Best I Ever Had
E
Drake·
20092009
Released in 2009, So Far Gone functions as a sort of Drake time capsule—an album that showcases the talent, verve, and tunefulness that would soon propel him to superstardom. Though only Drake’s third mixtape. So Far Gone allowed the avant-garde rapper to decisively and cohesively establish his identity as a genre-bending, vulnerable MC, one who would go on to inspire droves of artists—and, in doing so, launch an unprecedented era of hip-hop.
The mixtape’s title dates back to a conversation between Drake and co-executive producer Oliver El-Khatib. While acknowledging the lack of respect for women they displayed during an earlier exchange, the pair reflected on getting caught in the mix—in other words, of becoming “so far gone.” The title was part warning, part prophecy—the bold statement of a young rapper foreshadowing his own astronomical ascent.
Drake would need that confidence, as he faced plenty of skeptics in his early years. And he did have an unlikely backstory: Here was a half-Jewish Canadian former child actor, born Aubrey Graham, who believed he would become one of the world’s biggest rappers. But on So Far Gone, the striving rapper—working alongside longtime producer and sound architect Noah “40” Shebib—flawlessly displayed the multitude of below-the-surface facets that would propel his career forward. Drake draws on his father’s Houston roots on “Uptown” and the chopped-n-screwed “November 18th,” details his failed relationships on the atmospheric “Sooner Than Later,” and praises a grade A lover on the giddy “Best I Ever Had,” which would earn him multiple Grammy nominations and deliver Drake to the upper reaches of the pop charts. Meanwhile, even lesser-known tracks like “Little Bit” and “Let’s Call It Off” prove Drake’s versatility and undeniable star power.
The album’s genius even applies itself to Drake’s marketing tactics, in which he utilized online spaces like Myspace and his own OVO blog to offer So Far Gone for free—a move that helped him earn international recognition. Drake would make bigger hits in the years to come, but So Far Gone stands as a crucial artifact from early in his career, one that showcases his combination of radio-friendly tunes and showbiz smarts.
Lyrics
[Intro]
You know, a lot of girls be
Thinkin' my songs are about them
This is not to get confused
This one's for you
[Chorus]
Baby, you my everything, you all I ever wanted
We could do it real big, bigger than you ever done it
You be up on everything, other hoes ain't never on it
I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it
'Cause she hold me down every time I hit her up
When I get right, I promise that we gon' live it up
She made me beg for it 'til she give it up
And I say the same thing every single time
I say, you the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had (Ayy)
Best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had
I say, you the fuckin'
[Verse 1]
Know you got a roommate, call me when there's no one there
Put the key under the mat and you know I be over there (Yup)
I be over there, shawty, I be over there
I be hittin' all the spots that you ain't even know was there
And you don't even have to ask twice
You could have my heart or we could share it like the last slice
Always felt like you was so accustomed to the fast life
Have a nigga thinkin' that he met you in a past life
Sweatpants, hair tied, chillin' with no make-up on
That's when you're the prettiest
I hope that you don't take it wrong
You don't even trip when friends say
"You ain't bringin' Drake along?"
You know that I'm workin', I'll be there soon as I make it home
And she a patient in my waiting room
Never pay attention to the rumors and what they assume
And until them girls prove it
I'm the one that never get confused with, 'cause
[Chorus]
Baby, you my everything, you all I ever wanted
We could do it real big, bigger than you ever done it
You be up on everything, other hoes ain't never on it
I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it
'Cause she hold me down every time I hit her up
When I get right, I promise that we gon' live it up
She made me beg for it 'til she give it up
And I say the same thing every single time
I say, you the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had (Ayy)
Best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had
I say, you the fuckin'
[Verse 2]
Sex, Love, Pain, baby, I be on that Tank shit
Buzz so big I could probably sell a blank disc
When my album drop, bitches'll buy it for the picture
And niggas'll buy it too and claim they got it for they sister
Magazine paper, girl, the money ain't the issue
They bring dinner to my room and ask me to initial
She call me the referee 'cause I be so official
My shirt ain't got no stripes, but I can make your pussy whistle
Like the Andy Griffith theme song
And who told you to put them jeans on?
Double cup love, you the one I lean on
Feelin' for a fix, then you should really get your fiend on
Yeah, just know my condo is the crack spot
Every single show, she out there reppin' like a mascot
Get it from the back and make your fuckin' bra strap pop
All up in your slot 'til a nigga hit the jackpot, I'm saying
[Chorus]
Baby, you my everything, you all I ever wanted
We could do it real big, bigger than you ever done it
You be up on everything, other hoes ain't never on it
I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it
'Cause she hold me down every time I hit her up
When I get right, I promise that we gon' live it up
She made me beg for it 'til she give it up
And I say the same thing every single time
I say, you the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had (Ayy)
Best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had
I say, you the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the fuckin' best (Ayy), you the fuckin' best (Ayy)
You the best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had (Ayy)
Best I ever had (Ayy), best I ever had
[Outro]
Uhh, ah yeah
See, this the type of joint you gotta dedicate to somebody
Just make sure they that special somebody
Young Money, yeah, yeah
You know who you are
I got you
