Equation:Dirty

rib Magazine

Leave it up to the Definitive Jux crew to drop some proper indie hip-hop filled with head nodding beats, complicated twists and mellowed out flavor on Drake's Equation Dirty. Though the album dropped in 2003, it definitely deserves continued props as it never gets tired on the ears. Why can't radio ever play the true noise of street boyz rather than constantly blowin' up tha cheese.

TINY MIX TAPES

The future is now. In this brand new world of technology and heralded micro-sensibility, many individuals take hold of the futuristic approach to life and fully submerge themselves into technological boundaries. Musically, few artists realistically portray the future and its ultimate conquest. Dope Lotus Music is the home of Drake, a beat-savvy, instrumental hip-hop player that summons up many comparisons to Def Jux's beat innovator RJD2. But as RJD2 envelops the dirty and grimy sound of instrumental hip-hop, Drake has taken a more sterile and brusque method to create a truly inventive record, titled Equation Dirty.

Equation Dirty is digital, sampling an array of organ drones accompanied with crisp beats and humorous sampled soliloquies. The album continues at a rapid pace, featuring many intricate and technologically demanding musical derivatives. Though the record is mostly instrumental, it is truly captivating and all-encompassing; it takes you into a futuristic world of musical warfare. Polished and sophisticated, Equation Dirty is one of hip-hop's most surprising instrumental albums. Although not as refreshing and absurd as any work from Prefuse 73, Drake has created a truly impressive debut record full of admirable music. And to assist in the success of the record, Aesop Rock volunteers his vocals on one of the two tracks with vocal accompaniment.

Drake's Equation Dirty signifies another milestone for hip-hop. Branching and interconnecting with various musical styles, Drake has continued to represent instrumental hip-hop as a truly inventive form of music. Sometimes music does not require words to best explain the emotional outpour of an artists. All it takes is passion and technology.

-Wolfman

INSOMNIAC MAGAZINE

For those who don't know, in 1959 The Drake Equation was heralded as a turning point in the scientific search for life on other worlds and in essence "Equation Dirty" has accomplished that musically. Drake is a phenomenal producer/beat smith who has no boundaries when creating beautiful neck snapping beats.

"Equation Dirty" contains 15 tracks of "crisp and clean" rather than "dirty" joints that are more than just instrumentals. They're soulful tracks that envelop you and take you to another dimension, away from all the monotony in the industry today. By far, "NM2" is the best track you'll come across in awhile. It starts off beautifully and gains momentum further into the song. In other words, it's more than just breathtaking; it's a magnum opus! Good idea that this track was in the middle rather than in the beginning. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll play "NM2" a couple of times before you go on to the next track.

Tracks "Inner City Hustle" featuring Aesop Rock/Life Long and "By Myself" with Bisc One are the only songs with lyrics and is Drake's way of proving that he could create beats for emcees to feast on. Equation is filled with ambient and electronica textures and incorporates and 80's sound in certain points. The politically driven "War Ship God" is tight as hell with dark overtones.

This is simply an unassuming and brilliant hip-hop LP that quietly shifts the parameters of the Hip-Hop genre.

-CyPHer777

PREFIX

Being an employee of Definitive Jux is a double-edged sword when it comes to recording your own music. On one hand, it's a huge plus, as you've got access to some of the finest talent of indie hip-hop today, and any affiliation with the Def Jux crew helps to get your name out there. On the other hand, letting it get out that you work at 451 Greenwich also means that the stakes are raised, the microscopes are out, and any missteps or failures will take place on a much larger scale.

Cue the sigh of relief for Drake, because his self-released debut, Equation Dirty, hits right about where one might expect. Some tracks sound at times as if he was a bit hesitant to pull out the stops and really get dirty, but the varied source material, as well as the dense and slightly abstract production, point toward the originality of much of Def Jux's catalog. It doesn't reach the heights of I Phantom or Fantastic Damage, but there is some undeniable talent and a lot of hot beats on display throughout this record.

Much of Drake's allure lies in his skill at handling contrasting elements, as the placid mixes seamlessly with the belligerent on many tracks. The presence of horns and a flute sample lend a mellow after-hours feel to "Late Night Drinker," but the volatile beat pours the vodka into the fire, hinting at a not-so-happy ending come morning. "NM2" hums along with an ambient vibe before the beat steps in about a third of the way through and fractures the surface tension, knocking the ambient elements into an erratic orbit in a sequence quite indicative of Drake's style.

He also nabs himself a few emcees, remixing "Inner City Hustle" (which originally appeared on the Embedded Studios compilation The Bedford Files) with Aesop Rock and L.I.F.E. Long, replacing the plucky bass of the original with a dirty, bottom-heavy beat that better suits the subject matter as Aesop and Long spit the vocal hook: "Sliding through the jungle, where everybody mumbles / I keep to myself and walk that inner-city shuffle / through these concrete streets we creep / sightseeing, vibing to beats / on dusty paths who knows who we'll meet." Snappy hi-hats and growling bass power rapper Bisc One through "By Myself" as he extols the virtues of solitary life on one of the standout tracks. The stuttering drums provides a foundation for a piano and horns that sound lifted from a '50s romance film, a description that looks absolutely terrible in print but sounds fantastic on the record.

Many of the tracks on Dirty would be relaxing if not for the jagged beats, but the fact that they still manage to sound smooth speaks to Drake's strengths. He samples liberally from a wide variety of records, which keeps the beats fresh, but the actual snare hits and cymbals all seem straight out of the 808; a dirty snap or an echoing kick drum here and there could punch up some of the rhythms. Occasionally, the record sounds less like an album and more like a beat sampler, but for all I know, that's the intent. He's got some room to grow, but emcees would be wise to pounce on this kid before he's too busy to throw them a beat, and Def Jux should probably start considering a promotion.

-Mike Krolak