Drink More Water 6

On his sixth mixtape, Drake’s prolific protégé employs his lackadaisical delivery to bring goofy levity to three touchstones of hip-hop: hustling, partying, and heartbreak. Highlighting the contrasting moods here, the steely trap of “Big Gucci” and “Sellin” roll with chest-out triumphalism before “I Want You” wears its lovestruck vulnerability with shaky vocals and light-headed synths. At his very best, on “Where I’m At”, the Atlanta rapper/singer lands halfway between the two, his cocksure swagger knocked off-centre by lysergic waves of melody.

iLoveMakonnen's latest falls uncertainly somewhere between mixtape and album, flipping between his established styles. All of the Makonnen sounds are here, but they are a little thinner, and more grating.

When Drake discovered, then hired, L.A.-based MC and singer iLoveMakonnen, it was like he brought forth an exaggerated version of himself.

ILoveMakonnen's by far the oddest musician to emerge from Atlanta's trap scene in recent years; his rapping and singing abilities are pretty...