Drake and 21 Savage dropped their collaborative album Her Loss after announcing the project just two weeks ago. After delaying the release by one week due to executive producer Noah “40” Shebib’s COVID-19 diagnosis, the production, dropped Nov. 4, offers exactly what listeners would expect from a collaboration between the two hip-hop A-listers — a triumph. 

Shebib notably laced the album with expert production, providing one of the biggest areas of success on the album. Filled with beat switches, melodic riffs and new spins on old samples such as the O’Jays’ “Cry Together,” Shebib put the perfectly executed finishing touches on raw beats from established producers like Metro Boomin and Internet Money’s Taz Taylor.

More from Life and Arts:

James Gray’s ‘Armageddon Time’ weaves tale of two NYC kids, features stellar cast

Alexander 23 delivers exhilarating, emotional Austin performance at Scoot Inn

RTF alum honors timelessness of Back Room in upcoming music documentary

Another powerful aspect of the LP lies in the chemistry exhibited between the 6 God and the Slaughter King, which proves on par with their previous song collaborations, including “Jimmy Cooks” and “Knife Talk.” 21’s monotone, laid-back flow works perfectly on the hard-hitting beats, complementing Drake’s versatile use of singing and rapping.

Additionally, on Her Loss, Drake seems the most inspired he’s been in years, a feat shown in both his lyrics and beats, shifting from the dancehall influences present on his previous album Honestly, Nevermind and leaning more into the trap and hip-hop music seen on Certified Lover Boy. The commercial success of Honestly, Nevermind’s final and lone hip-hop track, “Jimmy Cooks,” now feels like the de facto prequel to this even bigger project that shows off Drake’s abilities as a well-established and decorated rapper.

Standout tracks include “On BS,” which sees the two superstars trading bars and bragging about their wealth and success. With confident lyricism, Drake even gives the Lone Star State a shoutout on the track, rapping, “Y’all be goin’ in and out recessions the same way that I be goin’ in and out of Texas.” The album also consists of a few solo Drake tracks, with the hyper pop-influenced “BackOutsideBoyz,” featuring ad-libs from Lil Yachty making another notable track on the album. 

At 16 tracks, the album does not drag on in any fashion. Instead, the project compiles collaborations and solo tracks, leading to a more diverse tracklist and guaranteeing that both Drake and 21 Savage each have their time to shine. For the first time in a while, Drake delivered what his fans usually expect from his projects: fun bangers and lyrics they can quote every day. While 21’s additions and influence on the album cannot be underestimated, Her Loss leans slightly more into Drake’s sound, which wasn’t a bad musical choice as 21 was more than able to adapt. Her Loss allowed both musicians to showcase what they do best, once again proving why they reached their status in the rap game.