The stakes are higher when vengeance is on the mind. Such is the case with Drake’s Scary Hours 3, an expansion of his latest studio album For All The Dogs. The Canadian rapper found himself at a crossroads in his career where his pop sensibilities have outshined his technical prowess as an MC. That’s not to say that Drake can’t rap but if For All The Dogs measured his lyrical aptitude, there weren’t nearly enough bars to base it on. The album, as a whole, was an intersection between Drake grappling with his own fame (in more ways than one) while adapting and embracing the new generation of rappers in what feels like a torch-bearing ceremony.
Scary Hours 3, however, (officially dubbed For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition), is yet another attempt to feed his rabid fanbase who have undoubtedly been eating good since 2018. More significantly, Drake returns with a chip on his shoulder a month after the release of For All The Dogs, one that has seemingly been weighing on him for nearly five years yet triggered by Joe Budden’s unapologetic criticism. In many ways, Budden was only echoing the public’s creed toward the influx of music. The reception of For All The Dogs wasn’t all the way favorable upon its release but like everything else in Drake’s discography, it has a certain charm that’s bound to grow on you over time.
Read More: Drake "For All The Dogs" Review
An Unmatched Ear For Production
The most refreshing aspect of Scary Hours 3 surrounds the production choices. Although 40 doesn’t have a single credit production-wise across the six songs, Drake enlists a solid group of collaborators to craft the sounds of the For All The Dogs reissue. Lil Yachty, who has emerged as Drake’s right-hand man in the last year, contributes to the ovrkast.-produced songs, “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits,” a song where Drake finally pushes back against those aiming for the return of “the Old Drake.” Conductor Williams marks his second collab with the Boy on “Stories About My Brother,” while The Alchemist dives into a warped realm of cynicism on “Wick Man.” Then, FNZ, Vinylz, Boi-1da, and Fierce helped form the final two tracks on the short EP.
Read More: Drake "Scary Hours 3" Production Credits
Scary Hours 3: The Get Back
With a classy and soulful Griselda-esque touch, Scary Hours 3 showcases Drake’s lyrical dexterity in ways that have been sorely lacking in his catalog in the past few years. Drake basks in the ethereal beauty of The Alchemist's production of "Wick Man" through a rugged and honest approach. “Wick Man” feels like this stream of consciousness where Drake confronts the ideas of retribution and grief in the same breath, paralleling his own existence to John Wick.
In the same vein, “The Shoe Fits” presents his skepticism towards the world, both in his 10+ year career and his love life, as he divulges why the return of the “Old Drake” is impossible. That cold-heartedness that transformed a project like If You’re Reading This into one of the most cherished bodies of work in his catalog doesn’t necessarily carry the same weight on Scary Hours 3. In fact, it could come off as uninspired at times. Maybe, it’s because his decision to openly respond to his naysayers (Joe Budden) was almost immediate. Or it could be the fact that he’s continuing to throw potshots at Pusha T and Kanye when the public’s interest in their feud has died down.
The Immediate Highlight: "Evil Ways"
The collection of records that make up Scary Hours 3 isn’t necessarily supposed to cater to his casual fans who are interested in earworms for hooks. Instead, it aims to make a case for why he’s a GOAT contender of his generation on artistic merit, rather than numbers. It’s evident in “Evil Ways” ft. J Cole, where he goes bar-for-bar with someone of his caliber. It’s another instance of J Cole’s shining as a featured artist, continuing his impeccable run in the past few years. Their chemistry remains fluid, and the 3-syllable rhyme pattern shines across the soulful vocal sample. However, on Drake’s part, it still feels like there’s a lack of vivacity that previously captured his brilliance with the pen.
The Verdict?
Overall, Scary Hours 3 isn’t necessarily the second wind that Drake thought it would be. The release of six additional songs largely caters to the back-packer audiences who’ve hoped that one day, Drake would actually return to bars rather than hit records. In a two-plus-year run that found Drake exploring new sonic turf, whether through Lil Yachty’s influence or the sounds of house music on Honestly, Nevermind, these six songs were intended to be a return to form.
Unfortunately, as an MC, Drake sounds stagnant, and his golden touch doesn’t seem to be as effective as it once was, neither in penning quotable bars that penetrate pop culture nor in delivering anything that feels groundbreaking. “You Broke My Heart” exemplifies this adequately. It has all the markings of a Drake anthem, partially due to the fact that its chord progressions feel eerily similar to “Laugh Now Cry Later.” Drake’s delivery is forceful and commanding. Even the minor addition of Smiley’s ad-libs elevates the song as a whole. But by the time you reach the bridge, it feels like Drake’s recycling ideas that we’ve already heard from him. Ultimately, this largely captures the entirety of Scary Hours 3: it fulfills its purpose yet fails to execute the standard that Drake set for himself.