Room for Improvement is the debut mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake.[1] It was self-released on February 14, 2006, by All Things Fresh.[2][3][4] Issued as a retail project, it sold 6,000 copies by the end of that year. It features contributions from Toronto natives Slakah the Beatchild, Frank Dukes, and Boi-1da; as well as American singer Trey Songz and American rapper Nickelus F.[5]
| Room for Improvement | ||||
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| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | February 14, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2005–2006 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 65:36 | |||
| Label | All Things Fresh | |||
| Producer |
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| Drake chronology | ||||
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Background
editIn February 2006, in an interview with thabiz.com, Drake talked about the mixtape, "It's a mix CD and I did it with DJ Smallz, who does the Southern Smoke Series. He's done mixtapes with everyone. Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, a lot of people and he's hosting it for me. It's called Room for Improvement. It's seventeen original tracks and a couple of remixes and stuff like that. 22 tracks in total. I have the Clipse on there, I got Trey Songz in there, I got Lupe Fiasco on there, I have Nickelus F, who is this amazing artist from Virginia, who I'm very very tight with and we work together a lot, we worked together. I have Voyce on there, he's a singer from Toronto. Production wise I don't really have any major producers on there. I have a song I did with Trey Songz. I have an individual by the name of Nick Rashur from Harlem he's a really cool cat. Amir; Boi-1da did the majority of the singles, who else should I mention DJ Ra from DC, a lot of people on the CD."
The mixtape was re-released in 2009, featuring only 11 selected songs, with no DJs along with a remix of 'Do What You Do'.[6]
Track listing
editPartial credits adapted from Drake's personal notebook.[7][8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:52 | ||
| 2. | "Pianist Hands (Interlude)" | Mazin Elsadig | 1:11 | |
| 3. | "Special" (featuring Voyce) | Aubrey Graham | DJ Ra | 4:52 |
| 4. | "Do What You Do" | Boi-1da | 3:48 | |
| 5. | "Money (Remix)" (featuring Nickelus F) | Graham | Frank Dukes | 2:25 |
| 6. | "AM 2 PM" (featuring Nickelus F) | 3:28 | ||
| 7. | "City Is Mine" | Boi-1da | 3:53 | |
| 8. | "Drake's Voice Mail Box #1" | 1:12 | ||
| 9. | "Bad Meaning Good" (featuring Slakah the Beatchild) |
| Slakah the Beatchild | 2:32 |
| 10. | "Thrill Is Gone" | Graham | Slakah the Beatchild | 3:02 |
| 11. | "Make Things Right" (featuring Slakah the Beatchild) | Graham |
| 2:41 |
| 12. | "Video Girl" | Graham | DFS | 3:46 |
| 13. | "Drake's Voice Mail Box #2" | 0:16 | ||
| 14. | "Come Winter" |
| 5:28 | |
| 15. | "Extra Special" | Tommy Gunz | 2:58 | |
| 16. | "About the Game (Freestyle)" (featuring Trey Songz) | 1:45 | ||
| 17. | "All This Love" (featuring Voyce) | Exchange Student | 3:20 | |
| 18. | "Drake's Voice Mail Box #3" | 1:12 | ||
| 19. | "A Scorpio's Mind" (featuring Nickelus F) | Amir | 3:52 | |
| 20. | "S.T.R.E.S.S." (featuring Nickelus F) | Rynn | 3:43 | |
| 21. | "Try Harder" | Amir | 2:22 | |
| 22. | "Kick, Push (Remix)" (performed by Lupe Fiasco featuring Drake) | Soundtrakk | 4:44 | |
| 23. | "U.P.A. (Outro)" | 2:14 | ||
| Total length: | 65:36 | |||
Notes
- "Pianist Hands" features uncredited vocals from Mazin's dad
- "Make Things Right" features uncredited vocals from Slakah the Beatchild
Personnel
editPartial credits adapted from Drake's personal notebook.[7][8]
Musicians
- Al-Khaaliq – piano (track 2)
References
edit- ^ Errett, Joshua (January 14, 2009). "Mixtape massacre", Now 28 (20). Retrieved October 7, 2009.
- ^ Patch, Nick (December 10, 2009). "Drake becomes one of Canada's biggest rap exports", Canadian Press. Convenience link.
- ^ Lee, Chris (July 21, 2009). "Drake lands top 10 hits", Toronto Star. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ "Drake - Room for Improvement (Special Edition) Hosted by DJ Smallz // Free Mixtape at". Datpiff.com. January 16, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
- ^ "Re-Up On Drake: "Comeback Season" & "Room For Improvement" (2 Mixtapes) : Get Right Music – The Best In Free Mixtape Downloads". Getrightmusic.com. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on July 24, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
- ^ "Urban Entertainment & Pop Culture 'Zine-Drake interview". Thabiz.com. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
- ^ a b Garcia Lawler, Opheli (June 24, 2018). "You can now bid on Drake's handwritten lyrics". The Fader. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ a b "Lot Detail - Drake's Personal, Signed Notebook for His First Mixtape, Room For Improvement ..." Nate D. Sanders. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
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