It's been a fast year for OVO so far, beginning with Drake's "Summer Sixteen." All eyes were directed toward Views from the 6, which is, finally, set to arrive next month. There hasn't been another taste of Views since, though OVO has kept its name out there with the release of the self-titled debut album from Majid Jordan as well as the signing of the anonymous R&B act dvsn. PartyNextDoor has been signed to OVO for almost three years now, and for much of that time, he's been the Toronto label's second-in-command, albeit a very distant second. It's now been almost a year and a half since Party's last project, the 4-track PNDColours EP, and after a quiet 2015, his buzz began to simmer -- still one of OVO's biggest talents, but a star-in-the-making?
That has been the question, and the answer points more toward the affirmative upon the release of "Come and See Me," the single released earlier this week with which Party announced his next album: P3. The track features Drake and is produced by 40, but from Party's short opening verse to the earworm hook that ensues, it's clear "Come and See Me" is one of the most compelling pieces of work to date put out by the Sauga City killer. And it's one that fits perfectly in line with the OVO brand. For me, the song is an indicator that Party is ready to drop an album that can stand up within the OVO canon next to classics like Take Care and Nothing Was the Same. Here are five things PND can do to make that happen, and make P3 the best album of his career.
A Focus on Traditional R&B
Hip-hop and most of its variations, namely trap, have infiltrated R&B to the point that genre barriers have become blurred. Party's lyrics and his delivery are more akin to Drake's than they are to the few R&B purists still out there -- Chris Brown, for example. Still, Party came up on late '90s R&B like Ginuwine and Dru Hill, both whom he sampled on his last full-length, PND 2.
He started earning a buzz for himself when he was recording as Jahron B., making electronic-tinged R&B -- sort of like The Weeknd, but less illicit, with more classically relatable subject matter, on young love and its fleeting nature. It's funny that, several years later, PND is looking to bring things full-circle for what will likely be his most anticipated project yet.
He showed signs of a return to his roots on his latest single, the Drake-featuring, 40-produced "Come and See Me," which is up there with the best OVO late-night sad songs, Take Care material included. This is the sound Party needs to hone in on if P3 is to be his best work. Clearer vocals with more emotion. Less of a focus on the streets and the club, and more insight into one-on-one relationships. His fans are ready for such an approach, one that is more true to his character. There was a ton of hype surrounding "Admire Me," a leak that surfaced a few days before "Come and See Me." It turns out that the track was written and recorded when PND was just 16 years old. Six years later, it's time for Party to let his early inspiration find its way back into his music and reintroduce his fans to the real Jahron B.
...Though At Least One Sleazy Banger
Hopes of a more traditional R&B album shouldn't necessarily discredit the trap-inspired sound Party has spent years creating. Some of his best cuts have been sleazy, irreverent bangers, on which he slurs his voice to blend in with the more club-focused production and mimic the effects of a mix of intoxicating substances. Take December 2014's "Don't Worry," featuring an underrated ATL trapper in Ca$h Out, or a few of the seven new tracks he dropped on an episode of OVO Sound Radio last October, notably "Codeine Bumpin."
There was also serious excitement around the idea of a joint EP between Party and Atlanta producer TM88. The rumored release, Party At 8, was prefaced by a track of the same name that surfaced in December, though in January, TM88 revealed that the project had been forever scrapped.
It's important that Party show off his darker side -- an indelible part of his persona -- on at least one track on P3. And hopefully that track will be a banger as well as a certified hit of the most sordid variety. However, this more aggressive side of Party's skillset is not where his talents resonate most powerfully. Overall, P3 should boast a more intimate and romantic appeal, though there will be the need for a few unpredictable turns.
Executive Produced by 40
Has Noah "40" Shebib ever produced a bad song? Maybe, though never a bad album -- and hardly one that hasn't already attained classic status. His careful, lo-fi sound captures a nuanced mood, though he always leaves room for the direct connection between the artist whom the song is made for and his or her target audience. It's why Drake's simple stories about his teenage days and about flings that don't read as particularly remarkable remain so compelling -- especially when part of a cohesive album.
Party self-produced almost the entirety of his first two releases, PND 1 & 2. Considering his vocal talent, his prowess on the production side is amazing, and indeed, he should take an active role behind the boards on P3. But his stardom is such, now, that he needs to place a project in the hands of the master. And Party has become enough of a potential asset for OVO that 40 would do well to put a great deal of sweat and tears into P3. Of course, Views is on the near horizon, but after that, P3 has the potential to be the biggest non-Drake release ever for OVO. And it warrants 40's full attention.
Another Drake Feature
P3 should also warrant the undivided attention of another OVO co-founder, October's Very Own himself. Drake featured once on each PND 1 & 2, and he's already been snagged for P3's lead single. It's time to up the ante. Another Drake feature would give P3 the boost it needs to do big numbers and reach the entire fan base currently at OVO's disposal.
Plus, why not continue to build upon the chemistry that's proved to be so successful, even as the partnership is relatively unexplored, compared to that of most close-knit stars on the same label. The essential "OVO Sound" has been imitated to exhaustion for years now, though no one can do it like the label's own guys, as evidenced when Party, Drake, and 40 showed up on "Come and See Me." Let's give P3 the attention it deserves by grabbing those three Toronto guardsmen for one more collab.
A Dancehall-Tinged Smash Like "Work"
One of the most impressive achievements of Party's still-young career is the penning of "Work," Rihanna and Drake's hit single off Anti that has been sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The sound, a poppy mix of dancehall and deep house, has been making its way into the OVO camp for years now -- dating back to Thank Me Later's "Find Your Love," if not earlier. And from then on, lush, island-inspired minimal grooves helped spawn some of Drake's biggest hits, from "Take Care" (also with RiRi), to "Hold On, We're Going Home," to "Hotline Bling, and most recently, "Work," perhaps the most finely executed take yet.
Party's parents are both from the Caribbean, and his use of the island patois is much more natural than most of the rap or R&B artists who have incorporated the inflections into their vocal stylings -- especially in the case of his OVO labelmate. Party wrote the lyrics to "Work," and the recording of his reference track, which surfaced about a month after the single, reflects more authentically upon the song's dancehall roots, while still sounding like a smash hit. Another track in the vein of "Work" -- written by Party and for Party -- would be perfect for the summer, and would be another welcome sound on P3 -- if the album is to to showcase his skills most effectively.