After a mixtape propelled Drake from Canadian soap star to bona fide hitmaker, Thank Me Later confirmed his star status. His official studio debut solidifies his moody signature sound while grappling frankly with fame, sex, and self-doubt. Seamlessly fusing hip-hop and R&B, he renders navel-gazing in hi-def clarity: “Karaoke” and “Cece’s Interlude” find the newly minted icon pining for the comfort of old flames and simpler times. But his uncertainty about his newfound fame pales in comparison with the celebratory mood of songs like the triumphant "Over."