The Fall Off vs. Scorpion vs. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Track for Track

The Fall Off vs. Scorpion vs. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Track for Track

Intro

This is just one portion of the grade scale I used to determine which album was best. If you would like to see what album came out on top overall, check out that article here. Now these albums don’t line up perfectly in terms of the number of songs. When an album runs out of songs, the remaining songs are compared in sequence. So, for example, if one disc has already used all its songs, it will be compared to the other album based on where the other album's songs are. So that could look like all songs being the second-to-last on their respective discs, etc.

Dics 1

Intro

1st place 29 Intro, 2nd Place Survival, 3rd Place Grieve Different

This might seem like a strange choice given that 29 Intro isn’t a song. However, it’s cinematic and sets up its album as the best of the three openings. Also, despite not being a song, the sample is musical enough that you wouldn’t skip it while listening. Survival is a great intro, where we seem to enter Drake's world as he’s in the middle of chaos, giving us snippets of the topics to come. The thesis of his album. Grieve Different is a decent song, but it’s not as clear, grounded, or cinematic as the other tracks.

Track 2

1st Place N95, 2nd Nonestop, 26

This is a tough competition between the three artists, and Kendrick takes it because, of the three, he had the most to say while still making this big, grand track to really start the album. While Nonstop is a big hit for Drake and does a great job getting the party started, it’s not as substantive as N95, so it comes in second. Cole lands in last for this track—he is also kicking off the party, but doesn’t deliver a bigger bop than Nonstop, nor is his track more substantive than N95, making the competition clear as we move through each artist’s opening statements.

Track 3

1st Place Safety, 2nd World Wide Steppers, Elevate

Safety was always going to take this. The storytelling and musicality make Safety not just one of the strongest songs on The Fall Off but also one of the strongest across all three albums. Next, World Wide Steppers is one of the stronger songs on Mr. Morale, but it is held back by some questionable lines about having sex with white girls for revenge for slavery (yeah, sure). Elevate, while a good track, is a bit more hollow than the rest of Scorpion and certainly against this lineup of songs.

Track 4

1st Emotionless, 2nd Run a Train, 3rd Place Die Hard

Emotionless by Drake stands out as one of the hardest songs on his album. From the Mariah sample to the subject matter, it holds more substance and memorable lines than the other two tracks, and its single energy helps it rise above. Run a Train is a good album cut—the Future feature ensures the chorus stays with you, and J Cole is rapping at a high level. In contrast, Die Hard offers good vibes and is an easy listen, though it’s a bit forgettable.

Track 5

1st Place God's Plan, Second Place Father Time, Third Place Poor Thing

This was a tough round for the top two. Both tracks make you feel something whenever you hear them, but God's Plan is a smash hit for a reason. It feels like Drake captured happiness and good vibes in a bottle and gave them to the world to enjoy. Father Time just misses out on first place—the track delivers great storytelling, is important, and features the best beat on Kendrick's album. Poor Thang is actually a highlight track on The Fall Off and an important landmark for disc one, but the competition is fierce this round, showing the high standards set by the other two.

Track 6

1st Place Rich Interlude , 2nd I’m Upset, 3rd Legacy

This Kodak Interlude gives me chills every time. “ Can’t be better than the Og’s you gotta get it somewhere, gotta come from somethin'; gotta come from nothin.” The piano heightens the tension as Kodak’s spoken word delivery runs over the beat. The perspective was a definite highlight of the album. I’m Upset is a bop that was very underrated during its time. It was timed poorly, given the title and release timing, people thought it was a response to Pusha T’s story about Adidon. But the eerie beat sets the perfect tone for nighttime reflection as Drake raps in this moment when the guns are pointed at him, yet he meets it with bravado rather than running. Legacy is a good track, but it is inferior to the track on disc two about Cole's relationship, and isn’t much of an earworm compared to the other two tracks.

Track 7

1st Place 8/10, 2nd Bunce Road Blues, Rich Spirit

Drake's 8/10 is the most grand and memorable track of this run. He’s bragadocious and triumphant while still delivering lyrically. By comparison, Bunce Road Blues is excellent rapping, but it doesn’t quite match the scale of 8/10. Rich Spirit isn’t better than the other two in any of the qualities at which they excel.  

Track 8

First Place: We Cry Together, Who TF is You, Mobb Ties

This is a strong round from Cole and Kendrick. However, even in this strong competition, the storytelling in We Cry Together puts it over the top. As we continue, Who the TF is You comes in second with Cole absolutely blacking out in Eminem's flow over bombastic beats. Mobb Ties is among the weaker tracks on Scorpion and doesn’t offer much competition here—it’s too repetitive to match the lyricism and storytelling of the other two.

Track 9

1st Place Drum and Bass, 2nd Place Can’t Take Joke, Third Place Purple Heart

Cole absolutely blacked out here. It’s just Cole giving the fans exactly what we want—pushing his pen, storytelling, reflecting, and letting his bars stand out without distraction. Transitioning to Drake, Can’t Take a Joke is a highly underrated veiled threat to his enemies and a creative way to address them. Purple Hearts is a good song, but the features feel somewhat out of step with Kendrick, particularly given that the other two tracks execute at a higher level.

Track 10/Third To Last Track

1st Place Sandra’s Rose 2nd The Let Out, 3rd Rich Spirit

Sandra’s Rose is arguably the best song on Drake's album, definitely the best of disc one. Drake gets more vulnerable over a Premier beat, reminiscent of Comeback Season Drake. In comparison, The Let Out’s chorus may initially be a barrier, but with a closer listen, its storytelling ranks among the top five on the album and provides climactic closure for disc one. Meanwhile, Rich Spirit does not measure up to Drake’s reflective verses or Cole’s near-death experiences, whether sonically or in substance.

Track 11/Second to Last Track

1st Place We Cry Together, 2nd Talk Up, 3rd Place Bombs in the Ville/hit the gas

We Cry Together is a powerhouse that racks up another win. The storytelling and everything this track accomplished are just not even challenged by these other two tracks. Talk Up is probably Drake and Jay Z's best collaboration. The beat is insane, and it’s two of the biggest rappers talking their shit on it. Bombs and Ville/Hit the Gas is a weaker track that probably shouldn’t have ended disc one. The Let Out is a better finale.

Final Track

1st Place: Is There More, Second Purple Heart, Bombs in the Ville/Hit the Gas

Is There More stands alone as a great track, with a distorted beat reflecting Drake’s mindset: indulging in luxury while feeling that something is missing. The rhyme schemes are top-notch: ‘If I can't make it with you, I'll make it without. They say take the good with the bad, I'll take it without.’ It’s a perfect disc closer and also sets up the R&B side of the album. Purple Hearts is warm and catchy, providing a musical palate cleanser before disc two. Bombs in the Ville can’t match the others.

Disc One Scorecard

1st Place Drake 5 wins

2nd Place Kendrick 4 wins

3rd Place Cole 3 Wins

Disc Two

Intro

1st Place Peak 2nd Place 39 Intro  3rd Count Me Out

Peak is the number one track because once again, Drake provides a snapshot of what’s coming, setting up disc two with strong replay value as both an introduction and a standalone. The line “Talk used to be cheap, these days it’s free” is a stand-out comedic bar on the album as well. In comparison, 39 Intro features some of Cole’s best lyricism on the album, but the long singing section detracts from its impact. Count Me Out is just fine, but it comes out too flat to effectively reset for a new disc.

Track 2

1st Place The Fall Off is Inevitable 2nd Summer Games 3rd Place Crown

This is a runaway for Cole. The Fall Off is inevitable; telling his entire life in reverse was amazing and sets the reflective tone for the second disc, which was more in the moment. Summer Games is actually super underrated, and once upon a time, I even slept on it, but it’s actually aged very well. In addition to just being a good track, it’s important to the album. Drake chronicles the relationship cycle he is talking about by marking their breakup in the summer, which helps you follow the thread of this relationship in later songs. Crown has a similar haunting piano to Rich Interlude on disc one, and the tone and result sonically are just as fantastic. The lyricism, however, leaves me wanting. Kendrick paints a general picture of people wanting things from him now that he has made it, and him trying to satisfy those demands before realizing he can’t please everyone. This is not a unique story, which is fine, but Kendrick was not lyrically in-depth, and on top of that, the song was very repetitive, so it doesn’t reach its full potential.

Track 3

1st Place The Villest 2nd Place Jaded 3rd Place Silent Hill

On track three, all these men were on a mission to make an earworm. The Villest comes out on top in a very hard battle with Jaded. However, the interpolation of Outcast, as well as one of the best beats on the album, set the table for Cole to kill it, and he did just that. Talking to his younger self about what he went through and what he dreamed of and how he was gonna accomplish his dreams, and that still wouldn’t save him. Jaded is an amazing song. Drake is letting it all hang out, talking about his bitterness about how his relationship ended. He talks about what he wished the relationship could have been and why their breakup doesn’t even make sense, given what she said she wanted and what she ended up doing. He does this, all while making an absolute slap. Silent Hill is a good song about meditation and has a lot of replay value, but content-wise, it’s not on the same level as the other two, which also have even more replay value.

Track 4

1st Place Nice for What 2nd Place Old Dog 3rd Savior Interlude

1st Place goes to Drake's smash hit Nice For What. Drake makes a song that will keep the party lit forever while also carrying an important, positive message. In second place, we got Cole rapping his ass off again, especially showing off his flow. Even bringing back Petey Pablo, who put on South Carolina first. Savior Interlude was just in a tough spot. Not a smash hit and definitely not lyrically better than Old Dog. But make no mistake, this is a highlight of the album. It sets the table for the deeper revelations that are to come on disc two of Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. Baby Keem absolutely killed it, showing both swagger and real-life struggle and all that he’s gone through. Honestly, this would have been a better intro to disc two.

Track 5

1st Place Life Sentence, 2nd Savior, 3rd  Finnesse

Cole called Life Sentence " the realist shit he ever wrote," and while fans may not agree, it’s definitely the realest thing written between these three tracks. Cole opens the door on his relationship with his wife, even admitting his own shortcomings with shocking honesty in a relatable, reflective, and aspirational song that really should be a single. Also, Cole flipping the DMX cadence just showed how creative he is. Savior by Kendrick is a highlight. The flow of not your savior is one of the things that will stick with you when this album is finished, as well as the message. It’s an important message that no matter how much you like a celebrity, they are not your saviors, and you should make up your own mind about important issues instead of hanging on to their every opinion. Finesse is a good song with replay value, but it’s just not even close to the level of content as the other two songs.

Track 6

1st Place Auntie Diaries 2nd Place Only You 3rd Rachet Happy Birthday

This is an easy sweep for Kendrick. Auntie Diaries is an excellent storytelling song about Kendrick’s trans family members. Outside of the problematic chorus, Kendrick does a good job of telling a vivid, grounded story about his experience with trans people in his family and how his ideas about trans people were shaped by his own personal experience. I think it’s an important message, especially in rap, where these things are not really discussed, especially in a positive light. It’s great storytelling, and it’s important. Only You is probably the best example of Cole singing on the album. It’s a powerful track about his wife and their journey. Racket Happy Birthday is probably one of the biggest lowlights on all three albums. It is not dense enough to enjoy the content, and the chorus is too goofy to have staying power.

Track 7

1st Place Man Up Above 2nd Place That’s How You Feel 3rd Mr Morale

This round, everyone is putting in work, but there are levels. The top-tier level was Cole with Man Above. Man Above might be the best track of this entire album. It’s perfect, there isn’t a wasted line or flow, everything is delivered perfectly. The sample of " Never Would Have Made It” with this beat might actually be musical crack. The storytelling of Cole talking about where he is now, staying in, thinking back on the situations he survived that his friends didn’t, and why he is like he is now. That’s how you feel is such an underrated gem of the entire Scorpion album. Dreamy hypnotizing beat like Is There More. This time Drake is singing his lyrical juxtapositions, and it sounds arguably better as he details a woman playing with his heart. Mr. Morale also has a crazy beat and has good content. But it’s definitely not competing with Man Up Above in any facet, really, and it’s not as enjoyable as In My Feelings either, so it ends up third despite being a good track.

Track 8

1st Place Mother I Sober 2nd Place I love her Again 3rd Blue Tint

Mother I Sober is the climax of his entire album and has a case for top 5, or even top 1, among these albums. Kendrick unleashes his trauma and outlines the way it was passed down through his family and how he worked through it. This vulnerable, vivid detail is real art. It had to be Kendrick in first place. This is just a tough spot for Cole because if not for Mother, I Sober I love her again wins for most rounds. I’m not afraid to call it classic. It certainly feels like an instant classic track to me. Cole flips Commons I Used to Love, where he talks about falling out of love with Hip Hop like it’s a woman, and Coles flips it too, talking about falling back in love with Hip Hop as if it’s a woman. We get a detailed account of how Cole fell in love with it, where he got frustrated, how he learned to appreciate Rap for what it is rather than nostalgia, and how he reformed the relationship. It’s creative, it’s inspiring, it’s an amazing track. Blue Tint by Drake is a slap on his album; it’s another song in the plus column, but in this round, it’s just nowhere near these other two tracks.

Track 9

First Place: What if,  2nd Place: In My Feelings, Third Place: Mirrors

What if is a very controversial song. People get in their feelings about Cole using Biggie and Tupac as parables. However, I’m not one of those people. This song is excellent. J. Cole rapped from Biggie's and Tupac's point of view, using their flows, and demonstrated how cooler heads could have prevailed and how they might both still be here. In My Feelings by Drake is yet another smash hit that had the summer lit. It’s such a fun track that really captured some magic. This track would win many other rounds. Mirrors was sort of a let-down. Much like the intro track, it was a flat ending after the best track on the album. A song about Kendrick choosing himself definitely doesn’t compare to these two tracks.

Track 10/3rd, fourth from Last

1st Place Auntie Diaries, 2nd Qucik Stop, 3rd Don’t Matter

As we established, Auntie Diaries is phenomenal; it’s a tough bar to clear, and these songs didn't clear it. Quick Stop is an excellent song about Cole meeting a fan who tells him he's inspired by Cole, and in turn, the fan inspires J.Cole to adopt a more positive outlook and remember all the good he’s doing rather than focusing on negativity. It’s also good storytelling and inspiring to the audience about the positive effects your art can have. Don’t Matter is special because it’s a never-before-heard recording of Michael Jackson. It’s a pretty good song, but something is missing. But as it is, it’s a good whistful ballad.

Track 11/Third from Last

1st Place After Dark 2nd Mr. Morale 3rd And the whole world is the Ville

After Dark is an absolute banger about Drake trying to hook up with a girl, possibly his baby mama. This is definitely one of those amazing Ty Dolla $ign features as well. Mr. Morale is solid in this rank. A good lead-up to Mother I Sober and a pretty good track in its own right. And the Whole World is the Ville is a great sentiment to end the album on, but as a song, it could be and should be stronger. It’s just not grand enough to finish such a great album. The beat is good, but it feels like an album cut, not the outro. That being said, the beat is decent and could have worked better if not for the paint-by-numbers chorus by J.Cole.

Track 12/Second To Last

1st Place Mother I Sober 2nd Place Final Fantasy 3rd Place Quick Stop

Mother I Sober, once again, as one of the best tracks on any album, just shows its dominance. It’s just doing too much creatively to lose to either of the other contenders. Final Fantasy may not have the content to compete, but it is an absolute bop about Drake hooking up with the girl he was trying to link up with in the last song. Which perfectly leads to the last track of the album. Quick Stop is good, but it isn’t out-bopping Final Fantasy or out-storytelling Mother I Sober. Tough round.

Outro

1st Place, March 14, 2nd Place, and the World is the Ville, 3rd Mirror

This is an easy win for Drake. Drake, without a doubt, ended his album on a high note with one of the best songs on any of his three albums. Drake talks about coming to grips with the fact that the kid is his and  that he really is gonna be a father, and how excited he was, but also how embarrassed he was to end up in this position. “It's breakin' my spirit, Single father, I hate when I hear it, I used to challenge my parents on every album, Now I'm embarrassed to tell 'em I ended up as a co-parent.” It’s refreshing to hear Drake share so much of himself.

Drake talks about the disappointment of not breaking that generational curse, but also how he’s so excited to be a dad and how he wants his son to know that he’s loved and he’s gonna make sure he doesn’t go through the things he did when he was a kid in between two co-parents. It’s such an introspective and uplifting track that ends the album on a powerful note. And the World is the Ville actually is a decent end to the album. It encapsulates Cole standing on top of the mountain, saying look at all I accomplished while also giving that wistful feeling you get when a trip is over. It’s like our visit to Fayetteville is over, and Cole sings to us and fades off into the distance. Mirrors, as I’ve said before, does not do a good job ending the album and could have been cut or put earlier in the album after Crown.

Disc Two Scorecard

1st Place Cole 5 wins

T2nd Place Drake 4 wins

T2nd Place Kendrick  4 Kendrick

Overall Score

First Place Drake 9 Wins

T2nd J.Cole 8 wins

T2nd Kendrick 8 Wins

Check out who won overall here.