Drake’s Best Albums: Cultural Impact and Influence on Hip-Hop’s Evolution

When Aubrey Drake Graham faced the cameras in the 2008 movie Degrassi Spring Break Movie as Jimmy Brooks, he had no idea that a great destiny awaited him as a pop star and a hip-hop legend. The fact that he later changed careers and successfully made his mark in the music industry demonstrates his remarkable progress as an individual. 

According to Billboard 100 records, Drake is the only musician with more than 300 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with a total of 358 entries. Taylor Swift comes in a distant second with 264 appearances. He achieved his 100th career entry in 2015, his 200th in 2019, and his 300th in 2023, setting a record for the most singles to ever appear on the chart. That pace is unlikely to be matched anytime soon.

What made Drake so successful, surpassing already established industry names such as Jay Z, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne? The answer is simple: His content is unique and cross-cultural. Here, we examine Drake's most influential albums and their impact on revolutionizing hip-hop.

On Feb. 13, 2009, Drake officially released his third album, So Far Gone. The album became an instant hit, making Drake an overnight sensation. 

The tracks on So Far Gone featured restrained verses, contemplative singing, and a hybrid blend of rap and spoken word verses. Drake's innovative fusion of R&B and rap set him apart from other traditional rappers.

The album included the song "Say What's Real," which was heavily influenced by Kanye's "808s" and "Heartbreak," and several star-studded collabs with artists such as Lil Wayne and Trey Songz. Drake spiced up the album with "Little Bit" featuring Lykke Li and "Let's Call It Off" with Peter Bjorn and John.

The album featured 18 tracks, but notable among them is "Best I Ever Had," which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned Drake two GRAMMY Award nominations in the Best Rap Song and Best Solo Rap Performance categories.

Drake's entry into the hip-hop scene transformed what it meant to be a rapper. Before Drake, rapping wasn't even considered singing, and if a track had rap verses, the components would traditionally be delivered by at least two individuals. 

Drake's melodic rap style has had a significant impact on the hip-hop landscape. He has achieved a level of cultural influence that surpasses even his predecessors, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Drake popularized the fusion of singing and rapping in 2010, a style many artists have now adopted.

In 2010, Drake released his first studio album, Thank Me Later, which was highly anticipated by the rapper's newly formed fan base. Thanks to this anticipation, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with sales of more than 447,000 copies in its first week.

The success wasn't short-lived, as the album achieved the largest debut week sales for a solo artist and the third-best sales week for any album in 2010.

Thank Me Later comprises 14 tracks and features collaborations with several prominent artists, including Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, and Young Jeezy. Expectations for Drake's debut album were high, as he had received a $2-million advance from Lil Wayne's Young Money Label in 2009.

The album earned Drake his first GRAMMY performance in 2010 alongside Lil Wayne and Eminem. He was also nominated for the GRAMMY for the Best Rap Album in 2011, and the BET Hip-Hop Award for CD of the Year in 2010.

Drake's debut album, Thank Me Later, was a game changer, significantly impacting his musical style and career. He maintained his signature blend of singing and rapping while adopting a melodic approach. Drake brought an emotional and vulnerable style of rapping, which was a departure from the genre's traditional "toughness." 

Thank Me Later contributed to the development and popularization of the emo-rap subgenre, due to its successful mix of traditional rap and emotionally vulnerable lyrics. Drake's music paved the way for artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Juice WRLD, and Post Malone.

Prior to 2018, rap music had a long history of artists using "diss tracks" or songs to address "beefs" with other artists. But Drake took a different approach. In his album Scorpion, for instance, he addressed what he called his demons within. The album features singles such as "In My Feelings," "I'm Upset," "Jaded," and "Emotionless," where Drake expresses his vulnerability.

Scorpion, like most of Drake's albums, smashed Billboard chart records, becoming the first album to reach 1 billion streams in its first week. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in its first week and spent 29 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. 

The track "God's Plan" and the accompanying video resonated with those living in the ghetto, and its relatable lyrics made it a standout hit. In contrast, the song "In My Feelings" inspired the In My Feelings dance challenge, which was popularized by Shiggy and attracted celebrities such as Will Smith, BTS, and Ciara, alongside millions of fans globally.

By 2023, 14 years after his breakthrough album, Drake had already released eight studio albums, three compilation albums, and seven mixtapes. The same year, he released For All the Dogs, which, as expected, achieved great success.

The album featured 23 tracks and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, earning 402,000 equivalent album units in its first week. It became his 13th No. 1 album, tying him with the legendary Michael Jackson for the most No. 1 albums by a solo male artist.

A notable feature of this album is Drake's collaboration with the Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny on the song "Gently". The partnership highlights Drake's global influence, as he has partnered with artists from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East on other projects.

"First Person Shooter" featuring J. Cole is another high-energy collaboration. Cole is an established artist in his own right; however, "First Person Shooter" became his first-ever No. 1 song.

It goes without saying that Drake changed rap music and is a hip-hop legend and dominant force in contemporary pop music. He's a record-breaking artist with numerous awards and one of the best-selling artists of all time. 

Beyond his commercial success, Drake has had a significant impact on hip-hop music. He entered the scene, rewrote the entire hip-hop script, inspired dozens of artists worldwide, and converted millions of people into hip-hop fans. Drake is a legend and a movement.