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Drake: What's The Best Song He - And You - Ever Wrote?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't the day after a major local music festival, but sometimes on Tuesday anyway, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture.

This Week's Panel: Renzo, Preemo, Show, Zavey, UZOY (Like the Gun), Yung Chill, Doughbeezy, Snoopy, Dwayne Sweazie and more.

Not Invited: Kia Shine, because he's a bit of a party-pooper.

This Week's Prompt: Drake just won an award for stellar songwriting with his breakout single "Best I Ever Had," a good part of which which the above-mentioned Kia Shine, by the way, claims he wrote. What's the best song he's ever written? And what's the best song you've ever written?

Renzo: The best song Drake has written has been "Forever." Very easy to identify with. The song structure is amazingly unique. The absolute best song I've ever written so far is "Drinkin' and Drivin'," which I will be releasing a video for very soon. I was able to bring people in the mindframe of a drunk person's thoughts, and slide in some humorous truths as well.

Jack Freeman: "Don't Have a Man" featuring Dwele and Little Brother. Only reason I say that is because it's my favorite by him personally. Me, probably a song called "Lonely" that I wrote a few weeks back; vocal arrangement is really cool.

Preemo: I like "Successful." That captured what everybody in the world was thinking, just hadn't quite articulated. I like"So Damn High" because it's the most abstract song I've ever done and has nothing to do with what the title implies.

Show: Alicia Keys, "Unthinkable," probably. [Mine?] That's a tough one. Probably the song I got with Lil Keke, "Showing Naked." Either that or "Early N Tha Morning" with Note.

Zavey: Best Drake song, I say, is "Closer To My Dreams" 'cause I can actually hear his hunger to make his dream come true on that joint. I really know what my best song is 'cause I try to progress each time I write. My fans would have to decide that.

UZOY (Like the Gun): "Shut It Down" featuring The Dream. [It's] very well written in my opinion, and possibly because I'm a girl. I'd say mine is "Ctrl Alt Del" because of the singing included in it and the fact that I produced it.

Scooby: I think my favorite Drake song is "Over." Why? It sent him in orbit. The beat cries so musically. And the favorite song I wrote is "March In Step" featuring Paul Wall and Lil Wayne. Why? 'Cause my ascap check's a lot fatta from that record.

LeeLonn: Well, best Drake song is "Karaoke." I love the feel. Best song I've written would have to be "The Sound Of Tears" (unreleased). You have to listen to [it] to understand. I knew the emotion that drove me to write it. You cast judgement.

Doughbeezy: At the top of my head, I would say "The Calm" from So Far Gone because I feel like it's a song that every artist at that point in their career will feel the same way. And that beat is crazy. And my best song I've never written in my opinion is "Back Stabbers" 'cause it's something everyone can relate to.

Authentic Snoopy: I agree with Dough, it's "The Calm." You can't paint mental thoughts any better than he did. Mine? "Hall of Fame."

Yung Chill: Jamie Foxx's "For Your Type." Melody and pattern just feel so good. We could replace every word and it'd still be a hit. Me? Miss Mykie's "Open Heart Surgery." metaphorically, line for line was clever, but I still managed to keep it layman.

Dwayne Sweaze: In my opinion, I would say "Successful." It's a song everyone can relate to and the lyrics were on point from start to finish. And my best song is "Public Service Announcement." I wen into the studio without lyrics and talked out my thoughts.


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Shea Serrano