PARTYNEXTDOOR

By 2013, Drake had already reached the level of notoriety where he could instantly turn obscure artists into household names with a social-media shout-out. But his tutelage of PARTYNEXTDOOR marked the first true test of Drizzy’s kingmaking powers. As the inaugural signing to his emergent OVO Sound imprint, PARTYNEXTDOOR—aka Mississauga, Ontario, singer Jahron Brathwaite—was living proof that Drake had not only become Canada’s most famous MC, but an influence on a whole new wave of rap and R&B aspirants. PARTYNEXTDOOR’s self-titled debut positioned Brathwaite at the precise midway point between Drake’s sophisticated swagger and the seedy storytelling of his previous pet cause, The Weeknd. But Brathwaite’s past experience as a pro songwriter for Warner/Chappell and his pre-PND incarnation as future-soul artist Jahron B. resulted in a singular balance of pop precision and mind-bending sound design: The street scenery of “Wild Bitches” is framed by suitably eerie trap production, but Brathwaite’s verses are rich in melody and drama, while a pitch-shifted chorus hook throws everything off-balance. Even when Brathwaite comes out swinging hard on the nocturnal rap prowler “Break From Toronto,” a beautifully dreamy Miguel sample leads the track to a surprisingly sweet conclusion. Still, it’s no insult to say the album peaks with Drake’s cameo on “Over Here,” a track that effectively functions as OVO’s coming-out party. With Drake’s fiery guest verse bookended by Brathwaite’s smooth hooks, this is less a case of a superstar stealing the spotlight than sharing it, celebrating PARTYNEXTDOOR’s arrival and heralding the birth of an empire.

Toronto-based singer and producer PARTYNEXTDOOR recently signed with Drake's OVO Sound imprint, and his debut mixtape abounds with homespun beats that turn radio rap tropes inside out and easy melodicism.

The eponymous first release from Partynextdoor and Drake's OVO Sound imprint is quite true to its title. It's the soundtrack to a loud and f...