As I waited for Drake’s FOMO short-film livestream to begin on September 15, I wondered which direction he’d take. Having started in film and television before blowing up as a rapper and pop star, I wondered whether his years of experience would make this different from his previous livestreams. It’s similar in concept, but there’s a little more to it than a stream of music videos hyping up a release. With FOMO, Drake cohesively blends music videos and interlude-like sections into a 59-minute film that keeps mythifying him. My thoughts on FOMO differ from my appreciation of its artistry. Do I think it’s good overall? No. Much of that comes down to the music itself, which often falls short. Drake picks some dope beats I can see myself vibing to, but the energy and care he puts into his braggadocious raps and crooning feel lazier than what he brings to some of his clubbier hits.
The FOMO livestream gave us a few musical highlights, including Drake’s verse and video segment for “Outside Tweaking,” Don Toliver’s section of the “Choosin Texas” remix, the new song “Quebec,” and the visuals for one of my favorites, “Classic,” off Habibiti. Throughout the project, one thing became evident: Drake is a genuinely interesting creative mind whose creative instincts seem to be moving away from his music. Drake and his creative team, Theo Skudra, Zong Li, Liam Macrae, Jake Schreier, and Glenn Michael, give us memorable visuals, but for the most part that’s all it is. However, many of the videos in FOMO are unique and engaging, particularly “Classic” and “I’m Spent.”
“I’m Spent” gives us unabashed flexing from Drake and Loe Shimmy as they perform in Iron Man & War Machine suits, respectively, at a local carnival, acting unfazed and chill; it’s funny, yet interesting. “Classic” uses a house party setting to showcase vibrant dancing and infectious community vibes. The content and how they are used create something that feels modestly fresh, despite being formulaic Drake. But that isn’t the only side of Drake we see. Drake is a quirky dork who exudes confidence out of his pores. It makes you understand why he can make these videos so casually. It adds character, making it easier to sit and take in the visuals, even the corny videos like “Princess” and “Cheetah Print.”
“Princess” delivers Hot Topic-style gothic extravagance as Drake gets a goth makeover from Pinkychu, the goth influencer who won his dating game not too long ago. We see the two reign over a Medieval Times restaurant performance, where the direction and camerawork during the Knights’ battle are spectacular. Still, understanding the corniness of the online goth thing makes the scenes before and after Medieval Times feel even more cringe-inducing. In “Cheetah Print,” Drake dances awkwardly and goofily in a Napoleon jacket as he moves through his kitchen and upstairs hallway before heading to his bedroom, where he sits and stares at Sexyy Red dancing for him in lingerie. It reflects the duality of what we know him to be, and it works exceptionally, despite the mediocre song.
My favorite video on FOMO is for my “Miss My Dawgs,” the new Yeat song featuring Drake. It’s not because it’s the final video of the short film, but because it’s a beautiful visual reflection on Drake’s career. It opens to the dating-show stage Drake was on before easing into a series of transitions featuring imagery from past albums and songs, including Take Care and “God’s Plan,” and ending ceremoniously with “Hotline Bling. It is my favorite because it parallels the reflections of my own generation and those before mine, who first caught Drake on Degrassi: The Next Generation and downloaded the Comeback Season mixtape during the blog era of Hip-Hop. It’s about participating in the conversation in real time and creating timestamps along the way that we can revisit later.
Despite his current tendency to flood the market with bloated releases, Drake still delivers quality highlights like “Janice STFU” and “Rich Flex” from ICEMAN and Her Loss, respectively. But the occasional mediocrity remains, whether it’s the laziness and questionable sampling on “Cheetah Print” or the blandness of “Outside Tweaking” with Stunna Sandy, whose flow left little impression. There’s not much substance to the latter, just another dance record that does its job without leaving a lasting impression. Most of the previously released songs on FOMO are too straightforward to offer anything interesting lyrically. That lessens their replay value for me, particularly as someone who wasn’t a big fan of the albums surrounding ICEMAN.
I guess, at the end of the day, I’m proverbially stuck wanting rappity-rap Drake because the effort behind these dance hits doesn’t match what I heard on Honestly, Nevermind. I can’t say FOMO wasn’t an experience. It offers plenty of intrigue and a few laughs, even if the music seldom matches the creativity behind the visuals. I wanted to like these projects more, but there isn’t much for me to return to. Even though these videos are one-and-done for me, that may not be the case for others. I don’t hate them, and you might like them, but if you’re reading this, know that FOMO wasn’t for me.
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