After killing the rap game for five straight years, releasing three platinum albums, scoring dozens of Billboard hits, and building more momentum with loosies than most rappers can with entire album rollouts, he’s running circles on the rap game.

Years ago, on “Headlines” Drake rapped about being “too strung out on compliments, overdosed on confidence,” which once sounded like a clever opening salvo but now sounds more like a lifestyle. If his output this year has made anything clear, it’s that he’s brimming with confidence. Despite the title of his third album, 2013’s Nothing Was the Same, he routinely did the same thing last year-effortlessly spazzing on “5 AM In Toronto” before dropping one of 2013’s best verses on a remix to Migos’ “Versace” and casually releasing “The Motion.” But this year the sheer volume of quality music he’s released is impressive (even for him) since he’s not even promoting an album.

Meanwhile, he gave away one of 2011’s best songs, “I’m on One,” to DJ Khaled.įrom there, he must have started feeling charitable as he spent most of 2012 tearing down guest spots for 2 Chainz ( “No Lie”), Rick Ross ( “Stay Schemin”), A$AP Rocky ( “Fuckin’ Problems”), and French Montana ( “Pop That”).

Songs like “Club Paradise” and “Dreams Money Can Buy” rank amongst Drake’s best, yet he didn’t even include them on his sophomore set. Still, it wasn’t until his second album, 2011’s Take Care, that Drake truly tapped into his talent.

Drake’s remixes, guest spots, and random SoundCloud cuts have become as vital a part of Drake's catalog, just like how Lil Wayne's remixes, guest spots, and mixtape cuts are a vital part of his.

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