Dark Lane Demo Tapes Review
No one was expecting Drake to release a mixtape. Dark Lane Demo Tapes released on May 1. Dark Lane Demo Tapes is a combination of “some leaks and some old joints from SoundCloud and some new vibes”, says Drake. On top of this out of the blue release, Drake also announced that he plans to release his 6th studio album in the summer of 2020. Drake announcing the mixtape and the album together implies that Dark Lane Demo Tapes is supposed to hold fans over until the summer and keep his name in the media.
Somewhere along the way Drake’s music has changed. His old music gave off the idea that he had something to prove, it showed his hunger to be at the top of hip-hop. On the other hand, the new music sounds like he has absolutely nothing to prove. After listening to the mixtape, it was clear that the intention was to highlight the diversity of Drake’s sound. The mixtape did a good job of showcasing the best of both worlds, as far as Drake before and after he went mainstream. The further down the tracklist you go, the more mainstream the music becomes. Depending on what type of Drake fan you are, you will either love the project or hate it.
Drake fans stand behind him regardless of what he puts out. For some fans, it has become harder to enjoy his music because of how mainstream it has become. Personally, Dark Lane Demo Tapes was mediocre. Every artist is not meant to go mainstream. A common misconception is the idea that you have to go mainstream in order to be at the top. Throughout his career, Drake has reshaped the mold of what hip-hop music sounds like, which is what made people fall in love with his music. But lately his music has not reflected his artistic ability which Dark Lane Demo Tapes proves. This project was disappointing, however there is still hope that the “old Drake” will make an appearance on the new album come summer 2020.
Photo credits: @champagnepapi
Report: Brionna Thompson
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