If you’re reading this, it’s too late because I have collapsed from Drake’s new release, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. Released on the night of February 12, 2015, the unsuspecting world was gifted with a full length 17-track album, which Drake is humbly calling a mixtape. Being his fourth release, he followed the trend started from Beyoncé’s album being 9released December 2013, this album is one of the many that have been following in her footsteps.

                  If You’re Reading This immediately blew up all over the internet, especially because of some iconic lines featured in the album, such as “act your age and not your girl’s age” (a dig at rapper Tyga). Twitter went wild making spinoffs of the album cover, saying it looked like a note a little kid leaves before running away from home, a chick-fil-a chicken’s suicide note, and so many more. I think a lot of the hype isn’t just over the surprise factor, but also the fact that this is an angrier collection of songs from Drake, and everyone is embracing it. Opening with the cocky track “Legend,” Drake sets the tone for the mixtape/album: he’s here, he’s worked hard to get here, and he’s not apologizing for being aggressive about it.

While some songs are immediately catchy with beat changes like “Know Yourself” or hard beats like “Energy” and “6 God,” others took a little bit to grow on me, but after one listen I was hooked. This mixtape is extremely empowering to listen to, dance to, and is something I can imagine old white businessmen in suits listening to before going to an important investors’ meeting, or a group of girls listening to before a night out.

The mixtape sold over 500,000 copies in its first week alone, and recently debuted number 1 on the Billboard 200, unsurprisingly. By taking us on a detour of songs full of genuine lines and justified cockiness, this new mixtape took (and continues to take) the world by storm. If someone didn’t respect Drake as an artist before, this should definitely change their mind. There are so many songs with varied beats and tones that there has to be at least one that every person likes.

I typically get annoyed and sick of songs the more times I listen to an album, but the opposite is true with Drake. The more I listen, the better they get, and the more the tracks get stuck in my head in the middle of the day. This makes Drake more than a person, he’s a form of catharsis and a way to vent. As long as one of these songs is on full blast at the end of a stressful day, I’ll come out more than fine. Yelling out “running through the 6 with my woes” is better than any form of therapy I’ve ever encountered.

I believe the world already knew that Drake was talented, and he’s already proved it, but this aggressive, surprise release was something that was really cool to see. I’m excited to see what else Drake will surprise the world with. I give this album 4 out of 5 stars.