Today marks the 5 year anniversary of Drake’s breakout mixtape So Far Gone. Keeping that in mind, we decided to select a slept on Drake track for this week’s Tracks You May Have Missed. ‘Fear’ comes off Drake’s So Far Gone EP (not the original mixtape). The track features Drake “venting” as he drops honest and emotional lyrics over DJ Khalil’s perfectly crafted backdrop. It’s an early example of Drake displaying his struggle to keep up with fame while trying to stay true to himself and friends. “All my old friends think I got a new crowd/ And people seem to notice every time I do smile/ I guess that mean they come few and far between/ Even though I’m living out what you would call the dream”
‘Fear’ also shows Drake paying homage to those who have influenced him, shouting out underground rap groups Little Brother and Slum Village(“What up, Lil Bro? What up, Slum Ville?/ I hope you know that y’all the reason I have fun still”). He also pays immense respect to Jay-Z starting the second verse with, “(Don’t take this the wrong way but, uh)/ I never cried when Pac died/ But I probably will when Hov does/ And if my tears hold value then I would drop one/ For every single thing he showed us/ And I’ll be standing in a puddle”. This is unsurprising considering Drake seems to be following Hov’s blueprint (starting a record label, landing a sneaker deal, partnering with a Basketball Team, etc. ). Five years after it’s release ‘Fear’ still stands as one of Drake’s strongest efforts lyrically and musically. Enjoy!
