Rap. Hip hop. They have long been associated with demeaning of women, promotion of drugs, alcohol, crude language, and arrogancy. These views were challenged by a 25 year old from Toronto named Aubrey Graham, better known by his middle name: Drake. His new album, Take Care, not only is not filled with hate and arrogance, but is filled with powerful messages hidden in the lyrics of his music. The album's opening track, Over My Dead Body, is one of my favorites. He does use profane language, but he also appeals to the pain of being an underdog. In the song, he talks about how he had someone great, and then she was taken away by something. The song says that the girl is okay and everyone else but Drake is okay because "these kids wear crowns", meaning they are the top crowd, the popular kids, the ones with power.

Another significant track on the album is the album's namesake, Take Care featuring Rihanna. In this song, Drake talks about a girl who he has known, and who he feels very strongly for, but is having difficulty with. He wants to be with her, but she "pushing me away so I give her space, feeling with a heart that I didn't break". What he's saying is he would do whatever to please this girl, and he will use all his efforts to make that happen. Now how is that not beautiful? It's rap, it has swears in it, but it is filled with emotion, love, and struggle.

In the song, Marvin's Room, he talks about missing a past love. He says he is drunk, and even though she has a new man, he calls her and tells her how he feels, and that "I'm just saying you could do better. Tell me have you heard that lately?" He talks about the struggles of fame and women. When you have fame you tend to abuse women, but Drake doesn't realize he's doing this before he is in very deep, and he wants his old life, his old girl. Doesn't everyone think like that once in a while? Doesn't everyone feel the rush of time? Doesn't that make people scared, and make them act out? Drake expresses themes that the young person who is coming of age deals with everyday. This album is by far, the best released in 2011, and the best Drake has ever done.