Drake and Future mixtape a hit among rap fans

“What a Time to be Alive.” Most people may perceive this as a simple statement of appreciation for today’s day and age. However, since Sept. 20, Hip-Hop and Rap fans everywhere have known it as something else: the title of a highly anticipated mixtape by a collaboration of Drake and Future, two popular hip hop/rap artists. The album certainly didn’t disappoint, and I have to say it now holds its place as one of my favorite works by either artist.

The mixtape was initially brought to attention by radio show hosts such as DJ Skee and Angela Yee.

An official announcement of its release date premiered on Drake’s Instagram account on Sept. 19, just one day before its release. Fans of both artists had high hopes for the mixtape, as Drake and Future released albums “If You’re Reading This It's Too Late” and “DS2,” respectively, earlier this year. Both albums placed  first in the billboard top 200 albums soon after their releases.

Drake and Future are known for rapping on beats with heavy sounds, drums and other strong sound bytes, producing upbeat, booming music. But while  Future almost exclusively releases songs that follow this formula, Drake can instead sing mellow, more emotional songs like “Marvin’s Room” and his recent hit single “Hotline Bling.”

This key distinction between the two had fans anticipating a unique mix of music for the mixtape, and “What a Time to be Alive” was generally able to deliver the fans what they wanted.

Critics with Billboard, Rolling Stone and Complex had generally positive ratings for the album. However, Entertainment Weekly and Pitchfork Media criticized the album’s quality, attributing its shortcomings to a still-developing chemistry between the two rappers.

Being a fan of both rappers, I fell into the category of eager fans awaiting the arrival of the mixtape. Since I primarily listen to music using Spotify, I had to wait an extra five days for the mixtape to be available, and I made sure not to read any reviews or criticism so that I could experience the mixtape for myself.

My opinion of the mixtape can be summed up with a word  often used on the web to describe music with a good beat or catchy raps: fire. Right off the bat, the album’s first track, “Digital Dash,” had me hooked. With a unique beat and a calm but addictive flow, the song had me excited to hear more, and I spent the next hour of the night listening to the whole mixtape.

I was quite impressed with the tracks, which were produced by producers such as Metro Boomin, Boi 1-da and 40, all of whom are famous for producing many Drake and Future songs. Though I was satisfied with how the mixtape turned out, only “Digital Dash” “Big Rings” and “Jumpman” appealed to me as instant-classics, songs that would be hard to forget.

Considering their frequently different styles, Drake and Future have done a great job making a popular mixtape for most rap fans to enjoy. Like most fans, I’m hoping for a second collaborative mixtape or studio album from the two artists will be released in the future, enriching their track record and building their synergy in the process.