What a Time to Be Alive

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What a Time to Be Alive
File:WATTBA.jpeg
Mixtape by Drake and Future
Released September 20, 2015
Recorded 2015; Atlanta, Georgia
Genre
Length 40:30
Label
Producer
Drake chronology
If You're Reading This It's Too Late
(2015)		 What a Time to Be Alive
(2015)		 Views
(2016)
Future chronology
DS2
(2015)		 What a Time to Be Alive
(2015)		 Purple Reign
(2016)
Singles from What a Time to Be Alive
  1. "Jumpman"
    Released: November 10, 2015

What a Time to Be Alive is a collaborative mixtape[2] by Toronto-based rapper Drake and Atlanta-based rapper Future. It was released on September 20, 2015 via the iTunes Store and Apple Music. The mixtape was released under these record labels of A1, Cash Money Records, Epic Records, OVO Sound, Freebandz, Republic Records and Young Money Entertainment.[3] The mixtape debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.

Release, packaging and promotion

The mixtape was first teased by a range of sources; including DJ Skee, Angela Yee and Ernest Baker, and this project was officially announced on Drake's Instagram on September 19, 2015, when he revealed the mixtape's release date and cover art.[4][5][6] The artwork is a stock image that was purchased from Shutterstock.[7] Drake and Future premiered the album on Beats 1 on OVO Sound's "OVO Sound Radio" show on September 20, 2015, after which it was released on the iTunes Store and Apple Music.[8][9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 70/100[2]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 3.5/5 stars
Billboard 3/5 stars[10]
Entertainment Weekly C–[11]
Noisey (2-star Honorable Mention)[12]
Pitchfork Media 7/10[13]
Rolling Stone 3.5/5 stars[14]
Spin 7/10[15]

What a Time to Be Alive received a normalized metascore of 70 out of 100 on the review aggregate website Metacritic based on 24 critics.[2] Billboard described Drake and Future's chemistry as expected and said "Future deals with personal demons that he tries, and fails, to drown in drugs; Drake is mostly about insecurities and lesser gravity".[10] Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, attributing the "fresh and spontaneous" feel to the quick production of the album, where "both artists [are] playing off their louder-than-life personalities without overthinking the details."[14] However, Sheldon Pearce in a Pitchfork Media review suggests that this limited time-frame for making the album is the sonic downfall of the mixtape arguing that the album "wasn't created with the care or the dutiful curation we've come to expect from both artists when solo."[13]

In a mixed review, Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork Media criticizes the "decided lack of chemistry between these two,” because “they have difficulty sharing the same space” when on the same song.[13] Pearce goes on to highlight how Future’s presence, both in content and persona, is much more prevalent than Drake’s, where the latter appears to be a “bystander” and “out of his element.”[13] Yet, he highlights moments where the collaboration works most effectively. In "Scholarships", Drake “throws Future the perfect alley-oop,” “Jumpman” is a banger, and “Diamonds Dancing” is the first track between the two artists that “clicks on all cylinders.”[13] Additionally, Pearce lauds the production by Metro Boomin as “glimmering” and hails both rappers when they are able to work on their own and make music in their respective comfort zones in songs like Future's “Jersey” and Drake’s "30 for 30 Freestyle".[13]

Complex said about Drake verses; "despite a corny bar here or there, Drake sounds way more energized with much better flows."[16] Entertainment Weekly was disappointed with Drake on the album, quoting "despite a beat by Drake whisperer Noah “40” Shebib, the album-closing “30 For 30 Freestyle” doesn’t come near clearing the admittedly high bar Drake has set for himself in 2015."[11]

Commercial performance

What a Time to Be Alive debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 375,000 equivalent album units; it sold 334,000 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit count representing the album's streaming activity and track sales during the tracking week.[3] It became both Drake and Future's second albums to chart at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2015 (If You're Reading This It's Too Late and DS2, respectively).[3] In its second week it sold 65,000 copies.[17] As of January 27, 2016, What a Time to Be Alive has sold 519,000 copies in the United States.[18] The album has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of 1 million units.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Digital Dash"  
3:51
2. "Big Rings"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Wayne
  • Metro Boomin
 3:37
3. "Live from the Gutter"  
3:31
4. "Diamonds Dancing"  
5:14
5. "Scholarships"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Wayne
  • Metro Boomin
 3:29
6. "Plastic Bag"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Neenyo
 3:22
7. "I'm the Plug"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Luellen
  • Southside
 3:00
8. "Change Locations"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Noel Cadastre
  • Noël
 3:40
9. "Jumpman"  
  • Graham
  • Wilburn
  • Wayne
  • Metro Boomin
 3:25
10. "Jersey" (performed by Future)
  • Wilburn
  • Wayne
  • Luellen
  • Metro Boomin
  • Southside
 3:08
11. "30 for 30 Freestyle" (performed by Drake)
Noah "40" Shebib 4:13
Total length:
 40:30

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[40] Platinum 519,000[18]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

References

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  1. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6700817/drake-future-what-a-time-to-be-alive-mixtape-review
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Drake. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  26. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 39, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  28. ↑ http://lista.vg.no/artist/drake/album/what-a-time-to-be-alive/13647
  29. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Drake & Future – What a Time to Be Alive". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Drake. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Drake – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Drake. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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