Drake Delivers a Mixed Bag with “Scary Hours 2” EP

Drake’s latest EP simultaneously raises expectations, yet suggests he maintain his current sound (Aaron McMurty/Wiki Commons)

Canadian rapper Drake dropped a new EP “Scary Hours 2” on Friday. The project is a sequel to his 2018 EP “Scary Hours.” This drop is coming off the cusp of delaying his upcoming project “Certified Lover Boy.”

“Scary Hours 2” is a short EP with only three songs, but it sets the tone for what CLB will probably sound like. The project is a mixed bag, it features both Drake’s lyrical strengths and weaknesses.

It starts off with “What’s Next,” a synth and 808 heavy song that features Drake rapping about the usual subject matter, his successes and riches, and vague references to what’s down the line for him. The hook and refrain are basic, but they’re catchy.

The next track “Wants and Needs” has Drake switching up his flow a bit more, especially during the first part of his verse. Featured artist Lil Baby sounds as confident as ever. Like “What’s Next,” it has a dark, synth-heavy beat though it does feel more unique and fully-formed.

The last track “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” is the most surprising one. It clocks in about six and a half minutes. It sounds like “Nothing Was the Same” era Drake, specifically “Tuscan Leather.” Everything in “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” from the way the sample was pitched up, sped up and looped to form the base of the instrumental, to the length of the song, and Drake’s flow matches to “Tuscan Leather.”

If “Scary Hours 2” is any indication of the style of the CLB, then it’ll probably sound just like “Demo Tapes,” which was also billed as a “warm-up” to CLB. Still, I can’t help but feel that “Certified Lover Boy,” based on the title at least, will go for a more R&B sound like on the second half of Scorpion and some of the tracks on Demo Tapes. While this project is decent by itself, it hints at both good and bad things to come for Drake’s future sound.