Where Does “8AM in Charlotte” Fall? – Billboard – Armessa Music News

“Calabasas” is the fourth edition in Drake’s “AM to PM” series, and finds The Boy with more of a jiggy flow. Instead of dipping his feet in another ominous instrumental, he gives Puff’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” a modern-day facelift. Drake takes a victory lap, proclaiming OVO as the new-age Yankees while throwing an array of jabs at Joe Budden and Diddy. And while the line may seem like a stretch to some (“They whole demeanor just spells envy, they tryna tempt me”), it was directed at the “Pump It Up” MC, who later released a myriad of diss tracks aimed at Drake. From the Diddy ad-libs (“Take That”) to the reinvention of the Bad Boy classic, Drake’s troll level was on 100 here. 

On the eve of his hotly anticipated 2010 debut album, Thank Me Later, Drake unleashed an incredible display of lyricism, marking the beginning of his timestamp series. “9 AM In Dallas” finds a 23-year-old on the precipice of superstardom, brimming with confidence. “People ask how music is goin’, I heard it pays/ I just came off makin’ two million in thirty days,” he buoyantly raps at the start of his exhibition. And despite the spirited showcase, he still displays his insecurities, rhyming about the thought of failure and not exceeding expectations. “What if I don’t really do the numbers they predict?/ Considerin’ the fact that I’m the one that they just picked,” he questions later in the song. 

The feud between Drake and Kanye West was a weary one. Dating back to 2018’s Scorpion, The Boy was loading up artillery, firing away shots at Ye’ and his Good Music tribe, most notably Pusha T. “Bridle Path” was probably Drizzy’s most scathing attempt, as he pointedly aims at his idol-turned-rival, who looked to rattle the Toronto star when he posted his home address on Instagram ahead of Drake’s CLB album release. “Give that address to your driver, make it your destination/ ‘Stead of just a post out of desperation,” he mocked Ye. 

The elevation in contempt and Drake’s rhyme scheme are evident in “Bridle” compared to “Dallas.” His metaphors are sharper and more complex, with rhymes like “Clouds is hanging over you now, ’cause I’m reigning supreme” or “If we talkin’ top three, then you been slidin’ to third like stolen bases.” 

“New York” is probably one of Drake’s most underrated songs. While the level of focus and aggression remains top-tier, his energy is different. Yes, he pokes fun at his Young Money teammate, Tyga — and even throws stones at The Throne — but the theme of “New York” centers around sacrifice and reflection. Deep ruminations of what the future holds for a then 27-year-old Drake are what propels the record to a higher stratosphere. The following eight bars are some of the strongest of Drake’s career, where he conveys confidence and fear simultaneously. 

“Last night I went to sleep wanting more/ Tryna decide what direction I should go towards/ Some nights I wish I could go back in life/ Not to change sh-t, just to feel a couple things twice / 28 at midnight, wonder what’s next for me/ Longevity, wonder how long they’ll check for me/ Prolly forever if I stay in my zone/ I speak on this generation, but can’t change it alone.”

Though Drake typically relishes the villainous role, he understands that moving mountains, especially for his generation, will require more support. Thankfully, Kendrick and Cole have done that alongside him at high levels. 

By this time, Drake wasn’t the same wide-eyed rookie looking to befriend his idols. Though he was at the top of his game, releasing two Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, including his 2011 sophomore attempt, Take Care — a nod back to his So Far Gone days — by this era of his career, he was a bloodthirsty MC looking to behead his foes in search of sheer dominance. The production of “5 AM” is dark and menacing, which allows a trigger-happy Drake to send a volley of shots towards the competition. He revels in his platinum status, acknowledging how every song sounds like “Drake featuring Drake,” while quipping that without him, “The rap game is a bunch of corpses.” 

In actuality, “Toronto” was the equivalent of LeBron James’ emphatic 2012 Game 6 performance against the Boston Celtics, where he poured 45 points and saved his legacy. By 2012, the stats and acclaim were in Drake’s favor, but he needed another lyrical dagger to reaffirm his position in the GOAT race. This song was it.