Hip-hop superstar Drake released his seventh studio album “More Life” which exploded on the scene getting more first week online streams than any other album in history. But is this wild popularity due to the content of the music or the popularity of Drake as a cultural icon?

The album is very long containing 22 songs amazing up to about an hour and a half of music, but while the majority of it is very entertaining there are a couple spots where it is easy for the listener to get distracted. The highlights of the album are found within Drakes more upbeat, faster paced songs. Tracks like “Gyalchester” have a rhythm that listeners have not only come to expect but love from Drake while songs such as “Portland” or “Sacrifices” which features fan favorites such as Travis Scott, Quavo, 2 Chainz, and Young Thug really capture the sound that will not only have fans listening to the songs on repeat but show Drake at his peak.

While these songs highlight the sound that Drake fans have been waiting to for, the lulls of the album can tend to overshadow the project. Songs like “Get It Together” and “Since Way Back” have nice beats but sound very repetitive lyrically and seem like leftovers from Drake’s last album “Views”.

Also happening in the album is a new experimental sound by Drake in which he incorporates the use of grime music (european styled rap music). By bringing in european hitmakers such as Giggs, Skepta, or Sampha there is a definite sound change which hasn’t been heard in American rap. It can tend to derail from the sound a bit and is really a hit or miss with the listeners.

All in all Drake produces a good album but one that felt like there were still several holes left that Drake could have easily covered up had he gone with his more traditional sound.