Room for Improvement (mixtape)

Room for Improvement
Mixtape by Drake
Released	February 14, 2006
Recorded	2005–2006
Studio	Elsadig Residence Positive Vibes BCP
Genre	Hip hop
Length	65:36
Label	All Things Fresh
Producer	Boi-1da DJ Ra Frank Dukes DFS Amir Soundtrakk
Drake chronology
Room for Improvement (2006) Comeback Season (2007)
Singles from Room for Improvement
"Do What You Do" Released: December 7, 2005 "City is Mine" Released: June 9, 2006

Room for Improvement is the debut mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. ^[1] It was self-released on February 14, 2006, by All Things Fresh. ^{[2] [3] [4]} Issued as a retail project, it sold 6,000 copies by the end of that year. It features contributions from Toronto natives Slakah the Beatchild, Frank Dukes, and Boi-1da; as well as American singer Trey Songz and American rapper Nickelus F. ^[5]

Background

In February 2006, in an interview with thabiz.com, Drake talked about the mixtape, "It's a mix CD and I did it with DJ Smallz, who does the Southern Smoke Series. He's done mixtapes with everyone. Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, a lot of people and he's hosting it for me. It's called Room for Improvement. It's seventeen original tracks and a couple of remixes and stuff like that. 22 tracks in total. I have the Clipse on there, I got Trey Songz in there, I got Lupe Fiasco on there, I have Nickelus F, who is this amazing artist from Virginia, who I'm very very tight with and we work together a lot, we worked together. I have Voyce on there, he's a singer from Toronto. Production wise I don't really have any major producers on there. I have a song I did with Trey Songz. I have an individual by the name of Nick Rashur from Harlem he's a really cool cat. Amir; Boi-1da did the majority of the singles, who else should I mention DJ Ra from DC, a lot of people on the CD."

The mixtape was re-released in 2009, featuring only 11 selected songs, with no DJs along with a remix of 'Do What You Do'. ^[6]

Track listing

Partial credits adapted from Drake's personal notebook. ^{[7] [8]}

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"			0:52
2.	"Pianist Hands (Interlude)"	Mazin Elsadig		1:11
3.	"Special" (featuring Voyce)	Aubrey Graham	DJ Ra	4:52
4.	"Do What You Do"		Boi-1da	3:48
5.	"Money (Remix)" (featuring Nickelus F)	Graham	Frank Dukes	2:25
6.	"AM 2 PM" (featuring Nickelus F)			3:28
7.	"City Is Mine"		Boi-1da	3:53
8.	"Drake's Voice Mail Box #1"			1:12
9.	"Bad Meaning Good" (featuring Slakah the Beatchild)	Graham Byram Joseph	Slakah the Beatchild	2:32
10.	"Thrill Is Gone"	Graham	Slakah the Beatchild	3:02
11.	"Make Things Right" (featuring Slakah the Beatchild)	Graham	Boi-1da Amir	2:41
12.	"Video Girl"	Graham	DFS	3:46
13.	"Drake's Voice Mail Box #2"			0:16
14.	"Come Winter"		Rynn Amir	5:28
15.	"Extra Special"		Tommy Gunz	2:58
16.	"About the Game (Freestyle)" (featuring Trey Songz)			1:45
17.	"All This Love" (featuring Voyce)		Exchange Student	3:20
18.	"Drake's Voice Mail Box #3"			1:12
19.	"A Scorpio's Mind" (featuring Nickelus F)		Amir	3:52
20.	"S.T.R.E.S.S." (featuring Nickelus F)		Rynn	3:43
21.	"Try Harder"		Amir	2:22
22.	"Kick, Push (Remix)" (performed by Lupe Fiasco featuring Drake)		Soundtrakk	4:44
23.	"U.P.A. (Outro)"			2:14
Total length:				65:36

Notes

• "Pianist Hands" features uncredited vocals from Mazin's dad
• "Make Things Right" features uncredited vocals from Slakah the Beatchild

Personnel

Partial credits adapted from Drake's personal notebook. ^{[7] [8]}

Musicians

• Al-Khaaliq – piano (track 2)

References

1. Errett, Joshua (January 14, 2009). "Mixtape massacre", Now 28 (20). Retrieved October 7, 2009.
2. Patch, Nick (December 10, 2009). "Drake becomes one of Canada's biggest rap exports", Canadian Press. Convenience link.
3. Lee, Chris (July 21, 2009). "Drake lands top 10 hits", Toronto Star . Retrieved March 18, 2010.
4. "Drake - Room for Improvement (Special Edition) Hosted by DJ Smallz // Free Mixtape at". Datpiff.com. January 16, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
5. "Re-Up On Drake: "Comeback Season" & "Room For Improvement" (2 Mixtapes) : Get Right Music – The Best In Free Mixtape Downloads". Getrightmusic.com. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on July 24, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
6. "Urban Entertainment & Pop Culture 'Zine-Drake interview". Thabiz.com. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
7. Garcia Lawler, Opheli (June 24, 2018). "You can now bid on Drake's handwritten lyrics". The Fader . Retrieved June 24, 2018.
8. "Lot Detail - Drake's Personal, Signed Notebook for His First Mixtape, Room For Improvement ..." Nate D. Sanders. Retrieved June 24, 2018.