“Her Loss” was unexpectedly announced in the “Jimmy Cooks” music video released on Oct. 22. The song, of course, is the standout featuring 21 Savage from Drake’s last solo record, “Honestly, Nevermind."

Following the announcement, Drake and 21 Savage went on a press tour.

The pair graced the cover and contents of a Vogue issue, posted snippets of an unreleased NPR Tiny Desk Concert and posted shorts of a joint interview with Howard Stern in which Drake shared his porn-watching tendencies and thoughts on love “absolutely NO filter,” Drake said when he shared the clip on Instagram).

The album campaign would’ve been one that any musician could find satisfaction with – that is, if it was real. All of the touring was a spoof. The vogue issue was a fake photoshoot, and the concert was green screened and the interview with Howard Stern never happened.

The reality of the situation was that Drake and 21 Savage skipped a few steps on the way to dropping their album. Quite frankly, because they can.

“Her Loss” gives us the best of both rappers.

From start to finish, it’s clear these two are very comfortable sharing a track. This should come as no surprise from the guys who brought us “Sneakin',” “Mr. Right Now” and “Knife Talk” on past projects.

The joint album is Drake’s first since his widely praised 2015 collab with Future, “What a Time to Be Alive.”

Drake’s success has always been his commitment to the formula. He knows how to make a hit, as seen by his laundry list of accolades. Now, he returns to a boastful and confident rap flow, making room for melodic ebbs in between. 

In 2018, 21 Savage reached new heights with his album “I am > I was.” His cutthroat lyrics are matched with authenticity and honesty that he weaves in with ease.

While 21 Savage can stand alone as one of the best MCs of his time, he excels when lending his voice to collaborations. Whether it be in his “Savage Mode” saga with Metro Boomin, or “Without Warning” with Offset and Metro Boomin, he is able to match whatever beat or artist he pairs himself with. And when he links with Drake, the results are unmatched.

From trading on and off during the chorus to diving into each other’s thematic worlds, there’s a clear give and take between the pair. 

Drake cycles in and out of his feelings throughout the album. 

21 Savage adopts the confidence that Drake selectively expels, finding himself as his own type of Certified Lover Boy. Not stuck in the mix of Drake’s Macaulay Culkin described life, but right there with him. He raps about money, cars, guns, success and a constant stream of women, maintaining an edge from his come-up which he reminds us of throughout.

"Spin Bout U," "Hours of Silence" and "Treacherous Twins" each flirt with the idea of relationships and love.

Just as 21 Savage dips into Drake’s world, Drake dives into his. There’s no better example of this than when Drake recreates 21 Savage’s ‘Slaughter Gang’ bridge from his 2016 song “Red Opps."

At its worst, "Her Loss" is a surface-level album full of hits. There’s a lack of exploration in the lyrics, with each rapper sticking to the ideas that connect them as opposed to experimenting with something more outside of the box. They brag in bold and stray away from letting people into their thoughts, which both have been successful at in the past. That’s not what this album is about, that’s “Her Loss."

The album peaks with three songs. “Circo Loco," samples Daft Punk, “Rich Flex” finds 21 Savage interpolating Meg Thee Stallion's hit song "Savage," and “Broke Boys” a fast-paced claim to success, reminding everyone else in the industry why they are below. 

And Drake certainly didn't hold back on being specific, dissing Ye, Megan Thee Stallion and Serena William's husband, Alexis Ohanian – just to name a few. The album could've done without it, as it seemed 21 Savage was there to deliver and nothing else, but Drake is going to be Drake.

Even when the pair split up on a track, they add to the record with individual perspective.

Drake has four solo songs on the album, “BackOutsideBoyz” in which Lil Yachty donates his adlibs, “Middle of the Ocean," “Jumbotron Sh-- Poppin” and “I Guess It’s F**k Me."

21 Savage has one solo song on the album: “3AM on Glenwood," a rare deep-cut. It finds the rapper talking about the trials and tribulations of his life: putting his kids in private schools, PTSD and talking to his brother from a jail cell. He ultimately concludes the track with "I don't want to make friends, I just want to chase M's."

The lone feature on the 16-song album comes from Travis Scott on “P*ssy and Millions," a good way to sum up the main idea this duo project.

From delivery down to the beats, "Her Loss" has gotten better with each play and should find itself at the top of the charts long into 2023. "Her Loss" is a hip-hop fan's win.