Released: 2010 • Features: Drake
“Un-thinkable” by Alicia Keys and Drake is a poetic exploration of vulnerability, love, and the courage it takes to act on those feelings. The song navigates the thin line between love and fear, fear of commitment, and baring your soul to another individual.
It invites listeners to reflect on the beauty and madness that love often brings, the leap of faith that requires going ‘all in’ and doing the ‘unthinkable’.
Drake starts the song expressing his fear and insecurity about love and commitment. Tez, presumably a reference to his friend and manager Cortez Bryant, has just turned 30 and is voicing concerns about remaining single.
When Drake says, “Good women are rare too, none of them have come close,” he’s acknowledging the stakes and the struggle of finding a love that feels authentic and meaningful in a world that often seems superficial, especially in the backdrop of the music industry.
Drake then wrestles with the fear of ending up with someone who’s been with everyone, signaling his desire for something more exclusive and substantial. When he says, “you know life is what we make it and a chance is like a picture, it’d be nice if you just take it,” he’s suggesting that love requires going after it boldly, and facing any repercussions head-on.
Alicia Keys’ verse adds another layer to the song, encapsulating the excitement and anxious anticipation that often characterizes the beginning of new relationships. When she sings, “could I make you my baby, if we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy,” she’s acknowledging the risk associated with acting on her feelings.
Keys’ repetition of “if you ask me, I’m ready,” signifies her intent and preparedness to take the leap, regardless of how it might be perceived.
In the bridge, Keys questions the fear that holds us back from pursuing love, asking, “why give up before we try?” She’s making a plea for embracing the lows that inevitably accompany the highs, underscoring the importance of moving forward despite uncertainties, further solidifying the song’s overarching message of the courage it takes to fully commit to love.”Un-thinkable” does what hip-hop does best: it gets real, and it gets raw. It lays bare the struggles of love in an increasingly complicated world, inviting listeners to question their own barriers and hurdles when it comes to pursuing love. It challenges us all to do the ‘unthinkable’ when it comes to love – to take a leap of faith, regardless of how daunting that jump may seem.
