Review: Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is lackluster damage control

By Charlie Cruz     2/18/25 10:43pm

Rating: ★★

Key Track: “Nokia”

Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is an embarrassment — 73 minutes of recycled ideas, lazy songwriting, and some of the worst attempts at experimentation Drake has ever put on wax. It's a bloated mess of an album, proving that just because two artists have chemistry doesn’t mean they should make an entire project together. But the biggest issue isn’t just the lackluster music — it’s the fact that this album is Drake’s first release after his career-altering loss to Kendrick Lamar. Instead of delivering something impactful, he gives us limp attempts at reassurance and 21 half-hearted party songs.  

Let’s start with “GIMME A HUG,” a song that should’ve never seen the light of day. This is Drake’s response to the Kendrick beef — or at least, his attempt at salvaging some pride after being publicly dismantled. It’s not a diss track but a desperate attempt to convince himself (and us) that everything is fine. The song opens with Drake hyping himself as if self-affirmation can undo “Not Like Us.”  

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“Yeah, Drake elimination, fake intimidation / Take a minute, take a deep breath, have a little bit of patience / Drizzy, you amazin', you the inspiration / You set the bar for the next generation"

Drake, this is not the flex you think it is. You only set the bar for being a culture vulture. 

For the rest of the track, Drake oscillates between acting unbothered and throwing petty shots, all while trying to convince us that his true purpose in life is to throw parties, not win rap battles.  

“Fuck a rap beef, I’m tryna get the party lit”  

Cool, then why make this song? If you’re over it, why dedicate an entire track to explaining why you don’t care? The production itself is lifeless, and the beat switches feel forced rather than seamless. The only interesting part of the track is the Aaron Hall sample at the end, which Drake wastes by using to shout out his favorite strippers. If this is the victory lap after the Kendrick feud, it’s one of the saddest attempts at damage control I’ve ever heard.  

And then there’s “MEET YOUR PADRE,” a song so bad I had to physically stop the music. This is Drake’s latest attempt at hopping on a Latin sound, and unlike “MIA,” where he actually sounded comfortable, this one is straight-up unlistenable. The production — sampling a song from Greek artist Konstantinos Argiros, for whatever reason — tries to fuse reggaeton and corridos, but Drake’s Spanish delivery is so stilted it makes “I Like It” by Bad Bunny and Cardi B sound like a masterpiece of bilingual fluency.  

The moment Drake attempts to croon his way through the hook, it becomes clear that he has absolutely no business singing in Spanish on this track. PartyNextDoor is barely present, and Chino Pacas, who could have saved it, is given so little space that his presence barely registers. It’s not just bad — it’s offensive in how little effort Drake put into making it sound natural. I considered giving this album a slightly higher score, but “MEET YOUR PADRE” alone made me want to drop it even lower.  

The rest of the album doesn’t fare much better. Most of it sounds like watered-down versions of their previous collaborations, with PartyNextDoor taking a clear backseat to Drake, making the whole project feel less like a true joint album and more like “For All The Dogs (After Hours Edition).” The production is decent, but that’s about it — there are no authentic standout moments, no risks taken, just an hour and thirteen minutes of uninspired R&B-lite.  

The only track that somewhat works is “NOKIA,” which, while not amazing, at least has some energy. It might be the hit of the album. It’s one of the few moments on the album where the duo actually sounds engaged with the music rather than sleepwalking through it. Similarly, “GREEDY” might be Drake’s best R&B song, but after 20 tracks, it simply becomes a dull track at the end of the album. Maybe with MANY edits, there is a solid album somewhere here, but the current version proves that Drake hasn’t stopped being a man-child.

“$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is not just a disappointment — it’s a waste of time. It was Valentine's Day slop. For an artist of Drake’s stature, following up a career-worst loss with a project, this hollow is almost comedic. Drake continues to disappoint. The album isn’t sexy, it isn’t fun, and worst of all, it doesn’t even feel like an attempt at making good music. It feels like damage control, and if this is Drake’s idea of moving forward, maybe it’s time for him to take a real break.  

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