Drake (musician)

Drake

Drake at the Cisco Ottawa Bluefest in 2010
Born Aubrey Drake Graham
(1986-10-24) October 24, 1986
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
Years active 2001–present
Website drakeofficial.com

Musical career

Genres
Instruments Vocals
Labels
Associated acts

Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986),[1] known simply as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor.[2][3] Drake initially gained recognition as an actor on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation in the early 2000s. Intent on pursuing a career as a rapper, he departed the series in 2007 following the release of his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement. He released two further independent projects, Comeback Season and So Far Gone, before signing to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment in June 2009.[4]

Drake released his debut studio album Thank Me Later in 2010,[5] which debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was soon certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His next two releases were 2011's Take Care and 2013's Nothing Was the Same,[6][7][8][9] with certifications of quadruple and triple platinum respectively in the U.S., with the former also earning him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. They were followed by two mixtapes, with the trap-influenced If You're Reading This It's Too Late, and a collaboration with Future for What a Time to Be Alive, in 2015. The former was certified double platinum in the U.S..[10] Drake released his fourth album, Views, in 2016, breaking several chart records in the process.[11] Views sat atop the Billboard 200 for ten nonconsecutive weeks, becoming the first album by a solo male to do so in over 10 years. It also saw Drake leading the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 simultaneously for eight weeks, breaking the previous record of seven held by both Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It achieved triple platinum status in the U.S., and earned over 1 million album-equivalent units in the first week of its release.[12][13]

Alongside his Grammy Award win, Drake has won three Juno Awards and six BET Awards. He has the most number one singles on the Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Charts.[14][15]

Drake has developed other ventures, including his OVO Sound record label with longtime collaborator Noah "40" Shebib. Drake acts as a producer, producing under the pseudonym of Champagne Papi. Using the "OVO" moniker, Drake has his own clothing line and his own channel on Beats 1. He is also currently acting as the global ambassador for NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors.[16]

Early life

Drake attended both Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (left) and Vaughan Road Academy (right) for high school.

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, is an African American and a practicing Catholic from Memphis, Tennessee, and worked as a drummer, performing alongside country musician Jerry Lee Lewis. Bass guitarist Larry Graham and the late songwriter Teenie Hodges are his paternal uncles.[17][18][19][20][21] Drake's mother, Sandi Graham (née Sher), is a white Jewish Canadian who worked as an English teacher and florist. Drake attended a Jewish day school, and also had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.[22][23][24]

Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in Toronto, while his father chose to return to Memphis in order to find a way to supplement himself financially.[22][23][24] As a child, he witnessed his father's arrest while visiting him in Memphis.[25][26] His father would later collaborate with country music group Arkells for a song entitled "Drake's Dad", detailing the events that had occurred following his departure from Drake's early life.[27]

Drake was raised in two polarizing Toronto neighbourhoods; he lived on Weston Road in the city's working-class west end,[25] until the sixth grade. In his youth, he played minor hockey with the Weston Red Wings.[28] Drake would then move to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000.[29][30] When asked about the move to Forest Hill, Drake replied, "[We had] a half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half, we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mom lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."

He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, where he demonstrated an affinity for the arts, first acting while an active student at the school.[31] He later attended Vaughan Road Academy in the city's multicultural Oakwood–Vaughan neighbourhood. Due to the economic status associated with the neighbourhood, Drake described the school as "not by any means the easiest school to go to. [It's tough]."[25] Drake was often bullied in school for his racial and religious background,[32] and upon realizing that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, Drake dropped out of school.[33] He would later graduate in October 2012.[34]

Career

2001–2005: Degrassi: The Next Generation

At 15, Drake encountered an acting agent who was the father of a high school friend.[35] The agent found Drake a role on Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks,[36] a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. When asked about his early acting career, Drake replied, "My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was off of Canadian TV."[25] He would continue to appear on the show until 2007, returning for sporadic appearances until his character graduated from the school depicted within the show. Overall, Drake appeared in a total of 145 episodes.[37]

2006–2009: Early mixtapes and So Far Gone

Main article: So Far Gone (mixtape)
Drake would sign to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment imprint in 2009.[38]

After becoming musically inspired by Jay Z and Clipse, Drake self-released his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. The mixtape featured Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco, and included vast production from Canadian producers Boi-1da, and Frank Dukes. When asked about the mixtape, Drake described the project as "pretty straightforward, radio friendly, [and] not much content to it." The mixtape was released for sale only, and confirmed to have sold over 6,000 copies.[36] In 2007, he released his second mixtape, Comeback Season. Released from his recently founded October's Very Own label, it spawned the single "Replacement Girl", featuring Trey Songz. The song made Drake become the first ever unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on BET, with "Replacement Girl" being featured on the channel's "New Joint of the Day" segment on April 30, 2007.[39] The song also saw Drake sample "Man of the Year" by Brisco, Flo Rida and Lil Wayne, retaining Lil Wayne's verse, and adjoined his own to the song's earlier half. This caused Jas Prince to gift Lil Wayne the song, which prompted the rapper to invite Drake to Houston in order to join his Tha Carter III tour. Throughout the duration of the tour, Drake and Lil Wayne recorded multiple songs together, including "Ransom", "I Want This Forever", and a remix to "Brand New". Despite the collaborations between the duo, Drake was yet to be signed by Young Money Entertainment.

In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape, So Far Gone. It was made available for free download through his OVO blog website, and was featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Lloyd, and Bun B. It received over 2,000 downloads in the first 2 hours of release, finding mainstream commercial success due to the singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful", both gaining Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[40] This prompted the release of an EP, featuring only four songs from the original mixtape, as well as the addition of "I'm Goin' In" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.[41]

Due to the success of the mixtape,[42] Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever".[43] Despite this, it was confirmed that on June 29, 2009, Drake had secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment.[44] This was confirmed following the planned lawsuit from Drake and Young Money against an unauthorized album entitled The Girls Love Drake, which was released on iTunes under dubious means.[45]

While participating on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009, Drake fell on stage while performing "Best I Ever Had" in Camden, New Jersey.[46] Drake was confirmed to have torn his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the performance, and underwent surgery on September 8, 2009.

2010–2011: Thank Me Later

Main article: Thank Me Later
Drake performing at the Fox Theater in 2010.

Drake planned to release his debut album, Thank Me Later, in late 2008, but the album's release date was postponed, first to March 2010,[47] and then to May 25, 2010.[48] Young Money and Universal Motown had then released a statement that the album had again been pushed back three weeks, for a June 15, 2010, release.[47][49]

On March 9, 2010, Drake released the debut single "Over",[50] peaking at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as topping the Rap Songs chart. It also received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[51] His second single, "Find Your Love", became an even bigger success; peaking at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[52] The music video for the single was shot in Kingston, Jamaica, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in [showcasing] images of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing [the island's image]."[53] The third single and fourth singles, "Miss Me" and "Fancy" respectively,[54] attained moderate commercial success, however, the latter garnered Drake his second nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards, for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[55] On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished Thank Me Later during a show in Kansas City, Missouri.[56]

Thank Me Later was released on June 15, 2010,[57] debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week.[58] Upon the album's release, 25,000 fans gathered at New York City's South Street Seaport for a free concert, hosted by Drake and Hanson. A near-riot ensued after police cancelled the show due to overflowing crowds.[59] The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010,[60] and featured Lil Wayne, Kanye West,[61] and Jay Z.[62]

It was soon announced that Drake would have a prominent role in military science fiction video game, Gears of War 3. He was scheduled to play the part of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming Away from Home Tour[63] prevented Drake from accepting the role.[64] He began the tour on September 20, 2010, in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs.[65] It concluded in Las Vegas in November 2010.[66] Due to the success of the Away from Home Tour, Drake hosted the first OVO Festival in 2010. It would soon become a regular event during the summer, with the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto playing host to the festival on its annual cycle. Drake also had an eco-friendly college tour to support the album, beginning with Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 8, and he had also performed at The Bamboozle on May 1.[67][68]

2011–2012: Take Care

Main article: Take Care (album)

Beginning his second effort in the fall of 2010,[69] Drake would announce his intentions to allow for Noah "40" Shebib to handle most of the production and record a more cohesive sound than on Thank Me Later, which featured disparate production duties by Shebib and others.[70] In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be Take Care.[71] In comparison to his debut album, Drake revealed to Y.C Radio 1 that Thank Me Later was a rushed album, stating, "I didn’t get to take the time that I wanted to on that record. I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically I didn’t get to sit with the record and say, 'I should change this verse.' Once it was done, it was done. That’s why my new album is called Take Care, because I get to take my time this go-round."[72] Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic aesthetic of Thank Me Later.[73][74] Primarily a hip hop album, Drake attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound.[75]

Drake performing alongside Bun B in 2011.

In January 2011, Drake was in negotiations to join Eva Green and Susan Sarandon as a member of the cast in Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage,[76] before ultimately deciding against starring in the movie, to focus on the album. "Dreams Money Can Buy"[77] and "Marvins Room"[73] were released on Drake's October's Very Own Blog, on May 20 and June 9, respectively. Acting as promotional singles for Take Care, the former was eventually unincluded on the album's final track listing, while "Marvins Room" gained Gold certification by the RIAA,[78] as well as peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100,[79] and reaching the top 10 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[80] coupled with extensive play on contemporary urban radio.[81] Drake would soon release the song's music video on June 28.[82]

"Headlines" was released on August 9, acting as the lead single for Take Care. It was met with positive critical and commercial response, reaching number thirteen on the Hot 100, as well as becoming his tenth single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs, making Drake the artist with the highest amount of number one singles on the chart, with 12.[83] It was eventually certified Platinum in both the United States and Canada.[84] The music video for the single was released on October 2, and foresaw Drake performing the song during the second intermission of the 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game in January 2012.[85] "Make Me Proud" was released as the album's second single, on October 16.[86] It was the final single to be released prior to the launch of the album, and debuted at number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100.[79] The song reached number nine the following week, tying the record for the largest jump on the Billboard Hot 100 for a male artist, with 88.[87] "Make Me Proud" soon became Drake's fourth consecutive single to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA.[88]

Drake had also planned to record a collaborative album with Lil Wayne, however, it was ultimately scrapped due to the success of Watch the Throne.[89][90][91] Drake had also begun collaborations with Rick Ross for a mixtape entitled Y.O.L.O., but was decided against in favor of increased concern for their respective studio albums.[92][93]

Take Care was released on November 15, 2011, and received generally positive reviews from music critics.[7] John McDonnell of NME dubbed it "an affecting masterpiece" and commended its "delicate, mellifluous sound and unashamedly candid, emotive lyrics."[94] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal found Drake's "technical abilities" to be improved and stated, "Just as his thematic concerns have become richer, so has the music backing them up."[95] Andy Hutchins of The Village Voice called it "a carefully crafted bundle of contradictory sentiments from a conflicted rapper who explores his own neuroses in as compelling a manner as anyone not named Kanye West."[96] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot complimented the depth of Drake's "moral psychodramas" and stated, "the best of it affirms that Drake is shaping a pop persona with staying power."[97] It was also certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 2016, with sales for the album marking 2.6 million in the US,[98] as well as winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

The album's third and fourth singles, "The Motto" and Take Care", were released on November 29,[78] and February 21, 2012 respectively.[99] Each song was subject to commercial success, while also having large societal impacts, with "The Motto" credited for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States.[100][101] The music video for "Take Care" saw widespread acclaim, with MTV stating, "None of his contemporaries — not even the ever-obtuse Kanye [West] - make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it."[102] The video received four nominations at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Male Video, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Video of the Year.[103] The song was also featured on the channel's "Pop Songs You Must Hear" list of 2011.[104] "HYFR" was the final single to be released from the album, and became certified Gold.[105][106] It would later win the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video in 2012.[107][108] Drake was soon ranked at number two on MTV's "Hottest MCs in the Game" list in 2011.[109]

In promotion of his second album, Drake embarked on the worldwide Club Paradise Tour. It became the most successful hip-hop tour of 2012, grossing over $42 million.[110] Drake would soon star in Ice Age: Continental Drift, providing the voice for Ethan.[111]

2012–2015: Nothing Was the Same and commercial mixtapes

During the European leg of the Club Paradise Tour, Drake spoke in an interview stating that he had begun working on his third studio album. Revealing his intentions to remain with 40 as the album's executive producer, Drake spoke fondly about Jamie xx, hoping to expand the British producer's influence over his next album.[112] Drake had also revealed that the album would stylistically differ from Take Care, departing from the ambient production and despondent lyrics prevalent in the album.[113]

In January 2013, Drake announced that he would release the first single off of his third album at the conclusion of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[114][115] Despite an initial delay, it was released in the wake of his win for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the event, and it foresaw Drake announcing Nothing Was the Same as the title of his third album.[116] The album's second single "Hold On, We're Going Home" was released in August 2013, becoming the most successful single off of the album, peaking at number-one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[117] Drake felt inspired by Miami Vice during the song's composition, incorporating the dramatic elements seen in the show into the song's music video, which would win him his second MTV Video Music Award in 2014.[118][119][120] Drake would appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing the album's third single, "Too Much", alongside featured artist, Sampha.[121]

Nothing Was the Same was released on September 24, 2013, debuting at number one on US Billboard 200, with 658,000 copies sold in its first week of release. The album debuted atop the charts in Canada, Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom. The album also enjoyed generally favorable reviews by contemporary music critics, commending the musical shift in terms of the tone and subject matter, comparing it to the distinct change showcased in 808s & Heartbreak.[122] The album was also reported to have sold over 1,720,000 copies in the United States, and was further promoted by the "Would You like a Tour?" throughout late 2013, to early 2014.[123] It became the 22nd most successful tour of the year, grossing an estimated $46,000,000.[124] Drake returned to acting in January 2014, hosting Saturday Night Live, as well as serving as the musical guest. His versatility, acting ability and comedic timing were all praised by critics, describing it as what "kept him afloat during the tough and murky SNL waters".[125][126][127] Drake also performed in Dubai, being one of the only artists ever to perform in the city.[128] In late 2014, Drake would announce that he had begun recording sessions for his fourth studio album.[129]

On February 12, 2015, Drake released If You're Reading This It's Too Late onto iTunes, with no prior announcement. Despite debate on whether it is an album[130] or a mixtape,[131] its commercial stance quantifies it as his fourth retail project with Cash Money Records.[132][133] If You're Reading This It's Too Late sold over 1 million units in 2015, making Drake the first artist with a platinum project in 2015, as well as his fourth overall.[134] Drake proceeded If You're Reading This It's Too Late with a collaborative mixtape with Future,[135][136] which was recorded in Atlanta in just under a week.[137]

External image
Drake's cover on Fader Magazine's 100th Issue from January 2015

What a Time to Be Alive debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Drake the first hip hop artist to have two projects reach number one in the same year since 2004.[138] It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of over 1 million units.[139] Drake appeared in the cover of The Fader for their 100th issue.[140]

2016: Views and More Life

Drake performing at the Summer Sixteen Tour in Toronto.
Main articles: Views (album) and More Life

Drake announced in January 2016 that his fourth studio album would be launched during the spring, releasing the promotional single "Summer Sixteen" later that month. The album was originally titled Views from the 6, but would later be shortened to Views.[141] "Summer Sixteen" debuted at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and proved controversial, with Drake comparing his standing in hip hop to more tenured artists. This move divided many contemporary music critics, describing his self-comparison as "goodly brash" or "conventionally disrespectful."[142][143][144] It was also interpreted as a diss track towards Tory Lanez, who was unhappy at Drake popularizing the term "The Six" when referencing Toronto.[145][146] Drake would also crash a Bat Mitzvah in New York City on February 20, performing at the event.[147]

Drake soon released the album's lead singles, "Pop Style" and "One Dance", on April 5. Both debuted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,[148] however, the latter proved more commercially successful, with "One Dance" becoming Drake's first number-one single in Canada, and on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, as a leading artist.[149][150] The single also became Drake's first number one single as a lead artist in the United Kingdom, and peaked at number one in Germany, France, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.[151][152] During an episode for OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed the album's release date of April 29, through a tweet and various promotional videos.[153] On October 15, "One Dance" became Spotify's most-streamed song ever, amassing over 882 million plays as of October 2016.[154]

Views was previewed in London, before its premiere on Beats 1 a day later. It was released as an Apple Music and iTunes exclusive on April 29, before being made available to various other platforms later that week.[155][156] Views would become Drake's most commercially successful album, sitting atop the Billboard 200 for ten nonconsecutive weeks, as well as simultaneously leading the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 for eight weeks. It also achieved double platinum status in the U.S., and earned over 1 million album-equivalent units in the first week of its release, as well as gaining over half-billion overall streams of the album.[12][13][157] Despite its success, critical opinion towards the album remained much divided, drawing criticism for being overlong and lacking in a cohesive theme, while also claiming Drake was not challenging himself artistically, as opposed to his contemporaries.[158] He would later plan to release a short film entitled Please Forgive Me.[159]

Drake would return to host Saturday Night Live on May 14, serving as the show's musical guest.[160] This foresaw Drake being named as a member of the Forbes Five, which ranks the wealthiest artists in hip hop. Drake placed fifth, following Birdman, Jay Z, Dr. Dre, and Diddy respectively.[16] Drake and Future would soon announce the Summer Sixteen Tour, in support for their collective mixtape, and respective studio albums. This marks Drake's third co-headlining tour, which began in Austin, Texas on July 20, and is expected to conclude in Newark, New Jersey.[161][162][163] On July 23, Drake would announce that he is working on a new mixtape, scheduled to be released in early 2017,[164] and was later preconized as the headline act for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.[165] The latter dates of the Summer Sixteen Tour were postponed, however, due to Drake suffering an ankle injury.[166] During the 2016 OVO Festival, Kanye West would confirm that he and Drake would begin working on a collaborative album.[167] Soon after, the music video for "Child's Play" would be released, depicting Drake and former lover Tyra Banks encountering relationship issues at the Cheesecake Factory.[168] On September 26, Please Forgive Me was released as an Apple Music exclusive. It ran a total of 25 minutes, and featured music from Views.[169]

At the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Drake received the most nominations, with 10,[170] winning the awards for Album of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Video.[171][172] Drake would later announce the Boy Meets World Tour on October 10, with twenty six dates announced for the course of the tour in Europe.[173] Seven additional dates were added a day later, due to overwhelming demand.[174] Soon after, during an episode of OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed he would be releasing a project entitled More Life in December, however later he pushed back the date in November. The project would feature as a "playlist of original music", rather than be classified as a mixtape or a solo album.[175] He was later revealed to be Spotify's most streamed artist for the second consecutive year in 2016, amassing a total 4.7 billion streams for all projects on the service, which is more than double the amount of streams in 2015.[176]

Artistry

Influences

Drake has credited both Kanye West (left) and Aaliyah (right) as being his biggest musical influences.

Drake has cited several hip hop artists as influencing his rapping style, including Kanye West,[177] Jay Z,[178] and Lil Wayne.[179] Drake has also attributed various R&B artists as influential to the incorporation of the genre into his own music, including Aaliyah,[180] and Usher.[181]

Musical style and rapping technique

Drake is known for his egotistical lyrics, technical ability, and integration of personal backstory when dealing with relationships with women.[182] His vocal abilities have been lauded for an audible contrast between typical hip-hop beats and melody, with sometimes abrasive rapping coupled with softer accents, delivered on technical lyricism.[183] His songs often include audible changes in lyrical pronunciation in parallel with his upbringing in Toronto, and connections with Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries which include such phrases as "ting", "touching road", "talkin’ boasy" and "gwanin’ wassy".[183] Most of his songs contain R&B and Canadian hip hop elements, and he combines rapping with singing.[184] He credits his father with the introduction of singing into his rap mixtapes, which have become a staple in his musical repertoire. His incorporation of melody into technically complex lyrics was supported by Lil Wayne, and has subsequently been a critically acclaimed component to Drake's singles and albums.[185] His rapping ability has been noted as "polarizing", and has contributed to him being named one of the most divisive rappers of his generation by multiple critics and media publications.[186]

The lyrical content that Drake deploys is typically considered to be emotional[187] or boastful.[188] However, Drake is often revered for incorporating "degrading" themes of money, drug use, and women into newer, idealized contexts, often achieving this through his augmentation of the typical meaning of phrases in which he combines an objective and subjective perspective into one vocal delivery. His songs often maintain tension between "pause and pace, tone timbre, and volume and vocal fermata."[189] Drake is credited with innovating what has been referred to as "hyper-reality rap" which is characterized by its focus on themes of celebrity as being distinct from the "real world."[190]

Public image

The Washington Post editor Maura Judkis credits Drake for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States, with his single, "The Motto" stating: "You only live once: that's the motto, nigga, YOLO."[191] Drake began referring to his hometown of Toronto as "The Six" in early 2015, and has subsequently popularized the term to reference the city.[192] Also, due to subject matters depicted within his songs, which commonly revolve around relationships with varying figures, Drake's lyrics have been widely used on social media to as captions to photos, often to reference emotions or personal situations.[193][194][195] June 10 was declared "Drake Day" in Houston, Texas.[196][197][198] Drake garnered an endorsement deal with Sprite, following his admission to drinking purple drank, a concoction synonymous with the region. The drink contains Sprite as a key ingredient.[199][200] Drake has also ventured into developing his own alcoholic beverage, titled "Virginia Black Whiskey".[201] In 2016, Drake spoke on the shooting of Alton Sterling, publishing an open letter expressing his concern for the safety of ethnic minorities against police brutality, in the United States.[202] Drake was later endorsed by fast food restaurants Burger King and Whataburger following his feud with Meek Mill.[203] Drake also visited the Drake University after a show in Des Moines.[204][205] Drake also hosts a "Drake Night" segment with the Toronto Raptors organization on an annual basis.[206]

The music video for "Hotline Bling" went viral, due to Drake's eccentric choices in dancing.[207] The video has been remixed, memed, and was heavily commented on due to Drake's unconventional nature on the song,[208] causing it gain popularity on YouTube, spawning several parodies on the website.[209] Drake has also been critiqued for his expensive, product placement heavy attire, exampled by the video for "Hotline Bling". Drake modeled a $1,500 Moncler Puffer Jacket, a $400 Acne Studios turtleneck, and a pair of limited edition Timberland 6" Classic Boots.[210][211] This foresaw collaborations between OVO and Canada Goose,[212] in which various items of clothing were produced.[213] Drake had also released his own collection of Air Jordans, dubbed the "Air Jordan OVOs".[214] Drake was one of the artists, alongside Pharrell and Katy Perry, to exclusively own a Apple Watch before the smartwatch saw public release.[215] His style and dress sense has seen him described as "[one of] the most stylish men alive" by GQ magazine.[216]

Controversies


In 2012, singer Ericka Lee filed a lawsuit against Drake for the usage of her voice on "Marvins Room". Claiming to have provided the female vocals, Lee also alleged she was owed songwriting credits and royalties.[217] Despite Drake's legal team countering by claiming that Lee simply requested a credit in the liner notes of the album, the matter was resolved in February 2013, with both parties agreeing to an out-of-court settlement.[218] In 2014, Drake was sued for $300,000 for sampling "Jimmy Smith Rap", a 1982 single by jazz musician, Jimmy Smith. The suit was filed by Smith's estate, claiming Drake never asked for permission when sampling it for the intro on "Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2".[219][220] Despite the initial suit, it is unclear whether it has been resolved.

Drake and Chris Brown were allegedly involved in a physical altercation in June 2012, when Drake and his entourage threw glass bottles at Brown in a SoHo nightclub in Manhattan, New York City.[221] Chris Brown tweeted about the incident and released a song criticizing Drake weeks later.[222][223][224] Despite no response from Drake, he and Brown both appeared in a comedic skit for the 2014 ESPY Awards, and rehearsed the skit together prior to the televised airing, virtually ending the dispute.[225][226] Drake also caused a nightclub in Oklahoma City to close down, due to his usage of marijuana and other illegal drugs being prevalent at the club.[227]

In December 2014, Drake was involved in another altercation, being punched by Diddy outside the LIV nightclub in Miami, Florida. The altercation was reported to be over Drake's usage of the instrumental for "0 to 100 / The Catch Up", allegedly produced by Boi-1da for Diddy, before Drake appropriated the track for his own use. Drake was later rushed to the ER after aggravating an old arm injury during the dispute.[228] Drake was also involved in a feud with Tyga, stemming from Tyga's negative comments towards him during an interview with Vibe.[229] Drake would later respond on "6 God" and "6PM In New York", which has been interpreted as directly involved in Tyga's abrupt removal from Young Money Entertainment.[230]

Also in 2014, it emerged that Drake was sued by rapper Rappin' 4-Tay, claiming Drake misused his lyrics on when collaborating with YG on the song "Who Do You Love?". He sought $100,000 for mistreatment and artistic theft, which Drake paid to the rapper later that year.[231] Further controversy arose in July 2015, when it was alleged by Meek Mill that Drake had used ghostwriters during recording sessions for "R.I.C.O.", one of the lead singles off of Mill's second studio album. This proceeded further allegations that Drake did not help in promotion of the album, due to Mill discovering the ghostwriter, widely believed to be Quentin Miller.[232] Despite Miller collaborating with Drake and receiving past credits, Mill assured that Miller had written Drake's verse for "R.I.C.O.". Soon after, Funkmaster Flex aired reference tracks in support of Mill's claims, notably for "R.I.C.O.", "10 Bands", and "Know Yourself". This prompted Drake to respond with two diss tracks, entitled "Charged Up"[233] and "Back to Back",[234] in the space of four days. Mill would later respond with "Wanna Know",[235] before removing it from SoundCloud weeks later.[236] Despite subliminal disses[237][238][239] from either artist,[240] the feud has not been officially reignited. Drake would further seek to denounce Funkmaster Flex during his Madison Square Garden shows on the Summer Sixteen Tour.[241][242]

In 2016, Drake was embroiled in a feud with Joe Budden, stemming from Budden's derogatory comments when reviewing Views. Drake would allegedly respond to Budden through "4PM in Calabasas", prompting Budden to respond with two diss tracks in the space of five days, echoing the same sentiment Drake deployed during his feud with Meek Mill. Drake would later appear on "No Shopping" alongside French Montana, directly referencing Budden throughout the song. However, French Montana claimed that Drake's verse was recorded before the release of Budden's diss tracks. Despite Budden releasing two further songs in reference to Drake,[243] he has yet to officially respond to Budden.[244]

Drake has purported to have been in reported feuds with Tory Lanez,[245] DMX, Ludacris,[246] Kendrick Lamar,[247] Jay Z, Common, Kid Cudi, and Pusha T.[248]

Business career

OVO Sound

Main article: OVO Sound

During the composition of Nothing Was the Same, Drake started his own record label in late 2012 with producer, Noah "40" Shebib. Drake sought for an avenue to release his own music, as well helping in the nurturing of other artists, while 40 yearned to start a label to form a distinct production sound, prompting the two to team up to form OVO Sound.[249] The name is an abbreviation derived from the October's Very Own moniker Drake used to publish his earlier projects. The label is currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records.

The logo of Drake's OVO Sound imprint.

Drake, 40 and PartyNextDoor were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, OB O'Brien, Roy Woods and dvsn, and producers including Boi-1da, T-Minus, Mike Zombie, Nineteen85, and Future the Prince. OVO Sound has released six albums, with two certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Toronto Raptors

Main article: Toronto Raptors

On September 30, 2013, Drake was announced as the new "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors, thereby joining the executive committee of the NBA franchise, in conjunction with the announcement of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game being awarded to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.[250][251][252] This would also be the setting where Drake was given The Key to the City.[253] In the role, it was announced that Drake would help to promote and serve as a host of festivities, beginning with the All-Star Game. He would also provide consulting services to rebrand the team, helping to redesign its image and clothing line in commemoration of the franchise's 20th anniversary.[254][255] When attending the press conference hosted by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO, Tim Leiweke,[255] to formally announce Drake's hiring by the franchise, Drake stated, "obviously, I won't be able to be in the building every day but I am extremely dedicated to it. I do take it very seriously as a new job and a new chapter in my life."[256][257]

Discography

Main article: Drake discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Commercial mixtapes

Playlists

Awards and nominations

Drake has had four songs being certified triple platinum in the U.S. for combined sales plus streaming units[258] as of July 2016, with "Best I Ever Had",[259] "Jumpman",[260] "Over",[261] and "Hold On, We're Going Home".[262] He has also had three exceed 4 million in equivalent units, with "Take Care" and "Headlines",[263][264] while "Hotline Bling" was certified quintuple platinum with over 5 million units.[265] Drake's first four solo studio albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and generally positive reviews.[266] Views, his fourth solo album, became his fourth consecutive number one album in the U.S.[267]

As of 2016, Drake has won a total of 1 Grammy Award from 27 nominations.[268] He has also won 2 MTV Video Music Awards, and has been ranked by Complex at number one on their "Best Rapper Alive Every Year Since 1979" list, awarding Drake the accolade in 2011, 2012, and 2015.[269] Billboard editor Ernest Baker stated "Drake managed to rule Hip hop in 2014", adding "The best rapper in 2014 didn't need a new album or hit single to prove his dominance".[270] Drake was listed fourth on the Billboard year-end chart for Top Artists of 2015.[271]

The Pitchfork online music publication ranked Nothing Was the Same as the 41st best album of the decade "so far"—between 2010 and 2014,[272] and have ranked him in the fifth position in the publication's list of the "Top 10 Music Artists" since 2010.[273][274]

Tours

Headlining

Co-headlining

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
2008 Charlie Bartlett A/V Jones
2008 Mookie's Law Chet Walters Short film
2011 Breakaway[275][276] Himself Cameo
2012 Ice Age: Continental Drift Ethan Voice
2013 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Ron Burgundy fan Cameo
2014 Think Like a Man Too Himself Cameo

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Blue Murder Joey Tamarin Episode: "Out-of-Towners: Part 1"
2001–2007 Degrassi: The Next Generation Jimmy Brooks 145 episodes
2002 Soul Food Fredrick Episode: "From Dreams to Nightmares"
2002 Conviction Teen Fish Television movie
2005 Best Friend's Date Dater Episode: "Season Finale"
2005 Instant Star Himself Episode: "Personality Crisis"
2008 The Border PFC Gordon Harvey Episode: "Stop Loss"
2009 Being Erica Ken Episode: "What I Am Is What I Am"
2009 Sophie Ken Episode: "An Outing with Sophie"
2009 Beyond the Break Himself Episode: "One 'Elle' of a Party"
2011 Saturday Night Live Himself (musical guest) Episode: "Anna Faris/Drake"
2012 Punk'd Himself Episode: "Drake/Kim Kardashian"
2014 Saturday Night Live Himself (host/musical guest) Episode: "Drake"[277]
2016 Saturday Night Live Himself (host/musical guest) Episode: "Drake"

See also

References

  1. Kellman, Andy. "Drake - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic.
  2. "Aubrey Graham". Internet Movie Database.
  3. Caramanca, Jon (November 16, 2011). "Drake Pushes Rap Toward the Gothic". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  4. Brown, Charley (June 29, 2009). "Drake Signs To Young Money / Universal Motown". WeLiveThis.com.
  5. Caulfield, Keith (August 10, 2015). "Drake's 'If You're Reading This' Becomes First Million-Selling Album Released in 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  6. "American album certifications – Drake – Take Care". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Take Care Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  8. Paul Grein (January 2, 2014). "The Top 10 Albums and Songs of 2013". Yahoo!.
  9. "The 25 Best Albums Of 2013 – Page 6 of 6". XXL. Harris Publications. December 23, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  10. Zaworski, Eric (February 17, 2015). "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  11. "'Views' From the Top: The Chart Records Set by Drake's Album (So Far)". Billboard. 2016-07-06. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  12. 1 2 "On the Charts: Drake's 'Views' Sees Platinum Opening Week". Rolling Stone. 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  13. 1 2 "Drake's 'Views' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart, Sets Streaming Record". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  14. Trust, Gary (October 14, 2013). "Chart Highlights: Katy Perry, Drake, Bastille Score New No. 1s". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  15. "The Weeknd No. 1 on Hot 100, Drake's 'Hotline Bling' Bounds to No. 2". Billboard.
  16. 1 2 "The Forbes Five". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  17. "Larry Graham Talks about his family ties to Drake with Lenny Green". YouTube. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  18. Deziel, Shanda (June 22, 2009). "Drake superior". Maclean's. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  19. Mervis, Scott (May 24, 2012). "Preview: Drake rises from the rap pack with a moody, sensual style". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  20. "Drake: 'Thank Me Later' ... No Thanks". NPR Music. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  21. "Drake: Biography". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 2013-06-17. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  22. 1 2 Barshad, Amos (June 2010). "Drake: The Heeb Interview". Heeb. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  23. 1 2 "Interview with Drake – July 12th 2006". HipHopCanada.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2006. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  24. 1 2 Jones, Jen (December 2006). "School's In for Degrassi". JVibe. Jewish Family & Life. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Cover Story Uncut: Drake Talks About Romance, Rap, And What's Really Real". Complex. November 15, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  26. "Drake Reveals Childhood Struggles: 'I Had To Become A Man Very Quickly'". Neon Limelight. July 15, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  27. Roth, Madeline (July 29, 2016). "Drake's Dad appears in video". MTV.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  28. Glenesk, Matthew (August 18, 2010). "Drake's star rises with his NBA friends". ESPN. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  29. Ostroff, Joshua (March 23, 2009). "Aubrey Graham: from Degrassi to Drake". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  30. Infantry, Ashante (June 21, 2009). "Chasing Drake". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  31. Jordan, Harrison (December 20, 2006). "Degrassi actor says being different made him stronger". The Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved December 20, 2006.
  32. "Drake: The Heeb Interview". heebmagazine.com. June 18, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  33. Garraud, Tracy (February 25, 2009). "Drake Discusses Degrassi, High School Years, and So Far Gone with Vibe Magazine". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
  34. Fekadu, Mesfin (October 19, 2012). "Drake: 'I got my High School diploma". The Washington Times.
  35. Drake Net Worth - Be Careful What You Wish For , NetWorthCity.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  36. 1 2 "Preview: Drake rises from the rap pack with a moody, sensual style". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. post-gazette.com. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  37. "Degrassi: The Next Generation (TV Series 2001–2015)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 10, 2016 via imdb.com.
  38. "Drake on Lil Wayne". interviewmagazine.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  39. "Str8hiphop.com Alumni Artist Drake Has Made It to BET's 106 & Park". Str8 Hip Hop. May 7, 2007. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  40. Shaheem Reid (July 15, 2009). "MTV.com Drake's So Far Gone Is The Hottest Mixtape Of 2009 (So Far)".
  41. "CBC News – Canada – Bublé scores Juno triumph in St. John's". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. April 18, 2010. Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  42. "UPDATE: Drake Not Signed To Universal Motown, Close To Inking Deal". XXL. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-05-07.
  43. Concepcion, Mariel (June 3, 2009). "Drake's Major Label Bidding War Heats Up, Universal Signing Likely". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  44. Reid, Shaheem (June 29, 2009). "Drake Signs With Lil Wayne's Young Money Label". MTV News. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  45. Concepcion, Mariel (June 5, 2009). "Exclusive: Fake Drake Album Sold On iTunes, Lawsuit Planned Against Label". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
  46. Drake Injured During Concert Fall HipHopDX. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  47. 1 2 Rodriguez, Jayson (December 30, 2009). "Drake Calls 'Light Up,' His Collabo With Jay-Z, 'Phenomenal'". MTV News. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  48. Drake's Debut Album Gets Release Date Rap-Up
  49. Reid, Shaheem (April 5, 2009). "Exclusive: Drake's Thank Me Later Due June 15".
  50. Drake – Over JefeMedia. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  51. "Over". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  52. "Drake – "Find Your Love" Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  53. Rodriguez, Jayson (May 14, 2010). "Drake's 'Find Your Love' Video Criticized By Jamaica's Tourism Minister". MTV News. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  54. Drake (September 14, 2009). "Drake's Leaked 'Fireworks' Addresses Rihanna Relationship". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
  55. "Drake Chart History – Singles". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  56. Lilah, Rose (2010-04-29). "Drake Finishes 'Thank Me Later,' Reveals Next Single". Hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  57. Lilah, Rose (2010-04-29). "Drake Finishes 'Thank Me Later,' Reveals Next Single". Hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  58. "Drake Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  59. "Drake Concert Erupts Into Near Riot in New York". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  60. "Drake's 'Thank Me Later' Is Top Selling Debut of the Year". The Boombox. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  61. Drake: Artist Profile The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved June 24, 2009. In the late 2009 Drake dated Rihanna and broke up in 2012. The two are not dating but they said they will remain friends.
  62. Roberson, Gee (March 27, 2009). "Drake: Biography". HipHopSince1978.com.
  63. "Drake Announces Eco-Friendly College Tour". MTV. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  64. "Drake To Star In 'Gears of War 3'". MTV. June 11, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  65. "Drake Lights Up Miami at Tour Kickoff". Rap-Up.com. September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  66. "Drake Goes Platinum, Maps Out Fall Tour". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  67. "Drake Announces Eco-Friendly College Tour". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  68. "Drake, Ke$ha Join Bamboozle Lineup". billboard.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  69. Kaufman, Gil (November 17, 2010). "Drake Reveals Next Album To Be Called Take Care – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  70. Jones, Steve (November 16, 2011). "Drake takes 'Care' to stay grounded". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  71. Kaufman, Gil (November 17, 2010). "Drake Reveals Next Album To Be Called Take Care". MTV News. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  72. "Drake admits last album was "rushed"". Digital Spy. January 19, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  73. 1 2 Verse (June 9, 2011). "Drake – "Marvin's Room" from Take Care | New Music". SoulCulture. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  74. Verse (October 9, 2011). "Drake Pushes Back Album". PopCrush.com. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  75. Frere-Jones, Sasha (December 5, 2011). "The Fame Monster". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Pop Music section, p. 82. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  76. "Exclusive: Hip Hop Star Drake in Talks to Star in 'Arbitrage'", TheWrap, January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  77. "Dreams Money Can Buy". Octobersveryown.blogspot.com. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  78. 1 2 "Drake". RIAA. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  79. 1 2 "Billboard: Drake discography". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  80. "R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart: August 04, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  81. "October's Very Own: Marvins Room Now Available on iTunes". Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  82. Scott Shetler (June 29, 2011). "Drake Releases Hazy Video for Drunk-Dial Ballad 'Marvin's Room'".
  83. "Marc Anthony, Toby Keith, Drake, Coldplay Score Landmark No. 1s". Billboard. October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  84. "Hot 100: Week of October 22, 2011 (11–20)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  85. Tal Pinchevsky (January 29, 2012). "Players thrilled to greet Drake at All-Star Game". National Hockey League.
  86. "Make Me Proud (feat. Nicki Minaj) - Single". iTunes Store. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  87. "Adele No. 1 on Hot 100 as Rihanna, Drake, Justin Bieber Surge". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  88. "Drake's Take Care & Make Me Proud Singles go Platinum". Rapdose.com. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  89. "Lil Wayne And Drake To Drop Joint Album". Mtv.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  90. "Lil Wayne & Drake Cancel Joint Album Because Of 'Watch The Throne' - Prefix Mobile". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  91. "Drake Scraps Lil Wayne Joint Album". Rapradar.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  92. "Rick Ross and Drake's Y.O.L.O. Mixtape Still In The Works". MTV News. June 29, 2012.
  93. "Drake 'excited to record new music'". digitalspy.com. May 23, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  94. McDonnell, John (November 18, 2011). "NME Album Reviews - Album Review: Drake - 'Take Care'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  95. Dombal, Ryan (November 14, 2011). "Drake: Take Care". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  96. Hutchins, Andy (November 15, 2011). "Drake Takes Center Stage On Take Care - New York Music - Sound of the City". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  97. Kot, Greg (November 13, 2011). "Drake album review; Take Care reviewed". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  98. Caulfield, Keith (August 10, 2015). "Drake's 'If You're Reading This' Becomes First Million-Selling Album Released in 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  99. "Chart Juice: Drake's Domination, The Latest Chapter". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  100. Judkis, Maura (June 29, 2012). "#YOLO: The newest acronym you'll love to hate". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  101. "Drake – The Motto Lyrics". genius.com. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  102. Montgomery, James. "Drake And Rihanna's 'Take Care' Video: Frozen Planet". MTV. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  103. "2012 VMA Nominations: The Complete List". MTV. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  104. "Drake, Cher Lloyd, The Wanted + More: 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs Of The Week".
  105. "Watch Drake's Videos for "Take Care" and "HYFR"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  106. "Drake and Lil Wayne - HYFR (Hell Yeah F*****g Right)". acharts.us. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  107. "Drake Proclaims 'I'm A Proud Young Jewish Boy' On 'HYFR' Set". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  108. "The 40 Best Songs of 2012: Fuse Staff Picks - Fuse". Fuse.tv. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  109. "Drake: No. 2 Hottest MC In The Game". Rap Radar. February 19, 2012.
  110. Pollstar (July 16, 2012). "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  111. Subers, Ray (July 2, 2012). "Around-the-World Roundup: 'Ice Age,' 'Spider-Man' Open Early Overseas". deadline.com. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  112. "Drake Updates On Third Album, Speaks On Work With 2 Chainz, Jamie xx & Noah "40" Shebib". HipHopDx. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  113. "Drake Was 'Down' on 'Take Care,' Says Third Album Will Be Different". Billboard. April 24, 2012.
  114. "Drake Shooting Video For 'Started From the Bottom' In Toronto, Old Video Teaser Surfaces". MTV. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  115. Horowitz, Steven J. (January 31, 2013). "Drake To Release First Single From New Album On Grammy Awards Night". hiphopdx.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  116. Horowitz, Steven J. (February 10, 2013). "Drake Announces Title Of Third Album". hiphopdx.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  117. "Drake Scores 11th No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  118. "Music video round-up: Drake, Cher Lloyd". Digitspy.com. September 29, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  119. "Watch Drake's "Hold On We're Going Home" Video, A Reimagining of "Miami Vice" Featuring A$AP Rocky". Pitchfork.com=. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  120. "What The Hell Just Happened in Music This Week?Drake's video for "Hold On, We're Going Home" paid homage to Michael Mann with machine guns and #feelings.". Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  121. "Drake Debuts 'Too Much' on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  122. "Arcade Fire, Drake, Shad make Polaris Music Prize short list". CTV News, July 15, 2014.
  123. "Drake debuts new song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". sheknows.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  124. "Top 25 Tours". Billboard. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  125. "Drake Stole (Almost) Every Scene On 'Saturday Night Live': Recap". MTV. January 19, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  126. "Drake Shows Off Comedy Chops, Broods a Bit as 'SNL' Host". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  127. Highfill, Samantha (January 18, 2014). "Drake is 'SNL' host and musical guest: Discuss! | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  128. "Drake at the peak of his powers during Dubai concert | The National". The National. Abu Dhabi. 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  129. "Drake Announces Fourth Album: 'Views From The 6' (Exclusive)". billboard.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  130. Ramirez, Erika (February 12, 2015). "Drake Releases 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late' Album Out of Nowhere". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  131. Peters, Micah (February 12, 2015). "Drake surprised everyone and dropped a 17-track mixtape out of nowhere". USA Today.
  132. Young, Alex (February 13, 2015). "Surprise: Drake releases new 17-track album If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Consequence of Sound.
  133. Beauchemin, Molly. "Drake Shares New Collection of Music If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  134. "Drake's 'If You're Reading This' Becomes First Million-Selling Album Released in 2015". Billboard. August 10, 2015.
  135. "Drake & Future's 'What A Time To Be Alive' Mixtape Is a Perfectly Timed Victory Lap: Album Review". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  136. "Stream Drake and Future's Mixtape 'What a Time to Be Alive'". Rap-Up. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  137. Vincent, James (September 21, 2015). "Drake and Future release 11-track mixtape What a Time To Be Alive". Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  138. "Drake and Future's Surprise Album Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  139. "Charts Don't Lie: January 27". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  140. "Issue 100". The Fader. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  141. Singelton, Micah (January 30, 2016). "Drake releases 'Summer Sixteen,' his first single off Views From The 6". The Verge. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  142. "Drake's "Summer Sixteen" Gives Him His Highest Sales Week As A Lead Artist". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  143. "So, Exactly How Big Is Drake's Pool?". Complex. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  144. "Drake – Summer Sixteen". Genius. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  145. "It Sounds Like Drake Took a Shot at Tory Lanez on 'Summer Sixteen'". Complex. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  146. "Meek Mill, Drake feud back on with release of new diss tracks". Philadelphia Daily News. February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  147. "Watch Drake's Surprise Performance At NYC Bat Mitzvah". The Source. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  148. "Drake's 'Pop Style' & 'One Dance' Debut in Top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  149. "Drake Scores First Hot 100 No. 1 as Lead Artist With 'One Dance'". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  150. "Drake Earns His First Canadian No. 1 Song With "One Dance"". Complex.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  151. "One Dance by Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla - Music Charts". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  152. Hung, Steffen. "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  153. "Drake will release his next album, Views From The 6, on April 29th". The Verge. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  154. "Drake's 'One Dance' is Spotify's Most-Streamed Song Ever". Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  155. "Views by Drake on iTunes". iTunes Store. 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  156. McCluskey, Megan. "You Can Now Listen To Drake's New Album 'Views'". Time. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  157. Ben Sisario (2016-05-23). "Drake's 'Views' Passes the Half-Billion Mark in Streams". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  158. McLendon, Kim. "Drizzy Drake Releases 'Views' The Album Went Gold Overnight But The Reviews Are Harsh". Inquisitr. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  159. Walker, Angus (August 15, 2016). "Drake plans to release Please Forgive Me". Hotnewhiphop. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  160. "'Saturday Night Live' recap: Drake hosts". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  161. http://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX -. "Drake & Future Add "Summer Sixteen Tour" Dates". Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  162. "Drake Announces Additional North American Tour Dates".
  163. "Edmonton, Montreal added to Drake's tour schedule along with new Toronto dates". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  164. "Drake Is Working on a New Mixtape". Billboard. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  165. Renshaw, David. "Drake will headline iHeartRadio Music Festival". The Fader. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  166. "Sorry, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Newark; Drake Has to Postpone His Final Summer Sixteen Tour Dates". October 11, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  167. McDermott, Maeve (August 2, 2016). "Drake, Kanye West announce joint album at OVO Fest". USA Today. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  168. Blog, OVO (September 3, 2016). "OCTOBER'S VERY OWN: DRAKE - CHILD'S PLAY". octobersveryown.blogspot.com. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  169. "Drake's 'Please Forgive Me' Debuts As An Apple Music Exclusive". Forbes. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  170. "Drake is leading the pack for the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards". BET. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  171. "BET Hip Hop Awards 2016 Winners: The Complete List". E! Network. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  172. "Drake Leads BET Hip-Hop Awards with 14 Nominations: Exclusive". Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  173. Yoo, Noah (October 10, 2016). "Drake Announces 2017 Europe Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  174. "Drake Adds More Dates To 'Boy Meets World' Tour After It Sells Out In Minutes". October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  175. "Drake Announces New Project 'More Life'". Complex. October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  176. "Drake Ruled Spotify in 2016". Fortune. December 1, 2016.
  177. "Drake Says Kanye West Is 'The Most Influential Person' On His Sound". MTV News. May 28, 2009.
  178. "Drake Talks Influences, Rap Stereotypes And More With CNN". HipHopDX. May 6, 2010.
  179. NME.COM. "Lil Wayne says he's a better rapper than Drake: 'I annihilate that guy' - NME.COM". nme.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  180. "Drake reflects: "Aaliyah had the biggest influence on my music"". Soul Train. January 16, 2011.
  181. "My Way: 10 Artists Usher Has Influenced". The Bet Honours. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  182. http://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX -. "Drake Talks Influences, Rap Stereotypes And More With CNN". Retrieved 2016-07-10.
  183. 1 2 "Peak Drake". The FADER. Retrieved 2016-07-10.
  184. "Drake Crowns himself as the first successful rap-singer". Vibe (magazine). July 27, 2012.
  185. "Lil Wayne Says He Encouraged Drake To Rap The Way He Does: 'Rap About Girls'". Design & Trend. 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  186. "Rapping and singing, Drake can do it all.". thestate. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  187. "Katy Perry Calls Drake A "Soft" Rapper". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  188. Mic. "20 Drake Songs That Show He's Actually a Talented Rapper". Mic. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  189. "Sonic Dictionary | Drake: Rap, Rhyme, and Rhythm · Captivating Voices". sonicdictionary.fhi.duke.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  190. Reynolds, Simon (2016-04-28). "How Drake became the all-pervading master of hyper-reality rap". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  191. "#YOLO: The newest acronym you'll love to hate". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  192. "Views From the 6: Inside Drake's Toronto | Pitchfork". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  193. "13 'VIEWS' Lines You Can Use on Instagram Right Now". Complex. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  194. "Drake's 'Views From the 6' Track List Is Perfect For Instagram". Inverse. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  195. "6 Things Public Relations Pros Can Learn From Drake". Business 2 Community. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  196. "June 10 Is Officially 'Drake Day' In Houston". MTV. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  197. "There Is Now a Drake Day in Houston". Complex.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  198. "June 10 Named 'Drake Day' in the City of Houston". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  199. "Drake, Nas Star In New Sprite Commercial". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  200. "Drake Admits to Occasional Drug Use". Bet.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  201. "Drake Announces His Own Alcohol Brand, Virginia Black Whiskey". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  202. "Drake publishes open letter in response to Alton Sterling killing by police". theguardian.com. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  203. "Meek Mill, Drake Diss Song: White Castle, Burger King Add Their Beef". July 31, 2015.
  204. "Students campaigned to get Drake to Drake University. But when he got there, things did not go to plan". October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  205. "Drake Stealthily Visited Drake University In The Dead Of Night". Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  206. Rooney, Kyle (10 November 2016). "Drake Hosts "Drake Night" with Toronto Rappers November 16, 2016 against Golden State Warriors". Hotnewhiphop. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  207. "Drake Releases New 'Hotline Bling' Video". digg.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  208. Leor Galil (July 30, 2015). "Drake proves ghostwriters don't matter with 'Hotline Bling'". Chicago Reader. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  209. Jayson Greene (August 5, 2015). "Drake: "Hotline Bling"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  210. Woolf, Jake (2015-10-20). "Where to Buy Everything in Drake's "Hotline Bling" Video". GQ. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  211. "A Guide to Dressing Your Inner Drake". ELLE. 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  212. Gustashaw, Megan (2016-04-04). "Canada Goose and OVO Team Up on Some Dope Rain lGear". GQ. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  213. "Drake Admits to Sweater Obsession". Vulture. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  214. First Full Look at Drake’s OVO Air Jordan All-Star Collection. High Snobiety. February 10, 2016.
  215. "A bunch of celebrities have already been spotted wearing the Apple Watch". businessinsider.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  216. "Drake and Future Are the "Most Stylish Men Alive," According to 'GQ'". Complex. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  217. "Drake Sued by Ex-Girlfriend Over 'Marvin's Room'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  218. Horowitz, Steven J. (February 11, 2013). "Drake Settles Lawsuit With Woman From 'Marvin's Room'". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  219. "Drake Sued Over 'Pound Cake' Sample". MTV News. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  220. [1]
  221. "Chris Brown / Drake Fight W.i.P. Nightclub Loses Liquor License". TMZ. June 27, 2012.
  222. "Chris Brown Releases Drake Diss Track". Rolling Stone. June 30, 2012.
  223. "News: Chris Brown Involved In Fight With Drake's Entourage [Updated]". KillerHipHop.com. June 27, 2012.
  224. "Chris Brown Fires Back At Drake On Diss Track; Meek Mill Reacts".
  225. "Chris Brown and Drake - ESPYs Skit Cuts Deep, Mocks Violent Beef". TMZ Sports. July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  226. "Nicki Minaj releases only with Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Drake". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  227. "Drake's Party Gives Oklahoma City Nightclub Trouble". Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  228. "Diddy vs. Drake". drakevseverybody.com. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  229. "Tyga vs. Drake". drakevseverybody.com. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  230. "On His Worst Behavior: A List Of All The Rappers Who Have Beefed With Drake". VH1. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  231. "Drake Pays $100,000 to Rappin' 4-Tay for Ripping Off "Playaz Club" Lyrics on YG's "Who Do You Love"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  232. "Meek Mill Calls Out Drake: "He Don't Write His Own Raps"". BallerStatus.com. July 22, 2015.
  233. "Drake Responds To Meek Mill On New Track 'Charged Up'". BallerStatus.com. July 26, 2015.
  234. "Drake Disses Meek Mill Again In 'Back To Back Freestyle'". BallerStatus.com. July 29, 2015.
  235. "TWEET MILL FIRES BACK AT DRAKE ON 'WANNA KNOW'". Rap-Up.com. July 31, 2015.
  236. "Drake disses Meek Mill in new freestyle: 'Is that a world tour or your girl's tour?'". July 29, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  237. "Drake Took Another Shot At Meek Mill During The NBA All-Star Celeb Game". MTV. February 12, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  238. "More L's: Watch Drake Reference Killing Meek Mill's Career To Kevin Hart At NBA All-Star Game". Bossip. February 13, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  239. "Don't Fuck With Me (Dreams Money Can Buy)". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  240. "Meek Mill - War Pain (Drake Diss) Feat. Omelly (Prod. By Ben Billions) | Download & Listen [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  241. "FORGET EMINEM — DRAKE IS GOING AFTER HOT 97 AND FUNKMASTER FLEX". MTV. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  242. "MUSIC DRAKE JUST HIT BACK AT HOT 97'S FUNKMASTER FLEX WITH SERIOUS FIGHTING WORDS". MTV. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  243. "Everything We Know About Joe Budden, Meek Mill & Drake's Internet Beef". billboard.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  244. Lilah, Rose (July 28, 2016). "A Complete Timeline Of Drake and Joe Budden's beef". Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  245. "The Brief History Between Drake And Tory Lanez Explained". thefader.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  246. "Drake Responds To Beefs With Pusha T, Ludacris And Future". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  247. "DRAKE: KENDRICK LAMAR'S 'NOT MURDERING ME'". MTV.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  248. "The Complete List Of Drake Feuds: Tyga, Chris Brown, Jay Z And Other Rappers". Fashion&Style. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  249. "10 Artists That Should Sign To Drake's OVO Sound - Page 7 of 11 - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2013-08-12. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  250. "Toronto to host NBA All-Star 2016" (Press release). National Basketball Association. September 30, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  251. "From rapper to Raptor, Drake takes on new role". National Basketball Association. Associated Press. September 30, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  252. "Raptors sign rap star Drake to add flash, promote all-star game". The Globe and Mail. September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  253. "Drake gets key to the city at NBA all-star celebrity game". Toronto Star. February 12, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  254. Kelly, Cathal (September 29, 2013). "Raptors, Drake team up for rebranding: Kelly". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  255. 1 2 Muhammad, Latifah (September 30, 2013). "Drake Named Global Ambassador for Toronto Raptors". BET. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  256. Macleod, Robert (September 30, 2013). "Rap star Drake joins Raptors franchise as 'global ambassador'". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  257. Evan Minsker (2013-12-24). "Toronto Raptors to Host 'Drake Night'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  258. "RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Historic Gold & Platinum Awards". Recording Industry Association of America. May 9, 2013. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  259. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Best I Ever Had)". Recording Industry Association of America. March 20, 2015.
  260. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Jumpman)". Recording Industry Association of America. May 25, 2016.
  261. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Over)". Recording Industry Association of America. May 23, 2014.
  262. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Hold On, We're Going Home)". Recording Industry Association of America. May 23, 2014.
  263. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Take Care)". Recording Industry Association of America. January 30, 2015.
  264. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Headlines)". Recording Industry Association of America. January 30, 2015.
  265. "Gold and Platinum: Drake (Hotline Bling)". Recording Industry Association of America. January 26, 2016.
  266. "Drake". Metacritic. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  267. "Billboard 200". Billboard. May 21, 2016.
  268. "Drake - GRAMMY". The Recording Academy. July 22, 2016.
  269. "Best Rapper Alive Every Year Since 1979". Complex. July 22, 2016.
  270. "Why Drake Managed to Rule Hip-Hop in 2014 -- Without a New Album or Hit Single". Billboard.com. December 12, 2014.
  271. "Top Artists 2015". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  272. "Best Albums - Page 3". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  273. "Best Albums - Page 5". Pitchfork.com. February 17, 2015.
  274. "Top Music Artists". Pitchfork.com. July 21, 2016.
  275. "Drake To Appear In Cameo Of 'Breakaway'". That Film Kid. October 25, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  276. "Anupam Kher shoots with Drake for 'Breakaway'". Cinehour.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  277. McDonald, Soraya Nadia, "Drake shines as ‘SNL’ host, while Zamata is highly visible but mostly quiet in her debut", The Washington Post, January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drake.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.