Drake: Thank Me Later

This debut album by Canadian rapper Drake arrives atop a tidal wave of hype. With a reported $2m record deal and endorsements from the likes of Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, the 23-year-old (born Aubrey Graham in a genteel area of Toronto) is being regarded as something of a hip-hop messiah. Drake is undoubtedly an accomplished rapper but his style, combining Jay-Z's laid-back swagger with Kanye West's rhyming patterns and Lil Wayne's drawl, is too familiar to set him apart. This is a confident start, but keep the thanks in reserve for later.