Drake isn’t overly emotional, hypersensitive, or uniquely fragile. Aubrey Graham is merely an average man blessed with an extraordinary gift. For the last decade, the Toronto rapper has simplified the intricacies of the human condition in a world constantly shifting with the ebbs and flow of new technologies. The best Drake songs have a unique brand of narcissism, jealousy, and emotive longing. He raps the way we tweet, curating his image as if it’s a second language he’s been fluid in since birth. Every move has a machine-like precision and intent. Listeners don’t come to Drizzy for emotional maturity and promises of blissful marriage; they want Drake to make their shortcomings seem mundane. Within the OVO head honcho, humanity sees its modern reflection.
Drake albums are time capsules of failed relationships that were never our fault. Starting with 2009’s So Far Gone, Drake built a world of a consistent heartbreak cut by momentary bliss. On Take Care, he’d hone the melancholy into a sharper, petty edge. By the time If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and Views came along, the emoting became colder; Drizzy’s heart was shielded by inches of muscle fiber and creatine. Finally, Scorpion presented a new question and narrative arc. What happens when rap’s resident man-child is thrust into fatherhood—and can the absence of one type of love ever be filled by another?
Over the last ten years, the Degrassi alum has transformed hip-hop and R&B into a Toronto-sized soap opera. Wheelchair spokes gave way to barbells; the walking meme became the best rapper alive through sheer force of will and internet savvy. Through it all, the 6 God let his heart lead the way. Below, find our picks for the most sensitive Drake lyrics.
“Jaded” (2018)
Lyric: “That's why I'm not with nobody (ooh yeah)/ 'Cause I don't wanna hurt nobody (ooh yeah)/ Did it over text, didn't call me (ooh yeah)/ Still got love for you, mami”
There is a sizeable contingent of the internet that believes “Jaded” is about an alleged romance between Drake and Jorja Smith. In four minutes, the Scorpion rapper spins a tale of falling in love, being dragged two hours to meet a girl’s family, and still getting broken up with over text. Although, when Drake starts calling the unnamed woman “lowdown, dirty, shameful, crazy” it isn’t difficult to see why the relationship ended via text.
“Is There More” (2018)
Lyric: “Am I missin' somethin' that's more important to find?/ Like healin' my soul, like family time”
Drake asks many absurd questions on “Is There More”—a man in his early thirties should not be debating the merits of healing emotional wounds or spending quality time with family. Arguably more troubling is Aubrey wondering if there’s more to life than “asses that never come in proportionate size?” (The answer is no.) If there is one thing the man who popularized (and proceeded to beat to death) the phrase “You Only Live Once” should know, it’s that there’s no need for a gorgeous butt to cause an existential crisis.
“After Dark” (2018)
Lyric: “Late night like Left Eye, I'm creepin'/ Assuming the worst 'cause I haven't heard from you all weekend/ Your silence is drivin' me up the wall, up the wall/ I cannot tell if you're duckin' calls or missin' calls”
An entire subplot of Insecure’s third season concerned the ethics of being “ghosted,” creeping social media accounts for answers, and checking your phone every few minutes waiting for a reprieve that seldom comes. It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn “After Dark” inspired the later episodes of HBO’s best romantic comedy. However, it is surprising that Drake is used to being Issa in this situation—albeit with far better rapping skills.
"Emotionless" (2018)
“Summer Games” (2018)
Lyric: “Yeah, you say I led you on, but you followed me/ I follow one of your friends, you unfollow me/ Then you block them so they can't see you likin' someone just like me”
See what we mean about Drake's intense hatred for Instagram? Celebrities are just like us, emotionally stunted and working through complex feelings from behind a glass screen.
"God’s Plan" (2018)
“No Stylist” (2018)
“Child’s Play” (2016)
"Houstatlantavegas" (2009)
"Lord Knows" f/ Rick Ross (2011)
“Days in the East” (2014)
"Missing You (Remix)" f/ Trey Songz (2009)
"In The Morning" (2010)
Lyric: "I got bath water you could soak in/ Things I could do with lotion."
“With You” f/ PARTYNEXTDOOR (2016)
Lyric: “Mixing vodka and emotions, tapping into your emotions/ Dry cry 'cause I'm hopeless”
“Girls Love Beyoncé” (2013)
Rihanna f/ Drake "Work" (2016)
“Club Paradise” (2011)
Lyric: “They say that all your old girls got somebody new/ I said, ‘Damn, really? Even Rosemary? Even Leanne Sealey?’”
"Best I Ever Had" (2009)
“Diamonds Dancing” f/ Future (2015)
"Doing It Wrong" (2011)
PARTYNEXTDOOR f/ Drake “Recognize” (2014)
"Shot For Me" (2011)
“The Motion” (2013)
"Fear" (2009)
"Marvin's Room" (2011)
“Keep the Family Close” (2016)
Lyric: “Always saw you for what you could've been/ Ever since you met me/ Like when Chrysler made that one car that looked just like the Bentley/ I always saw you for what you could've been”
Comparing a significant other to a Chrysler 300 is a great idea in theory, but a horrible one in execution. No one wants to be the affordable option in a relationship.