So Far Gone (EP)

So Far Gone
EP by Drake
Released	September 15, 2009 (2009-09-15)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	33:50
Label	OVO Young Money Cash Money Universal Motown
Producer	40 Boi-1da Needlz DJ Khalil
Drake chronology
So Far Gone (2009) So Far Gone (EP) (2009) Thank Me Later (2010)
Singles from So Far Gone
"Best I Ever Had" Released: February 13, 2009 "Successful" Released: February 13, 2009 "I'm Goin' In" Released: October 27, 2009

So Far Gone is the debut extended play by Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake. It was released on September 15, 2009, by OVO, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. This is his reissued project from his third mixtape that was released earlier on February 13, 2009. This EP features five tracks from the mixtape, with the inclusions of containing two new songs. The EP features guest appearances from Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Bun B and Young Jeezy. The EP was supported by three singles: "Best I Ever Had", "Successful" featuring Trey Songz and Lil Wayne, and "I'm Goin' In" featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy.^[1] In April 2010, the EP won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010's Juno Awards.

Background

So Far Gone was the reissued project from Drake's third mixtape that was released earlier on February 13, 2009, and as a result of the mixtape's success, he created an EP that would determined to re-released it in later on September 15, 2009. The final track listing, however, the cuts the seventeenth-track mixtape to created a inclusions of containing seven track for this reissued EP. The track from the EP, titled "Fear" would be the only new song to be included to this project.^[2] "Fear" serves as the transition song between So Far Gone and his debut studio album Thank Me Later (2010). Drake described the song in an interview with MTV as "eerie", and mentioned that "the last line of the third verse is gonna be the first line on my album [Thank Me Later]".^[3]

Singles

"Best I Ever Had" was released as the first single, which released seven months prior to the release of the EP as a digital download from his mixtape to the same name. The song was released as an official single on June 16, 2009. The single became one of Drake's most successful songs to date, and charted for 24 weeks, while peaking at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[4] The single also managed to peak at number one on both the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Top Rap Songs charts, thus becoming Drake's first number one hit on both of these charts. The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating the sales of 1,000,000 copies in the United States.^[5]

"Successful" was released as the second single from So Far Gone. The single managed to peak at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent a total of 18 weeks on the chart.^[6] The song also reached the top five on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Top Rap Songs charts, peaking at number 3 and number 2 respectively. This single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating the sales of 500,000 copies in the United States.^[7]

"I'm Goin' In" charted and peaked at number 40 the week after the EP was released, and was later sent to urban radio as the album's third single on October 27, 2009.^[8] It managed to remain on the US Billboard Hot 100 for seventeen weeks.^[9] The single was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating the sales of 1,000,000 copies in the United States.^[10]

Reception

Commercial performance

The EP debuted at number 6 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 73,000 copies in the United States.^[11] It dropped in the second week to number 9, with the sales of 36,000, totalling 109,000 copies sold.^[12] Despite being an EP, it was the fifth best selling rap album of 2009.^[13] As of February 2012, the album has sold 639,000 copies in the United States.^[14] On June 30, 2010, the EP was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States.^[15]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100[16]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[17]
Entertainment Weekly	(B)[18]
PopMatters	(6/10)[19]
RapReviews	(9/10)[20]
Village Voice	(favorable)[21]

Overall the EP has received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, the album has received an average score of 76 which indicates "generally favorable reviews". RapReviews.com reviewed the album positively and commented on the EP by saying "The songs that were already previously available on "So Far Gone" are a winner and the new songs don't bring Drake down off the high cloud he's already on". All Music Guide also reviewed the EP positively and said "So Far Gone shows that Drake is for real, and works as a tantalizing teaser for his first full-length record." Entertainment Weekly gave So Far Gone a positive review, and commented on the EP by saying "For those unfamiliar with Drake's ambidextrous style - crooning Auto-Tune love songs one moment, spitting clever bars the next - it's a handy primer. Everyone else can put the neurosis-exploring new cut Fear on repeat and continue anticipating". However, PopMatters gave the album a mixed review and pointed out that musically, "I'm Goin' In" was the "weak link" in the EP.^[22]

Track listing

• "Best I Ever Had" samples "Fallin' in Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.
• "Uptown" samples "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel.

Charts and certifications

Year-end charts

Certifications

References