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Joe Budden’s Critique of Drake’s ‘For All the Dogs’ Album: A Comprehensive Analysis

Joe Budden’s Critique of Drake’s ‘For All the Dogs’ Album: A Comprehensive Analysis

Joe Budden, a well-known rapper-turned-podcaster, recently shared his thoughts on Drake’s highly anticipated album, ‘For All the Dogs’, on Episode 664 of The Joe Budden Podcast. The conversation sparked a lot of discussion, with fans eagerly awaiting Budden’s critique of the album. While Budden has a complicated history with Drake, he has always maintained that he is a big fan of Drake’s music throughout his career.

In the podcast episode, Budden and his co-hosts delved into their thoughts on ‘For All the Dogs’, offering both positive and negative feedback. One of the standout moments from the podcast was when Budden called out Drake’s performance on the track “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole. This clip quickly went viral, catching Drake’s attention and reigniting their past issues. Drake responded by writing a lengthy Instagram caption aimed at Budden, criticizing his music career and questioning his credibility.

Budden’s Mixed Review of ‘For All the Dogs’

Despite the heated exchange between Drake and Budden, it’s important to note that Budden’s critique of the album was not entirely negative. Throughout the podcast episode, he shared his honest opinions on various aspects of the album, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a closer look at Budden’s thoughts on different tracks and elements of ‘For All the Dogs’:

“8am in Charlotte” – A Disappointment for Budden

Budden admitted to being a fan of Drake’s past entries in the time stamp series, but he found “8am in Charlotte” to be underwhelming. He expressed his disappointment, stating that the track didn’t live up to the rest of the series. While he acknowledged that Drake was “rapping well” on the song, he felt that it didn’t fit the mood or temperament he expects from the time stamp series.

Budden believed that “Virginia Beach” should have been a diss track directed at Pusha T, one of Drake’s long-standing rivals. He praised the beat of the song but questioned why Drake didn’t go all out in dissing Pusha T. Despite his disappointment in the missed opportunity, he still appreciated what Drake was talking about on the track.

Shots at Rihanna – Confusion and Criticism

Budden expressed confusion over Drake’s decision to seemingly take shots at Rihanna in the song “Fear of Heights”. He questioned why Drake would go after her and ASAP Rocky, the father of her children. He viewed it as petty and unnecessary, particularly since Rihanna hadn’t released an album in seven years. However, he did acknowledge the beat switch in the second half of the song as “insane.”

“First Person Shooter” with J. Cole – Budden’s Overall Issue with Drake

Budden pointed out that the song “First Person Shooter” with J. Cole exemplified his overall issue with Drake. He criticized Drake’s decision to let Cole’s voice be the first voice heard on the track, suggesting that it showed Drake trying to align himself with Cole when they aren’t actually close. Budden felt that Drake failed to rise to the occasion in comparison to Cole’s performance on the song.

Drake Rapping in Spanish – A Missed Mark for Budden

Budden made it clear that he never wants to hear Drake rap in Spanish again, particularly referencing the track “Gently” featuring Bad Bunny. He felt that Drake’s execution of rapping in Spanish was subpar and compared it to when Drake started singing “Happy Birthday,” suggesting that it was a low point in his career. He also described the second half of the album as “a mess.”

‘For All the Dogs’ as Drake’s Best Since ‘Scorpion’

Despite his criticisms, Budden acknowledged that ‘For All the Dogs’ is Drake’s best album since ‘Scorpion’, released in 2018. While his co-hosts argued that this may not be saying much, Budden expressed his disappointment with the current state of hip-hop albums in general. He believes that many rappers sound uninspired and lack the creative energy to innovate. He suggested that Drake could do with some time off to recharge and potentially bring fresh ideas to the table.

Missing Verses and Dominant Hooks

Budden questioned the absence of the verse that Lil Yachty praised on ‘For All the Dogs’. He couldn’t find the verse that Yachty claimed was one of Drake’s best, raising doubts about its inclusion on the album. He also expressed his disappointment in the lack of memorable hooks from Drake in recent times, as he believes Drake’s strength lies in his ability to create catchy and dominant hooks.

Drake Rapping for the Children

Towards the end of the podcast episode, Budden suggested that Drake’s album sounded like he was “rapping for the children” rather than his longtime fans. He felt that Drake should focus on creating music that resonates with adult audiences and tackles more mature topics. Budden compared Drake’s growth to that of J. Cole, stating that he wants to hear Drake rap for adult people.

A Break for Drake

Budden expressed his happiness that Drake is taking a break from music, referring to Drake’s recent announcement that he will be stepping away from the studio to focus on his health. Budden and his co-hosts even suggested that Drake could benefit from taking a year or two off between albums. They emphasized that Drake has already accomplished so much in his career, and it shouldn’t be solely on him to set the standard for the music industry moving forward.

In conclusion, Budden’s critique of ‘For All the Dogs’ was mixed. While he had several criticisms and disappointments with the album, he still considers himself a fan of Drake. He acknowledged the album as Drake’s best since ‘Scorpion’ but questioned whether that’s saying much given the current state of rap albums. Budden hopes to see Drake take some time off and return with a refreshed perspective and innovative ideas.

In the end, it’s clear that Joe Budden’s critique of Drake’s ‘For All the Dogs’ album is multifaceted. He presents both positive and negative feedback, highlighting specific tracks and elements that left an impression on him. While his comments may have sparked controversy, it’s important to recognize that Budden’s opinions come from a place of deep knowledge and experience in the music industry.

Ab-Soul and Zacari release new single “Motions”

Ab-Soul and Zacari release new single “Motions”

In a brand-new single available today (Feb. 10), Zacari introduces the masses to “Motions,” featuring top Dawg Entertainment partner Ab-Soul. As evidenced by their soulful offering, the musicians admit their mental health ups and downs, while reassuring listeners that they are successfully addressing the issues they face:

Approximately four years have passed since Zacari released his deCbut EP, Run Wild Run Free, which features a single contribution from Lil Yachty. Over the past year, the Bakersfield-raised star released the quick-strike Sol as well as notable loose cuts such as “This Woman’s Work,” “Edamame,” “Rainy Day” “Good Nights,” featuring Buddy and Isaiah Rashad, “Golden Dolphin,” “Bliss,” and shortly before the year 2023 began, “Restless.” Moreover, he has contributed to tracks by BEAM, SiR, Kembe X, Vic Mensa, DJ Scheme, and M.I.A.

Moreover, Ab-Soul released his long-awaited fifth studio album, Herbert, in December of 2022. SiR, Big Russ, Sean, Joey BADA$$, Lance Skiiiwalker, Jhené Aiko, and others appeared on the 18-song collection. It has been reported that the Carson star Zacari attempted suicide just prior to the completion of Herbert, according to Charlamagne Tha God:

“A large portion of the album was recorded, and the album was almost completed before I did what I did,” he commented. “I jumped as soon as I had finished saying what I needed to say. The decision was a leap of faith, if you will.”