Drake albums just keeping getting longer. His latest Scorpion is two sides and 25 tracks long and while it’s contributed to him breaking streaming records, it’s a marathon that just runs too slow at points. As with always Drake projects, there’s plenty of gold there but he needs to know how to edit himself.

With Kanye serving seven song albums and Beyoncé and JAY-Z giving us a nine-track record, it’s time Drake learnt how to trim. Here’s what Scorpion would look like if we got to cut it to 10 songs.

God’s Plan

The lead-single from the record drives us insane now but it’s one of his biggest hits ever and you’re not going to cut that from the proceeding album are you?

Emotionless

If this album is going to be remembered for anything, it’s going to be Drake admitting that he has been hiding a child. Over a Mariah Carey sample, Drizzy gives us what we’ve been waiting for. “I wasn’t hidin’ my kid from the world/I was hidin’ the world from my kid,” he raps. That needed to be on the album.

Mob Ties

Drake’s at his best when he finds the perfect mid-way between his boastful, self-indulgent raps and his in-his-feelings singing. Mob Ties is the only song on the first side of the record that successfully finds that. It hits hard but it’s also gently melodic.

Sandra’s Rose

Drake albums can feel shallow at the best of times but when he’s rapping over chopped-up soul samples, he sounds like he’s got depth. Sandra’s Rose feels expensive, hearty and passionate (from miles away).

Summer Games

This is the big pop track on the record and we don’t even care that it sounds like it was stolen from the Drive soundtrack. Drizzy sounds great, the ’80s synth-sounds are a refreshing change on the record and the beat reminds us of Take Care.

Nice For What

The best Drake song since Nothing Was The Same is also the centrepiece of the record. It bleeds energy which is something that Scorpion lacks too often. Shorty doesn’t want no slow song and we don’t either.

Ratchet Happy Birthday

Controversial, yes, as this song is one of the most obvious meme grabs on the entire record but that’s what Drake’s all about. Who are we to take his soppy birthday song away from him. Also, we’re here for the “It’s your brrrrrrr” bit.

In My Feelings

Nice For What producer BlaqNmilD also co-produced this one bringing New Orleans bounce back for encore. Production-wise In My Feelings is one of the most experimental on the record and it’s really good.

Don’t Matter To Me

You’re hardly going to pay for a Michael Jackson feature and then leave it on the cutting room floor are you? Thankfully, this is one of the highlights of Scorpion. It’s a classic late night, Drake pop moment and the MJ feature is executed beautifully.

March 14

Drake makes reference to his kid a number of times on a surface-level on the record but on March 14 he really addresses it. Over a classic reversed sample Drake finally gives us the truth. These are the best lyrics on the album:



I used to challenge my parents on every album

Now I’m embarrassed to tell ’em I ended up as a co-parent

Always promised the family unit

I wanted it to be different because I’ve been through it