing his status as an era defining artist in the hip-hop music landscape.
13. Liability
With each bar, Drake lays bare the painful dynamics of a toxic relationship – one where the other party is more interested in club exploits than emotional intimacy. It’s a shout-out to 3am loneliness, champagne hangovers, and the somehow addictive numbness of regret. Lines like “Claimed you haven’t eaten in days / Drinking your weight in champagne” exquisitely encapsulate this toxic cocktail of love and indifference. The whole song is laced with these menacing undertones. Drake’s graphic description of a partner “playing with [his] emotions” suggests a mind being twirled around by unpredictable whims, sucking the life right out of him. The piece-de-resistance, though, has to be “You put your words together like you getting points for that shit / Like you playing Scrabble on me,” a line that hits hard, encapsulating the emotional warfare of the situation as if we’re right there in the dugout with him.
14. Jimmy Cooks
Features: 21 Savage
