Column: The High End Theory - The Wait Is Over

If you were on Twitter or any hip hop blog last Thursday night there was no avoiding it. The moment so many people have been clamouring for ever since So Far Gone dropped finally arrived. Drake’s first single was now making rounds online. The question was: did it live up to the hype?

The curiosity to hear the song was there. Blog sites were feeling the heavy traffic, and within 30 minutes Drake became a Trending Topic on Twitter. Not to mention that one song completely overshadowed Fabolous’ long-delayed There is no Competition 2 mixtape which dropped only minutes prior.

Now, the subject matter in the song does not stray very far from Drizzy’s comfort zone. He touches on haters and women, and does it admirably. He does however show off his knowledge of the culture, with his third verse flow reminiscent of dead prez’s “Hip Hop” record. The Boi 1-da produced track does not lack in energy and will be a surefire radio hit within weeks.

 
However, when listening to "Over", one becomes slightly curious whether or not it has true “single” potential. In general terms, the answer is no. There is no infectious hook, and no real party vibe to it. In today’s market, without those two ingredients, it is hard to catch a hit in the hip-hop world. Nevertheless, the people are so ready for a Drake album the buzz and anticipation alone should be enough to carry it.

“Thank Me Later first week I’m taking all bets, because a million copies isn’t really far fetched,” Drake rapped on "More Milli". The buzz is there. The moment of truth arrives in May.