Drake's new album $exy $ongs 4 U moves on from Kendrick Lamar feud, but not without a few jabs

Despite facing unresolved lawsuits, how will Drake recover from his feud with Kendrick Lamar after Lamar won five Grammy Awards for "Not Like Us" and celebrated the victory at the Super Bowl? The song has had a huge impact on the music scene, intensifying the rivalry.

According to "Gimme A Hug," one of the few energetic tracks from the album "$ome $exy $ongs 4 U," Drake should focus on having fun: "F\*\*\* a rap beef/I'm tryna get the party lit." However, he doesn't fully embrace this vibe, as the song still contains attacks on Lamar and other rivals, demonstrating a continued engagement in the conflict.

This album, Drake's sixth major project since 2020, mainly features low-BPM, sensual R&B styles, reminiscent of the 2009 mixtape "So Far Gone." However, the uninspired, slapdash beats and overall lack of energy make the album difficult to make an impact, even as background music, leaving much to be desired in terms of innovation.

AutoTune technology is nothing new for Drake, but on this album, it excessively obscures his voice to the point that listeners might not realize it's a collaborative album. The vocal parts of Drake and OVO signee PARTYNEXTDOOR are sometimes insufficiently clear, affecting the overall listening experience.

The more creative and fun tracks on the album, such as "Meet Your Padre" and the ringtone-sampling "Nokia," achieve the fun promised by "Gimme A Hug" and embrace Drake's kitsch, especially his less-than-fluent Spanish accent. However, most of the time, the party seems to be happening elsewhere, failing to fully deliver on the promised enjoyment.

Fans who like Drake playing the pleading, horny lover will find a lot to enjoy here, even if the 21 songs on "$exy $ongs," totaling 73 minutes, are relatively streamlined compared to his lengthy track lists. Like most of Drake's recent work, unless you're a die-hard fan, it's best to streamline it and make your own playlist. You can try the aforementioned tracks, as well as "Greedy" and "Small Town Fame," to get a better curated experience.

While this isn't Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR's most inspired work to date, Drake's fans will celebrate him "defeating" Lamar, as the album pushed Lamar's album GNX from the top spot on the US Billboard 200 chart after the Super Bowl, marking a symbolic victory in their ongoing rivalry.