Last Friday, Drake reissued his latest album, For All the Dogs, with a “Scary Hours Edition,” featuring six new songs as a separate disc. Produced by the likes of Conductor Williams, The Alchemist, Ovrkast, and Lil Yachty, Drake’s latest batch of tracks comes just over a month after his 23-track album. Informally titled Scary Hours 3, the new project has been primarily well-received compared to the mixed reception of For All the Dogs.
Drake also recently shared the instrumentals to his latest rap-heavy deluxe edition. Scary Hours 3 is noticeably longer than its predecessors, almost acting as a standalone work compared to the shorter EPs that helped promote his studio albums. With Drake’s latest release still fresh and in rotation, we rank the Scary Hours EPs from least to greatest. Take a look at the list below.
3. Scary Hours (2018)
The first Scary Hours EP arrived in January of 2018. The two-song project notably included “God’s Plan,” which eventually became one of Drake’s biggest singles yet. Also on the first Scary Hours was “Diplomatic Immunity,” a trap song that name-checked Jennifer Lopez in its lyrics and referenced Dipset with its title. With “God’s Plan” eventually becoming the lead single from Scorpion later that year, Scary Hours ultimately came and went as an insignificant moment in the scope of Drake’s discography. As the shortest and least exciting installment in the series, it ranks at the bottom of the Scary Hours EP’s.
2. Scary Hours 2 (2021)
Released ahead of Certified Lover Boy, Scary Hours 2 is a strong EP that compels listeners throughout its three songs. While only 12 minutes in length, the project was varied in production and style. Drake certainly excited fans as he opened Scary Hours 2 with the energetic “What’s Next.” The song “Wants and Needs” saw Drake confidently rap over a menacing beat. Lil Baby contributed an admirable verse to the song, impressively flowing after Drake’s catchy and melodic chorus. Drake ended the EP with “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” a 6-minute track where he and Rick Ross spit bars over a soulful beat, displaying their long-lasting chemistry. Overall, Scary Hours 2 fulfilled its task of satisfying fans before the eventual release of Certified Lover Boy, leaving them hoping for more.
1. For All The Dogs, Scary Hours Edition (2023)
Scary Hours 3 is the only installment in the series released almost immediately after a major Drake studio album. Acting as both a deluxe and a standalone project, it contains some of Drake’s best rapping in recent memory, surpassing the standard edition of For All the Dogs. The rap-driven project sees Drake responding to his toughest critics, sending shots at Joe Budden and Pusha T, as well as people missing the “old Drake.”
Chorus-free songs like “Red Button” and “Stories About My Brother” feature some of Drake’s sharpest bars, while “The Shoe Fits” points out the faults of those who scrutinize him online. He and J. Cole prove to be an even match as they go back and forth on “Evil Ways” before shrugging off his exes on “You Broke My Heart.”
Easily the best-produced project out of the series, Scary Hours 3 is Drake at his most vengeful. He delivers the lyricism and charisma that For All the Dogs somewhat lacked, silencing his biggest critics. A concise listen, it plays like a complete body of work.
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