Drake Stuns Fans With Midnight Release and Dance Influence in Seventh Studio Album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’

It’s always exciting to see artists experiment with different sounds, and it seems that @champagnepapi, aka hip-hop artist Drake is no different. The Canadian rapper shocked both hip-hop and electronic music listeners alike with the midnight release of his seventh album, Honestly, Nevermind.

The album (dedicated to the late fashion designer, founder of Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abdolah) opens with a smooth jazz solo, modified by synthesizers and sounding almost faded in the distance, showing off the album’s varied sound right from the start.

From there, Nevermind weaves in between house, trance, and Afrocentric dance all with the help of 2021 Grammy-award winning, South African producer, Black Coffee. Assisting and even co-writing on the tracks “Currents” and “Texts Go Green” his influence is quickly noticed in the danceable quick beats and snares.

Gordo, previously known as producer Carnage, also helped produce the album. “Gordo got me on a wave,” Drake says in “Sticky,” one of the more hip-hop-influenced tracks that Gordo assisted with. Gordo is also credited with helping in “Currents,” as well as “Calling My Name,” “Massive” and “Ties that Bind.”

Other notable producers on the album are RAMPA with his Afrocentric progressive vibes; Beau Nox, known for his seductive sounds; Kid Masterpiece, who produced the sultry smooth jazz intro; and RY X, an Australian producer who also helped with “Sticky” and is known for some soulful and spiritual melodies.

It isn’t until the last track that Drake serves some of his classic hip-hop with producers Vinylz, Tay Keith and Cubeatz, alongside 21 Savage in the finale, “Jimmy Cooks.”

All in all, Honestly, Nevermind is fifty-two minutes of hip-swaying and toe-tapping music, celebrating Drake’s progression in music as he explores his sound and crosses new thresholds in both hip-hop and electronic music.