drake take care

This is about Drake’s new song “Take Care” (actually a remake … of a remake) which seems to be getting a boatload more airplay these days. It is a great song which gets a boost from collaborating with Rihanna.

Drake (real name Aubrey … his middle name is Drake) is a Canadian hip hop guy.

In addition to making his own music, Drake has also written for other artists in the industry such as Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and more. He has that nice hip hop style that alternates between a kind of beat poet type rap and real singing. Kind of reminds me of Craig David in his younger days. And while I am not a huge Rihanna fan this is maybe the best use of her voice. She doesn’t have to try and carry a song but rather compliments in a soft (but strong if you listen to the words) style.

Their voices mesh perfectly.

And while this is actually a remake of a remake (original and remake remix also included here) I like what Drake has done.

Some really nice subtle symbolism. He drops in a “heartbeat bass line” (note: the reason why you get in sync while listening is because it matches your heartbeat).  And then he nicely doubles the bass beat to quicken the heart rate …and actually drops it off under Rihanna’s chorus (<kind of implies your heart is dying and she will save it>.

Beautiful simple piano overlay of the bass beat.  Song is impeccably put together (even if he actually borrows most of it from the remake).

The song, and video, starts like a run-of-the-mill hip hop/light rap song but at about the minute mark it kicks into a higher gear. Overall the video is a slightly odd black & white performance video with a bull and bull horns flashing onscreen <which someone someday will have to explain to me because I have no clue what it adds>. Here is the song & video:

The video has a serious feel to and has a kind of slow burning sexuality without being overtly sexual (even when it’s not supposed to be). It is one of those very painful love songs imbued with a strong thread of hope. The video is slightly odd in that nothing really happens in it but you still feel like a lot happened.

The Drake version is also a perfect next step from the original, Gil Scott-Heron’s “I’ll Take Care of You”, and then the main source material for Drake’s version … Jamie XX’s remix of Gil Scott-Heron’s song.

Gil Scott Heron original

Gil Scott Heron’s original with remix

Drake’s version is awesome. Enjoy.