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Live Review: 'Good Ones Go' hard on Vanessa Elisha and XXYYXX's Drake Cover

28 April 2017 | 8:08 am | Lloyd Crackett

Long time collaborators, Vanessa Elisha and XXYXX take on Drake's 'Good Ones Go' and turn an old classic into a fresh new track.

A DRAKE cover is a hard sell, first of all – it's Drake, whether or not you like him, he’s nearing that single name Madonna-level recognition. Secondly, a Drake cover is the bread and butter of hip hop – with memorable beats and lyrics that explore a depth that popular hip hop usually shy away from, it's music that is ready for reaping. Yet, Drake still postures like any other rapper but in the hands of another, ego can be put aside and a Drake song can become so much more and that’s exactly the case with VANESSA ELISHA and XXYYXX’s cover of Drake’s ‘Good ones Go’.

It was a smart move by Vanessa Elisha and XXYYXX to cover an interlude that features on Drake’s 2011 sophomore album Take Care. To diehard fans, it is immediately recognisable but Vanessa has been able to flesh it out into an entire track more than worthy of radio play rather than confined to 2 minutes on a massive album. Whereas Drake’s original featured the unmistakable high notes of The Weeknd, Vanessa provides everything – her vocals are strong and high-calibre in range, smooth and able to provide a greater nuance. Vanessa even takes on verses in full rap mode, easily flowing over them with the help of long time collaborator XXYYXX’s masterful production that features ominous synths lead by trap hi hats. The collaboration between the two has rejuvenated a now time-gone Drake track and even placed a strategic moment of silence near the end that begs for an upcoming producer to take this cover to the next level and remix it into an absolute trap banger.

Vanessa Elisha and XXYYXX’s Drake cover is now their third time working together after XXYYXX produced Vanessa’s track ‘Out of Time’ and Vanessa featuring on XXYYXX’s track ‘Unknown’ which was later sampled by rapper Tory Lanez. The two, evidenced by their ability to churn out stellar tracks, are creative equals who also have original tracks coming out very soon.

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