Five years ago today, on February 13, 2009, Drake released So Far Gone. You know the cover, the little kid with head skyward, tiny hearts and dollar bills floating down against the black background. "I'm trying to do it all tonight," are the first words heard, but it's far more likely that the collection of songs takes place over a series of nights. There are too many memories revisited, too many conversations and doubts turned over for just one night.
But the production from Noah "40" Shebib—as much a part of Drake's persona as cozy sweaters and sensitive lyrics—keeps the mood consistent. His beats conjure streetlights gliding across the bodies of cars driving down highways after dark. Everything moves slow. There's always time for another discussion about making it ("Successful") or that girl you give 99% of your thoughts to ("Houstalantavegas"). There's also time for moving away from the talkative bunch at the party, feeling lonely, and then feeling frustrated ("Say What's Real").
These are the things that make Drake Drake. These are also the things that make you want to track his mood with a goofy emo thermometer (complete with Drake faces from happy to sad to Marvin's Room). It's all part of what makes Drake great, the invitation to share in his feelings, and then laugh about those same feelings. Really, he's okay with you doing both.
So now it's time to monitor Drake's emotions since So Far Gone dropped:
April 16, 2009 - "Freestyles" off his BlackBerry on Hot 97
Aug. 1, 2009 - Injures his knee while rapping in New Jersey
March 8, 2010 - Lil Wayne is sentenced to serve a year in jail
May 2010 - Rihanna starts dating Matt Kemp
June 15, 2010 - Thank Me Later drops
Nov. 4, 2010 - Lil Wayne is released from jail
November 12, 2010 - Runs into Rihanna at a bodega, feels the magic coming back
Feb. 13, 2011 - Fails to win a Grammy for "Over"
May 12, 2011 - Releases "I'm on One," a song about friends
Sept. 26, 2011 - Pusha T takes issue with Drake's swag/sweater combinations in a freestyle
Nov. 2, 2011 - Common takes subliminal shots on "Sweet"
Nov. 15, 2011 - Take Care drops
Nov. 29, 2011 - "The Motto" is released as a single
Dec. 15, 2011 - Zac Efron shows off his brand new "YOLO" tattoo
Dec. 23, 2011- Young woman gets "DRAKE" tattooed on her forehead, Drake threatens tattoo artist
Jan. 6, 2012 - Drake sends subliminals at Common on "Stay Schemin"
Jan. 9, 2012 - Common claps back by referencing a ginger ale
June 3, 2012 - Peter Rosenberg disses Nicki Minaj
June 14, 2012 - Breaks bottles with Chris Brown at W.i.P.
Feb. 2, 2013 - Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" hits No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Feb. 9, 2013 - Take Care wins Best Rap Album at the Grammys
Feb. 10, 2013 - Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" still at No. 1, though
March 13, 2013 - Amanda Bynes is just being honest
May 15, 2013 - Photo of Drake wearing Dada hits the Internet; hijinks ensue
June 20, 2013 - Fails to enter Miami Heat locker room during the NBA Finals
Aug. 5, 2013 - Brings out Kanye West at OVO Fest in Toronto
Aug. 12, 2013 - Kendrick Lamar delivers his "Control" verse
Aug. 16, 2013 - Papoose responds to "Control;" hijinks ensue
Sept. 20, 2013 - Nothing Was the Same drops
Oct. 03, 2013 - Kendrick Lamar disses Drake in his BET Awards Cypher
Dec. 17, 2013 - Drake snaps at Kendrick on the remix to Future's "Sh!t"
Dec. 28, 2013 - Releases "We Made It" with Soulja Boy
Dec. 30, 2013 - Releases "Trophies"
Jan. 18, 2014 - Has great fun hosting Saturday Night Live
Jan. 26, 2014 - Macklemore wins all the Grammys
Feb. 7, 2014 - Spotted with Rihanna in an L.A. nightclub
Feb. 12, 2014 - Disses Macklemore for his Grammy apology in Rolling Stone, then gets angry with Rolling Stone for alleged Kanye West diss
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