CHAPTER 27: 'BRAND NEW'

(Originally Posted Tuesday February 17, 2015)

So Far Gone was such a multilayered mixtape it’s no surprise that tracks like “Houstalantavega,” “Successful” and “Best I Ever Had” could coexist, but throw our next featured song into the mix and it adds an unforeseen harmony to an already unified originality. A ballad of sorts, with Drake solely singing on the track, it was definitely a different step in an honest direction. Drake may have threw us a hint or two of wanting to woo the ladies; but in “Brand New” he went the whole 100 and created a song that he not only does not rap in – at all – but that perfectly fits the pitch of his moody vibe.

I loved it. And lines like, “Knowledge is Pain/and that is why it hurts to know …” and “I can’t even find/the perfect brush so I can paint what’s going through my mind …” only solidified that. The sound of the song is slightly dark, but very masculine in its emotional way, and toward the end of the song you can really feel how much Drake means what he is saying as it all melts down: “Is anything I’m doing brand new? Show me if this is brand new!” It’s passionate, it’s relatable and it’s being sung so smoothly, who wouldn’t want to listen to its persuasive plea? I was always a big fan of this song: Not necessarily because of Drizzy’s singing, but because it was nice to know that there were men out there who actually cared about continuously reinventing themselves … and always for the better.

DRAKE - BRAND NEW            

Chapter 27: Brand New. / Written By: Jae Antoinette

DAUNTE:

Just a moment ago I was on the first floor of the lodge, doing cardio in their gym when out of nowhere a patron of the staff excuses herself and interrupts my elevated sit ups to tell me I wanted in my room. ‘Wanted in my room?’ I wondered. ‘For what?’

            “I’m in the middle of a workout,” I told her and waited for her to nod and leave, but she didn’t seem interested. She nodded, but it was only to tell me that she wasn’t blind. “I see Mr. Myles, but it is a matter of importance. If you could just follow me a minute …” and I really had no choice. I followed her through the small hall, up the compact stairway, and to the second floor door before she topped at the top of the stairs to bid her farewell.

            “I’ll let you go here, Mr. Myles. Sorry of the interruption.” I just look at her and walk away. I don’t see what could be happening in my room that I’d have to stop my workout to come back to it but I just push through the door and head down trim the hallway to my door: #207. My eye caught the “Do Not Disturb” sing hanging on the doorknob and almost missed the stream of red petals lining the pathway to the door, but the itch that something was up became a full-blown rash when I turned the knob to find my room decked out in Valentine’s Day decor and Kendra in a red negligee, laying on my bed.

            One thigh crossed over the other, she looked all sorts of fineness, but I was taken aback that she was even there. I had a sharp moment of spinning that dizzied me to the reality of her presence, and only after hearing the sound of her voice did I become ever-conscience of her presence to know I was really there.

            “Surprise,” was all she spoke, and I didn’t know whether to be impressed or pissed off.

            “How did you get here? How did you find me?”

            She shrugged, “I have my ways.”

She made like she was happy to see me, pointing a smile and a curling finger my way, and I instantly lost all trust. This is the same girl who played me, who dipped out on me the first chance she got, and suddenly she was here, in my room – in Arizona! – for Valentine’s Day? This had to be a practical joke.

            “Are you for real?” I asked, still in the doorway. “You’re serious?” No wonder she kept calling my phone. My mind is contemplating a million thoughts all while watching this girl I used to love dangling herself in front of me for Valentine’s Day. I could do a million things: Fuck her and then kick her out, pretend to love her and not really mean it; but I am a gentleman and all I can do is sigh. This is Kendra’s game, and I’m not willing to play it anymore. She might think that what she’s doing is something brand new, but I haven’t seen anything “new” about it. Everything Kendra sets up is a trap, and I’ll be damned if I let myself fall for them EVER again …

TO BE CONTINUED …