Brace yourself for 2am phone calls from your disgruntled ex and endless Instagram captions quoting Drake lyrics that don’t apply to pictures. Scorpion has dropped. The album responds to the hate-waves following Pusha-T’S brutal diss-track ‘The Story of Adidion’. Drake lets the world know he’s still a force to be reckoned with. His classic big-boss attitude laces all 25 tracks. Obvious favorites include his previously released singles ‘God’s Plan’ and ‘Nice For What’, which are already playing at almost every nightclub across the world. Of the brand new tracks, ‘Emotionless’ is a clear highlight, addressing the controversy surrounding his son. The hard percussive beats, coupled with soulful backing vocals, drive home the gravity of the lyrics (“I wasn’t trying to hide my kid from the world / I was trying to hide the world from my kid”). The song is a thoughtful reflection on his career to date, and the emptiness that comes with the fame and recognition that so many desperately desire. ‘Talk Up’ is easily the best banger of the record. Drake’s delivery is concise and brimming with confidence. The beats bump hard and prove that the rapper isn’t as anything like as soft as his rivals claim. Additionally, rap legend Jay-Z’s featured bars add some old-school class to the song’s modern style. Hova’s still got it. However, these fine tracks feel somewhat lost amid a sea of the sad-boy ballads that have become a signature of Drake’s career. The real head-boppers are scattered among tracks with near-identical tones or those where you feel like you’re being talked at. That’s not to say that they’re bad – just that there’s nothing new or memorable in them. Regardless, Scorpion will be one of the most talked-about hip hop albums of the year. OUT NOW

Rating: 7/10