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Aubrey Drake Graham ( ; born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper and singer. An influential figure in contemporary
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...
, Drake has been credited for popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop. He gained recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the
CTV CTV may refer to: Television * Connected TV, or Smart TV, a TV set with integrated internet North America and South America * CTV Television Network, a Canadian television network owned by Bell Media ** CTV 2, a secondary Canadian televisio ...
teen drama series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' (2001–08) and subsequently pursued a career in music releasing his debut mixtape '' Room for Improvement'' in 2006. He released the mixtapes ''
Comeback Season ''Comeback Season'' is a 2006 film directed by Bruce McCulloch. It stars Ray Liotta as Walter Pearce, a married man who, with the help of local football star Skylar Eckerman (Sipos), tries to win back his wife (Headly) after cheating on her. Fil ...
'' (2007) and '' So Far Gone'' (2009) before signing with
Young Money Entertainment Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...
. Drake's first three albums, '' Thank Me Later'' (2010), '' Take Care'' (2011) and '' Nothing Was the Same'' (2013), were all critical successes and propelled him to the forefront of hip hop. His fourth album, '' Views'' (2016), saw exploration of
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...
and stood atop the ''Billboard'' 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks, making it the first album by a male artist to do so in over a decade, and featured the chart record-setting lead single " One Dance". In 2018, Drake released the double album ''
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
'', which contained the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one singles " God's Plan", " Nice for What", and "
In My Feelings "In My Feelings" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his fifth studio album ''Scorpion'' (2018). It was released to rhythmic and contemporary hit radio on July 10, 2018, as the album's fifth single. The song features additional vocals by th ...
". Drake's widely anticipated sixth album, '' Certified Lover Boy'' (2021), achieved nine top 10 hits on the Hot 100, setting the then-record for most US top-ten hits from one album, with its lead single " Way 2 Sexy" reaching number one. In 2022, Drake released the
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
-inspired album ''
Honestly, Nevermind ''Honestly, Nevermind'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, which was surprise-released on June 17, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. The album includes a sole guest feature from 21 Savage, and producti ...
'' and the collaborative album, ''
Her Loss ''Her Loss'' is a collaborative studio album by Canadian rapper Drake and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on November 4, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. Featuring a sole guest appearance from Travis Scott, the a ...
'', with
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
. Known for frequent accompanying releases to his albums, Drake achieved critical and commercial success with the mixtapes '' If You're Reading This It's Too Late'' (2015) and '' More Life'' (2017). As an entrepreneur, Drake founded the OVO Sound record label with longtime collaborator 40 in 2012. In 2013, Drake became the "global ambassador" of the Toronto Raptors, joining their executive committee and later obtaining naming rights to their practice facility. In 2016, he began collaborating with
Brent Hocking Brent Hocking is an American entrepreneur. He is the founder of DeLeón Tequila, which he launched in 2009, and Virginia Black Whiskey, which he co-founded with Drake in 2016. Hocking grew up in Compton, California and has lived in Southern Cal ...
on the
bourbon whiskey Bourbon () is a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn. The name derives from the French Bourbon dynasty, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County in Kentucky and Bourbo ...
Virginia Black. Drake heads the OVO fashion label and the Nocta collaboration with Nike, and founded the production company
DreamCrew DreamCrew Entertainment is a Canadian production company co-founded by Drake and Adel "Future" Nur in 2017. It functions as both a management company and entertainment group. The company is best known for producing the HBO television series ''Eup ...
and the fragrance house Better World. In 2018, Drake was reportedly responsible for 5 percent (
CAD Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
$440 million) of Toronto's CAD$8.8 billion annual tourism income. In 2022, he became a part owner of Italian football club A.C. Milan. Among the world's best-selling music artists, with over 170 million records sold, Drake is ranked as the highest-certified digital singles artist in the United States by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
. He has won four
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s, six
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
, a record 34 ''Billboard'' Music Awards, two
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
, and three
Juno Awards The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
. Drake has achieved 11 number-one hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and holds further Hot 100 records; he has the most top 10 singles (67), most charted songs (293), the most simultaneously charted songs in one week (27), the most Hot 100 debuts in one week (22), and the most continuous time on the Hot 100 (431 weeks). He additionally has the most number-one singles on the
R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...
,
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
,
Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stati ...
, and
Rhythmic Airplay The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...
charts.


Early life

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in
Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. His father, Dennis Graham, is African-American Catholic from
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...
who worked as a drummer, performing alongside country musician
Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as " rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis mad ...
. His mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham ( Sher), is a Canadian
Ashkenazi Jew Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
, who worked as an English teacher and florist. Graham performed at Club Bluenote in Toronto, where he met Sandra, who was in attendance. Drake is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, the former derived from Graham. In his youth, he attended a Jewish day school, and became a bar mitzvah. Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
; his father returned to Memphis, where he was incarcerated for a number of years on drug-related charges. Graham's limited finances and legal issues caused him to remain in the U.S. until Drake's early adulthood. Prior to his arrest, Graham would travel to Toronto and bring Drake to Memphis every summer. His father later collaborated with Canadian music group
Arkells Arkells is a Canadian rock band, formed in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2006, they signed with Dine Alone Records, and have since signed with Universal Records Canada and Last Gang Records. They are managed by Last Gang Management. They have release ...
on the music video for a song titled "Drake's Dad". Graham claimed in an interview that Drake's assertions of him being an absent father were embellishments used to sell music, which Drake vehemently denies. Drake was raised in two neighbourhoods. He lived on
Weston Road Weston Road is a north–south street in the west end of Toronto and western York Region in Ontario, Canada. The road is named for the former Village of Weston, which was located near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West. Route description ...
in Toronto's working-class west end until grade six and attended Weston Memorial Junior Public School until grade four, playing
minor hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from ...
with the
Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * ...
Red Wings. Drake was a promising right winger, reaching the
Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...
hockey camp, but left at the behest of his mother following a vicious cross-check to his neck during a game by an opposing player. He then moved to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000. When asked about the move, Drake replied, " e hada 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." Demonstrating an affinity for the arts, at age 10, Drake appeared in a comedic sketch which aired during the 1997 NHL Awards, featuring a riff of
Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur (; born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive. He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with wh ...
and
Ron Hextall Ronald Jeffrey Hextall (born May 3, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and executive. He is the current general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hextall played 13 seasons for ...
and their record as being the only goalies to have scored multiple goals. He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute for high school, and then attended
Vaughan Road Academy Vaughan Road Academy (VRA), formerly known as Vaughan Road High School and Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute, is a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) facility that formerly operated as an International Baccalaureate high school in Toronto, Ont ...
in Toronto's multicultural
Oakwood–Vaughan Oakwood Village, formerly known as Oakwood–Vaughan, is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located in the former suburb of York, the neighbourhood is a Business Improvement Area (BIA); it has an annual arts festival and a public librar ...
neighbourhood; Drake described Vaughan Road Academy as "not by any means the easiest school to go to." Drake was bullied at school for his racial and religious background, and determining that his class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, he dropped out of school. Drake later graduated in October 2012.


Career


2001–2009: Career beginnings

;''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' At the age of 15, Drake, eager to begin his career as an actor, was introduced to a high school friend's father, an acting agent. The agent found Drake a role on the Canadian
teen drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. Drake reportedly disliked this character arc because of its apparent
tokenism Tokenism is the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to be inclusive to members of minority groups, especially by recruiting people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of racial or gender equality w ...
(his was one of the only black characters in the series), and he also believed it could negatively influence his standing as a rapper. Longtime series writer James Hurst said that Drake threatened legal action to redo the storyline, before ultimately agreeing to it. Madeleine Robinson, the executive director of the Californian non-profit organization Wheelchair 4 Kids, praised the storyline and Drake's performance, noting "he instilled confidence and representation" to disabled youth. 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 romCanadian TV." He appeared in a total of 100 episodes between 2001 and 2008. In 2010, Drake expressed interest in playing
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
in a biopic, to which Obama responded with approval in an interview in 2020. According to ''Degrassi'' series creators Stephen Stohn and Linda Schuyler, Drake regularly arrived late on set after spending nights recording music. To prevent this, Schuyler claimed Drake struck an agreement with the set's security guards to gain entry to the set after recording to be allowed to sleep in a dressing room. ;Early mixtapes and ''So Far Gone'' Being musically inspired by
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
and
Clipse Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...
, Drake
self-released Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pr ...
his debut mixtape, '' Room for Improvement'', in 2006. The
mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
featured
Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, ''I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, ''Trey Day'', ...
and
Lupe Fiasco Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, '' Lupe Fiasco's ...
and included vast production from Boi-1da and Frank Dukes. When asked about the mixtape, Drake described the project as "pretty straightforward, radio friendly, ndnot much content to it." ''Room for Improvement'' was released for sale only and sold roughly 6,000 copies, for which Drake received $304.04 in
royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
. He performed his first concert on August 19, 2006, at the
Kool Haus The Guvernment, formerly known as RPM, was a nightclub complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was also the name of one of the two main performance venues within the complex. The other venue was Kool Haus (formerly The Warehouse). Other smaller roo ...
nightclub as an
opening act A opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, or supporting act, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform again a ...
for
Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be p ...
, performing for half an hour and earning $100. In 2007, Drake released his second mixtape ''
Comeback Season ''Comeback Season'' is a 2006 film directed by Bruce McCulloch. It stars Ray Liotta as Walter Pearce, a married man who, with the help of local football star Skylar Eckerman (Sipos), tries to win back his wife (Headly) after cheating on her. Fil ...
''. Released from his recently founded October's Very Own label, it spawned the single "Replacement Girl" featuring
Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, ''I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, ''Trey Day'', ...
. The song made Drake become the first unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video on
BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...
, with "Replacement Girl" featured on their "New Joint of the Day" segment in April 2007. The song also saw Drake sample "Man of the Year" by Brisco,
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, 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 Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
to join his ''
Tha Carter III ''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip ...
'' tour. Throughout the duration of the tour, Drake and Lil Wayne recorded multiple songs together, including "Ransom", "
Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama * ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
", and a remix to "Brand New". In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape '' So Far Gone''. It was made available for free download through his OVO blog website, and featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion,
Lloyd Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to: People * Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown" ** List of people with given name Lloyd ** List of people with surname Lloyd * Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), America ...
, and
Bun B Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work wit ...
. It received over 2,000 downloads in the first 2 hours of release, finding mainstream commercial success from the singles " Best I Ever Had" and " Successful", both gaining Gold certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA), with the former also peaking at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This prompted the mixtape's re-release as an EP, featuring only four songs from the original, as well as the additions of the songs "
I'm Goin' In "I'm Goin' In" is a song by American rapper Drake. The song features fellow rappers Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, and appears on Drake's EP '' So Far Gone'' (2009). The song was written by the trio along with Khari "Needlz" Cain, who produced the s ...
" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the
2010 Juno Awards The Juno Awards of 2010 honoured music industry achievements in Canada for the latter part of 2008 and for most of 2009. These ceremonies were in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada during the weekend ending 18 April 2010. Primary cerem ...
. Due to the success of the mixtape, Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever". Despite this, Drake was rumoured to have secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment on June 29, 2009. This was later confirmed following a planned lawsuit from Young Money, in conjunction with Drake, against an unauthorized fake album titled ''The Girls Love Drake'' released on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
. Drake then joined the rest of the label's roster on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009. However, during a performance of "Best I Ever Had" in
Camden, New Jersey Camden is a city in and the county seat of Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area and is located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the 20 ...
, Drake fell on stage and tore the
anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formati ...
in his right knee. He underwent surgery later that year.


2010–2012: Musical breakthrough with ''Thank Me Later'' and ''Take Care''

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, and then to May 25, 2010.
Young Money Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...
and
Universal Motown Universal Motown Records was an American record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company tha ...
had then released a statement that the album had again been pushed back three weeks for a June 15, 2010, release. On March 9, 2010, Drake released the debut single "
Over Over may refer to: Places *Over, Cambridgeshire, England * Over, Cheshire, England * Over, South Gloucestershire, England *Over, Tewkesbury, near Gloucester, England **Over Bridge * Over, Seevetal, Germany Music Albums * ''Over'' (album), by P ...
", which peaked 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 The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights pri ...
. His second single, " Find Your Love", became an even bigger success. It peaked at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified
Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA). The music video for the single was shot in
Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inte ...
, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism
Edmund Bartlett Edmund Bartlett is a Jamaican politician who is Member of Parliament for Saint James East Central. He is current Minister of Tourism, having succeeded Wykeham McNeill when the Jamaica Labour Party The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the ...
. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in howcasingimages of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing
he island's image He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
" The third single and fourth singles, " Miss Me" and "
Fancy Fancy may refer to: Places * Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement * Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video ...
" respectively, 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. On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished ''Thank Me Later'' during a show in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...
. ''Thank Me Later'' was released on June 15, 2010, debuting at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week. 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 Hanson or Hansson may refer to: People * Hanson (surname) * Hansson (surname) * Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler Musical groups * Hanson (band), an American pop rock band * Hanson (UK band), an English rock ...
, which was later cancelled by the police after a near-riot ensued due to overflowing crowds. The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010, and featured
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, and
Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
. It was soon announced that Drake would have a prominent role in the military science fiction video game, ''
Gears of War 3 ''Gears of War 3'' is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the third installment of the Gears of War, ''Gears of War'' series. Originally due for re ...
''. He was scheduled to play the role of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming
Away from Home Tour The Away from Home Tour, also marketed as the Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour, was the first headlining concert tour by Canadian recording artist, Drake. The tour began on April 5, 2010 in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania and continued until Novemb ...
prevented him from accepting the role. He began the tour on September 20, 2010, in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs. It concluded in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
in November 2010. 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 Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...
in
Charleston, Illinois Charleston is a city in, and the county seat of, Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,286, as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Eastern Illinois University and has close ties with its neighbor, Mattoon. Both are ...
. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 8, and he also performed at
The Bamboozle The Bamboozle is an annual three-day music festival which was held in New Jersey from 2003 to 2012, and is scheduled for a 2023 revival by its founder. Every year, new bands competed for spots during the two days. The event evolved out of the ...
on May 1. Beginning his second effort in fall 2010, Drake announced his intentions to allow 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. In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be ''Take Care''. 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." Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic esthetic of ''Thank Me Later''. Primarily a hip hop album, Drake also attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound. In January 2011, Drake was in negotiations to join Eva Green and Susan Sarandon as a member of the cast in
Nicholas Jarecki Nicholas Jarecki (born June 25, 1979) is an American film director, producer, and writer best known for his 2012 feature film ''Arbitrage''. Early life Jarecki was born on June 25, 1979 in New York City, to Henry Jarecki and Marjorie Heidsieck. ...
's ''
Arbitrage In economics and finance, arbitrage (, ) is the practice of taking advantage of a difference in prices in two or more markets; striking a combination of matching deals to capitalise on the difference, the profit being the difference between t ...
'', before ultimately deciding against starring in the movie to focus on the album. "Dreams Money Can Buy" and "
Marvins Room "Marvins Room" is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake. It is the lead single from Drake's second studio album '' Take Care''. Produced by 40, it features keyboard-based instrumentation and muted bass. "Marvins Room" is performed from the ...
" 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 Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
certification by the RIAA, as well as peaking at number 21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and reaching the top 10 of the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart, coupled with extensive play on contemporary urban radio. Drake would soon release the song's music video on June 28. " Headlines" was released on August 9 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 Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stati ...
, making Drake the artist with the most number-one singles on the chart, with 12. It was eventually certified
Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
in both the United States and Canada. 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 The 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game, (also known as the ''2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game'') took place on January 29, 2012, at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. This edition of the All-Star Game featured the "fantasy draft" format first se ...
in January 2012. " Make Me Proud" was released as the album's second single on October 16. 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. 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. "Make Me Proud" soon became Drake's fourth consecutive single to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA. Prior to the album's release, Drake planned to record a collaborative album with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
; however, it was ultimately scrapped due to the success of ''
Watch the Throne ''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to t ...
''. He also began collaborations with
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Diddy's Bad ...
for a mixtape titled ''Y.O.L.O.'', but the duo decided against the project in favor of increased concern for their respective studio albums. Although in 2021, Ross stated that a joint album is still possible as they've casually discussed it. ''Take Care'' was released on November 15, 2011, and received generally positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. John McDonnell of '' NME'' dubbed it "an affecting masterpiece" and commended its "delicate, mellifluous sound and unashamedly candid, emotive lyrics." ''Pitchfork''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." Andy Hutchins of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' 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 Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
." ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' writer
Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the '' Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busine ...
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." It also won the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for Best Rap Album at the
55th Annual Grammy Awards The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ...
, and achieved great commercial success, eventually being certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 2016, with sales for the album marking 2.6 million in the U.S. The album's third and fourth singles, " The Motto" and Take Care", were released on November 29, 2011 and February 21, 2012, respectively. 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. The music video for "Take Care" saw widespread acclaim, with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
stating, "None of his contemporaries – not even the ever-obtuse Kanye est– make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it." 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. The song was also featured on the channel's "Pop Songs You Must Hear" list of 2011. " HYFR" was the final single to be released from the album, and became certified Gold. It also won the
MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video The MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip Hop Video was first given out at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The award, according to MTV, was originally intended for hip hop-''inspired'' songs, not necessarily actual hip hop music videos (which were in ...
in
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, and the channel ranked him number two on their "Hottest MCs in the Game" list. On August 5, 2012, Drake released "
Enough Said ''Enough Said'' is a 2013 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. The film stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette and Ben Falcone. Louis-Dreyfus plays Eva, a divorced m ...
", performed by American recording artist
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
featuring additional vocals provided by himself. Originally recorded prior to the singer's death in a plane crash in 2001, Drake later finished the track with producer "40". "Enough Said" was released by Blackground Records through their
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
account on August 5, 2012. It was sent to US urban and rhythmic radio stations on August 21. The song charted at number 55 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
. 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. He then returned to acting, starring in '' Ice Age: Continental Drift'' as Ethan.


2013–2015: ''Nothing Was the Same'' and ''If You're Reading This It's Too Late''

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 James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the English indie pop band The xx. He has been described ...
, hoping to include and expand the British producer's influence over his next album. Drake had also revealed that the album would stylistically differ from ''Take Care'', departing from the ambient production and despondent lyrics prevalent previously. In January 2013, Drake announced that he would release the first single off his third album at the end of the
55th Annual Grammy Awards The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ...
. 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. The album's second single, "
Hold On, We're Going Home "Hold On, We're Going Home" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring the R&B duo Majid Jordan. The song was produced by Noah "40" Shebib, OVO Sound's Majid Jordan and Nineteen85, and it is the second single from his third studio album, ' ...
", was released in August 2013, becoming the most successful single off the album, peaking at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Drake sought inspiration from the 1980s television series ''
Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...
'' during the composition of the song's music video, incorporating the dramatic elements seen in the show en route to winning his second
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
Video Music Award in
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
for the video. Drake appeared on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...
'', performing the album's third single, "Too Much", alongside featured artist
Sampha Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha is widely known for his collaborative work with Kendrick Lamar, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Kanye ...
. ''Nothing Was the Same'' was released on September 24, 2013, debuting at number one on the 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 favourable 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 Kanye West's '' 808s & Heartbreak''."Arcade Fire, Drake, Shad make Polaris Music Prize short list"
CTV News CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name ''CTV News'' is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations (O&Os), which are closely tied to the national ...
, July 15, 2014.
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. It became the 22nd-most successful tour of the year, grossing an estimated $46 million. Drake then returned to acting in January 2014, hosting ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', 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". Drake also performed in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
, being one of the only artists ever to perform in the city. In late 2014, Drake announced that he began recording sessions for his fourth studio album. In 2014, Drake performed in Spanish as a featured artist on the
Romeo Santos Anthony "Romeo" Santos (born July 21, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor who is best known as the frontman and lead vocalist of the bachata group Aventura. In 2002, the song " Obsesión" reached number one in It ...
song " Odio". He also appeared on a remix of "
Tuesday Tuesday is the day of the week between Monday and Wednesday. According to international standard ISO 8601, Monday is the first day of the week; thus, Tuesday is the second day of the week. According to some commonly used calendars, however ...
" by ILoveMakonnen, which peaked at number one on Billboard's '' Rhythmic'' chart and number twelve on the "Hot 100", and released "
0 to 100 / The Catch Up "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" is a song recorded by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on July 15, 2014, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association ...
" as a non-album single. The latter went double platinum in the United States. On February 12, 2015, Drake released '' If You're Reading This It's Too Late'' onto
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
with no prior announcement. Despite debate on whether it was an album or a mixtape, its commercial stance quantifies it as his fourth retail project with
Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip ...
, a scheme that was rumoured to allow Drake to leave the label. However, he eventually remained with Cash Money, and ''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.


2015–2017: ''What a Time to Be Alive'', ''Views'', and ''More Life''

On July 31, 2015, Drake released four singles: " Back to Back", "
Charged Up "Charged Up" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It is the first diss track aimed at American rapper Meek Mill. At OVO Fest 2015, Drake performed this song and "Back to Back" live. Background On July 22, 2015, Meek Mill publicly criticized Drake ...
", " Hotline Bling", and "
Right Hand In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to it being stronger, faster or more dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dextrous or simply less subject ...
". On September 20, 2015, Drake released a collaborative mixtape with
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that current ...
, which was recorded in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
in just under a week. ''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. It was later certified
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA) for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of over 1 million units. Drake also appeared on the cover of ''
The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...
'' for their 100th issue. Drake announced in January 2016 that his fourth studio album would be launched during the spring, releasing the
promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
"
Summer Sixteen "Summer Sixteen" is a single by Canadian rapper Drake, released to promote his fourth studio album '' Views'', although it was not included on that album. The song premiered on OVO Sound Radio and was released for digital download on January 30, 2 ...
" later that month. The album was originally titled ''Views from the 6'', but was later shortened to ''Views''. "Summer Sixteen" debuted at number six on the US ''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." It was also interpreted as a diss track towards
Tory Lanez Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson (born July 27, 1992), known professionally as Tory Lanez, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and convicted felon. He received initial recognition from the mixtape ''Conflicts of My Soul: The 416 Story'', rel ...
, who was unhappy at Drake for popularizing the term "The Six" when referencing Toronto. Drake soon released the album's lead singles, " Pop Style" and the
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...
-infused " One Dance", on April 5. Both debuted within the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100; however, the latter proved more commercially successful, with "One Dance" becoming Drake's first number-one single in Canada and the US as a leading artist. 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. During an episode for
OVO Sound Radio OVO Sound (also known simply as OVO) is a Toronto-based Canadian record label, founded in 2012 by hip hop artist Drake, producer 40, and Oliver El-Khatib. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Warner Music Group's Warner ...
, Drake confirmed the album's release date of April 29, and followed it up with various promotional videos. On October 15, "One Dance" became
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
's most-streamed song ever, amassing over 882 million plays . '' Views'' was previewed in London before its premiere on
Beats 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod) ...
a day later. It was released as an
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Appl ...
and
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
exclusive on April 29 before being made available to various other platforms later that week. ''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. 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. He later released a short film titled ''Please Forgive Me'', starring Swedish twin models Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta who are frequent collaborators with him. , ''Views'' remains Drake's best-selling album in pure sales. Drake returned to host ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' on May 14, serving as the show's musical guest. Later, Drake was named as a member of the '' Forbes Five,'' which ranks the wealthiest artists in hip-hop, placing fifth after Birdman,
Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
,
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...
, and Diddy respectively. Drake and
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that current ...
then announced the Summer Sixteen Tour to showcase their collective mixtape, as well as their respective studio albums. This marked Drake's third co-headlining tour, which began in
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
on July 20. On July 23, Drake announced that he was working on a new project, scheduled to be released in early 2017, and was later named as the headline act for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival. The latter dates of the Summer Sixteen Tour were postponed, however, due to Drake suffering an ankle injury. During the 2016 OVO Festival,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
confirmed that he and Drake had begun working on a collaborative album. Soon after, the music video for "Child's Play" was released, depicting Drake and
Tyra Banks Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15, and was the first Africa ...
playing a couple encountering relationship issues at the
Cheesecake Factory The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated is an American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. The company operates 219 full-service restaurants: 206 under The Cheesecake Factory brand and 13 under the Grand Lux C ...
in a reference to one of the song's lyrics. 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''. At the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Drake received the most nominations, with 10, winning the awards for Album of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Video. Drake later announced the
Boy Meets World Tour The Boy Meets World Tour was the fifth headlining tour by Canadian recording artist Drake, to support his album '' Views'' (2016), and his playlist ''More Life'' (2017). The European leg began on January 28, 2017, at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam a ...
on October 10, with twenty-six dates announced for the course of the tour in Europe. Seven additional dates were added a day later due to overwhelming demand. Soon after, during an episode of OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed he would be releasing a project titled '' More Life'' in December. However, he later pushed the date back to the new year. The project was described as a "playlist of original music", rather than being classified as a traditional mixtape or solo album. 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 he had in 2015. Drake later secured his second and third Grammy Awards, winning for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song at the 59th ceremony. Despite multiple setbacks, Drake announced ''More Life'' would be released on March 18, 2017, via a series of multiple video commercials released through
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
. Upon release, ''More Life'' received mostly positive reviews, and debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, earning 505,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It also set a streaming record, becoming the highest ever streamed album in 24 hours, with a total of 89.9 million streams on
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Appl ...
alone. The album also garnered 61.3 million streams on
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
, dethroning
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
's '' ÷'' as the highest opening on the service in a single day. He later won 13 awards at the
2017 Billboard Music Awards The 2017 ''Billboard'' Music Awards ceremony was held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 21, 2017. The list of nominees was announced on April 10, 2017. Non-televised awards were announced on ''Billboard'' website the same day as ...
in May, which saw him breaking the record for the most wins in a single show. ''Billboard'' also reported Drake had been present on the ''Hot 100'' chart for eight consecutive years, and has the most recorded entries by a solo artist. He later declined to submit ''More Life'' for consideration at the 2018 Grammy Awards, stemming from his displeasure at "Hotline Bling" being "pigeonholed" into the rap category. He then released the single "Signs" on June 24, as well as reuniting with Metro Boomin on a single with
Offset Offset or Off-Set may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Off-Set", a song by T.I. and Young Thug from the '' Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' * ''Offset'' (EP), a 2018 EP by singer Kim Chung-ha * ''Offset'' (film), a 200 ...
. The singles marked his first releases since ''More Life'', with "Signs" was initially released as a collaboration between Drake and French fashion house
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its produc ...
, as part of the "Louis Vuitton Men's Spring-Summer 2018" fashion show. Drake hosted the first annual NBA Awards on June 26, and starred in multiple commercials alongside his father in promotion of Virginia Black. Drake also appeared in ''
The Carter Effect ''The Carter Effect'' is a 2017 documentary directed by Sean Menard. It covers the impact of Vince Carter in Canada when he was still playing for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The film was shown at the 2017 Tor ...
'' documentary, honouring the basketball career of
Vince Carter Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played p ...
, who was the first superstar player to play for the Toronto Raptors since the franchise's inception in 1995. The documentary also featured NBA players Chris Bosh,
Tracy McGrady Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player, best known for his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). McGrady is a seven-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, two- ...
,
Steve Nash Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 18 seasons in the NBA, ...
, and
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
.


2018–2019: ''Scorpion'' and ''Care Package''; return to television

After rumours circulated of Drake possibly collaborating with various artists, including rapper Trippie Redd and producer Pi'erre Bourne, for his new studio album, multiple snippets of songs were leaked near the closing end of 2017. Two songs would later be released as members of a mini EP, titled ''
Scary Hours ''Scary Hours'' is the second extended play recorded by Canadian rapper Drake. It was first released on January 19, 2018 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. It contains the single " God's Plan", which also appe ...
'', on January 20, 2018, marking Drake's first solo release since ''More Life'', as well as his first appearance on any song after featuring on a remix of the
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
song "Family Feud" with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, as the lead single of the latter's ''Dedication 6: Reloaded'' mixtape. ''Scary Hours'' featured the songs "
Diplomatic Immunity Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law by which certain foreign government officials are recognized as having legal immunity from the jurisdiction of another country.
" and " God's Plan", which both debuted within the top-ten, with the latter eventually breaking various streaming records as it debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was Drake's first song as a solo artist to reach number one, as well as his second chart topper as a lead artist. Drake earned his 70th top 40 entry after featuring on the Migos song "
Walk It Talk It "Walk It Talk It" is a song by American hip hop trio Migos featuring Canadian rapper Drake. The single was released on March 18, 2018. It was included on the trio's third studio album, ''Culture II'' (2018). After the album's release, it debuted ...
", which debuted at number eighteen, and peaked at number ten. He was later featured on BlocBoy JB's debut single " Look Alive", which was released on February 9, 2018. The song's entry at number six on the Hot 100 made Drake the rapper with the most top 10 hits on the Hot 100, with 23. He then featured on a remix to "
Lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
", a song originally released as a collaboration between band N.E.R.D and
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
. On April 5, Drake announced he was finishing his fifth studio album and he was releasing a single later that night. On April 6, " Nice for What" was released, alongside a music video directed by
Karena Evans Karena Evans (born December 17, 1995) is a Canadian director and actress. She garnered recognition for directing the music videos for Drake's 2018 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart-topping singles, " God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings" ...
, which featured several female celebrities. After "Nice For What" replaced his own "God's Plan" on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number one, making him the first artist to have a new number-one debut replace their former number-one debut, Drake announced the title of his fifth studio album as ''
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
'', with a planned release date of June 29, 2018. He then released " I'm Upset" on May 26 as the album's third single. ''Scorpion'' was then released as a double-album, and marked Drake's longest project, with a run-time of just under 90 minutes. The album broke both the one-day global records on
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
and
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Appl ...
, as it gained 132.45 million and 170 million plays on each streaming service, respectively. It eventually sold 749,000 album equivalent units in its first week of sales, and debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. In 2018, articles by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' and ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' called him "the definitive pop star of his generation" and "perhaps hebiggest post-
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
male pop star of the new millennium", respectively. Shortly thereafter, Drake collaborated with British hip hop promotion
Link Up TV Link Up TV is a music promotional platform based in London, United Kingdom. It has the second largest rap-based promotional YouTube channel in the United Kingdom after GRM Daily with over 11,111 videos uploaded, 1.7 million subscribers and 1.6 ...
on July 7, releasing a freestyle as a part of the promotion's 'Behind Barz' segment, before releasing another freestyle a week later after featuring on
Charlie Sloth Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon (born 20 August 1981), known professionally as Charlie Sloth, is a British DJ, hype man, producer and TV presenter. Early life Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon was born on 20 August 1981. He was raised in the London Boroug ...
's long-running ''Fire in the Booth'' program on
BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been ...
. Drake then earned his sixth number-one hit with "
In My Feelings "In My Feelings" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his fifth studio album ''Scorpion'' (2018). It was released to rhythmic and contemporary hit radio on July 10, 2018, as the album's fifth single. The song features additional vocals by th ...
" on July 21, which also spawned the viral "#InMyFeelingsChallenge" or "#KiKiChallenge". The success of "In My Feelings" also made Drake the record holder for most number one hits among rappers. Soon after, he released the music video for " Nonstop", which was filmed in London during his surprise performance at the Wireless Festival. He then appeared on the Travis Scott album '' Astroworld'', featuring uncredited vocals for his song " Sicko Mode", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Drake announced in July 2018 that he planned to "take 6 months to a year" to himself to return to television and films, producing the television series ''
Euphoria Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and d ...
'' and '' Top Boy''. He then began the Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour with co-headliners
Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...
on August 12. This preceded a collaboration with Bad Bunny titled " Mia", which featured Drake performing in Spanish. He subsequently received the award for Hot Ticket Performer at the
2018 BET Hip Hop Awards The 2018 BET Hip Hop Awards are a recognition ceremony held on October 16, 2018 at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, Florida. The nominations were announced on September 9, 2018. Drake led the BET Hip-Hop Awar ...
on October 16. During a performance in
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...
on November 7, Drake announced his intention to begin composing his next project in early 2019. In February 2019, he received his fourth
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several c ...
, for "God's Plan", at the
61st Annual Grammy Awards The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and fo ...
. During his speech, producers abruptly cut to a commercial break, leading viewers to speculate they were censoring his speech during which he criticized
The Recording Academy The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
. A legal representative for the academy then released a statement stating "a natural pause edthe producers oassume that he was done and cut to commercial," and added the organization offered him an opportunity to return to stage, but he declined. On February 14, Drake re-released his third mixtape, '' So Far Gone'', onto streaming services for the first time to commemorate its 10-year anniversary, and later collaborated with
Summer Walker Summer Marjani Walker (born April 11, 1996) is an American R&B singer. In 2017, she signed to Love Renaissance and Interscope Records. The following year, she released the mixtape '' Last Day of Summer,'' which spawned the single "Girls Need L ...
on a remix of Walker's song "
Girls Need Love "Girls Need Love" is a song by American singer Summer Walker from their debut commercial mixtape, '' Last Day of Summer'' (2018). It was released as the album's lead single on July 26, 2018. Charts Weekly charts Certifications Remix The ...
", marking his first release of 2019. On April 10, during a performance on the Assassination Vacation Tour, he announced he was working on a new album. On June 8, Drake appeared on
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
's single "
No Guidance "No Guidance" is a song by American singer Chris Brown featuring vocals from Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 8, 2019, as the fourth single from Brown's ninth studio album, ''Indigo'' (2019). The song was written by Brown, Drake, Ve ...
". On June 15, Drake released two songs, "Omertà" and "Money in the Grave", on his EP ''
The Best in the World Pack ''The Best in the World Pack'' is the third extended play by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 15, 2019, by Frozen Moments, Republic Records and OVO Sound. It contains the dual singles "Omertà" and "Money in the Grave", with the latt ...
'' to celebrate the
NBA Championship The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is a ...
win of the Toronto Raptors. On August 2, he released the compilation album '' Care Package'', consisting of songs released between 2010 and 2016 that were initially unavailable for purchase or commercial streaming; it debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200.


2019–2021: ''Dark Lane Demo Tapes'' and ''Certified Lover Boy''

Drake released the song " War" on December 24, 2019, with an accompanying music video, which was widely noted for its UK drill-inspired instrumental. The following day, in an interview with ''
Rap Radar Elliott Wilson (born January 14, 1971) is an American journalist, television producer, and magazine editor. He is the founder and CEO of '' Rap Radar''. In the past, he has worked as editor-in-chief of ''XXL Magazine''. While there, he became know ...
'', it was revealed that he was in the process of completing his sixth studio album. On January 10, 2020, Drake collaborated with Future on the song " Life Is Good", which appeared on the album ''
High Off Life ''High Off Life'' is the eighth studio album by American rapper Future (rapper), Future, released on May 15, 2020, by Freebandz and Epic Records. The album was executive produced by close friend and frequent collaborator DJ Esco. It features gues ...
''. On January 31, the pair again collaborated on the song "Desires", although it was released for free after being leaked. On February 29, Drake released the songs "When to Say When" and " Chicago Freestyle" with a combined music video. On April 3, he released "
Toosie Slide "Toosie Slide" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his commercial mixtape '' Dark Lane Demo Tapes'' (2020). It was released as the lead single on April 3, 2020, through Republic and OVO. The song is titled after social media influencer Toosi ...
" with a music video, which features a dance created in collaboration with social media influencer Toosie. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Drake the first male artist to have three songs debut at number one. On May 1, 2020, Drake released the commercial mixtape '' Dark Lane Demo Tapes'', with guest appearances from
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
, Future,
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
, Fivio Foreign,
Playboi Carti Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope ...
, and Sosa Geek. He also announced that his sixth studio album would be released in the summer of 2020. The mixtape is a compilation of new songs and tracks that leaked on the internet. It received mixed reviews and debuted at number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with 223,000 album-equivalent units, and at number one on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
, earning 20,000 units in its first week. On July 17, Drake was featured on
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station 99 Jamz, a ...
's singles "
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
" and "
Popstar A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively object ...
", debuting at numbers eight and three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, respectively, becoming Drake's record-extending 24th and 25th debuts in the Hot 100's top 10. It also became his 39th and 40th Hot 100 top ten entries, breaking
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's record for most Hot 100 top ten hits. On July 20, Drake and
Headie One Irving Ampofo Adjei (born 6 October 1994), known professionally as Headie One (formerly Headz), is a British rapper and singer. In 2018 he released his second solo mixtape, titled ‘''The One’'', which included the single "Know Better" featur ...
released the
drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driver chuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...
track "
Only You Freestyle "Only You Freestyle" is a song by written and performed by British rapper Headie One and Canadian rapper Drake, released on 20 July 2020 by Relentless Records and OVO Sound. It served as the lead single to the former's debut studio album, '' Edn ...
", making it the third drill-inspired song he released in 2020, after "War" and "Demons", both of which appear on ''Dark Lane Demo Tapes''. On August 14, " Laugh Now Cry Later" featuring
Lil Durk Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...
was released, which was intended as the lead single from Drake's album '' Certified Lover Boy'', but not included on the final track listing. It debuted at number two on the Hot 100, and was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. On September 3, the video for "Popstar" was released, in which Drake makes a cameo appearance. On October 2, Drake was the sole guest appearance on
Bryson Tiller Bryson Djuan Tiller (born January 2, 1993) is an American singer and rapper. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he began his career in 2011 with a mixtape entitled ''Killer Instinct Vol. 1''. Tiller initially gained mainstream success in 2015 foll ...
's album ''
Anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints ...
'' (2020), on the song " Outta Time". He subsequently appeared on the remix to "
You're Mines Still "You're Mines Still" is a song by American rapper Yung Bleu. It was released on October 2, 2020, as the third track from his EP ''Love Scars: The 5 Stages of Emotions''. A remix featuring Canadian musician Drake was released on October 16, 2020 ...
", alongside Yung Bleu on October 16; just over a week later, on his 34th birthday, Drake announced ''Certified Lover Boy'' was set to be released in January 2021. This was later pushed back to an unspecified date after he sustained a knee injury which required surgery. On December 1, he reunited with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
on "B.B. King Freestyle", the lead single from the latter's double-disc mixtape ''
No Ceilings 3 ''No Ceilings 3'' is a double disc mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne, hosted by DJ Khaled. The A Side was released on November 27, 2020. It features guest appearances from Drake, Young Thug, Gudda Gudda, Euro, Cory Gunz, HoodyBaby, Vice Versa, ...
'' (2020). In January 2021, Drake became the first artist to surpass 50 billion combined streams on
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
. He later collaborated with
Drakeo the Ruler Darrell Wayne Caldwell (December 1, 1993 – December 19, 2021), known professionally as Drakeo the Ruler, was an American rapper. He was known for his flow, as well as his "oddly expressive, poetic word-choices", leading the ''Los Angeles Time ...
on the single " Talk to Me", which was released on February 23. On March 5, Drake released an EP titled ''
Scary Hours 2 ''Scary Hours 2'' is the fourth extended play by Canadian rapper Drake and a sequel to his second extended play '' Scary Hours'' (2018). It was released on March 5, 2021, and features two collaborations with American rappers Lil Baby and Rick Ross ...
'', which includes three songs: " What's Next", "Wants and Needs" with
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
, and "Lemon Pepper Freestyle" with
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Diddy's Bad ...
. These three songs entered the charts at numbers one, two, and three, respectively, making Drake the first artist to have three songs debut in the top three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. He then appeared on the single "
Solid Solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being liquid, gas, and plasma). The molecules in a solid are closely packed together and contain the least amount of kinetic energy. A solid is characterized by structur ...
" from the YSL Records compilation '' Slime Language 2'', alongside Gunna and
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
. "Solid" was originally meant to appear on ''Certified Lover Boy'', and to only feature Gunna. On May 14, Drake was featured alongside mentor Lil Wayne on former labelmate
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
's "Seeing Green", a new song on the streaming re-release of her 2009 mixtape '' Beam Me Up Scotty''. Two weeks later, he was named Artist of the Decade at the 2021 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. On June 12, he featured on
Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...
' "
Having Our Way "Having Our Way" is a song by American hip hop trio Migos featuring Canadian musician Drake. It was released on June 11, 2021, as the second track from Migos' fourth studio album, '' Culture III''. The third collaboration between Migos and Drake, ...
", from the group's third studio album, ''
Culture III ''Culture III'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop trio Migos and the last to be released during member Takeoff's lifetime. It was released by Motown Records and Quality Control Music on June 11, 2021. The album features guest appear ...
'' (2021), and on July 1, collaborated with
Brent Faiyaz Christopher Brent Wood (born September 19, 1995), known professionally as Brent Faiyaz, is an American R&B singer. He rose to prominence after he was featured on the GoldLink single " Crew" alongside Shy Glizzy in 2016, which was certified 6 ...
and
The Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music video ...
on the song "Wasting Time". On July 23, Drake appeared on "Over the Top" with Smiley, the newest signee to OVO Sound. During an appearance on ''Fri Yiy Friday'', a radio show supported by OVO Sound, Drake revealed ''Certified Lover Boy'' "is ready. 'mlooking forward to delivering it". He then appeared on "Betrayal", a collaboration with Trippie Redd for ''
Trip at Knight ''Trip At Knight'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Trippie Redd, released on August 20, 2021, through 1400 Entertainment and 10k Projects. The album features guest appearances from SoFaygo, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Ski ...
'' (2021). '' Certified Lover Boy'' was then released on September 3, 2021, becoming his tenth number-one album on the ''Billboard'' 200; every song debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while the album was the first to chart nine songs on the top 10, with " Way 2 Sexy" becoming Drake's ninth number-one single. He subsequently set the record for the fourth-most cumulative weeks (52) at number one on the Hot 100, behind
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...
(84),
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
(60), and
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
(59). He received a nomination for Best Global Act at the 2021
All Africa Music Awards All Africa Music Awards (also referred to as AFRIMA) is an annual awards event. The awards event was established by the International Committee AFRIMA, in collaboration with the African Union (AU) to reward and celebrate musical works, talents ...
, and appeared on
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
's '' Punk'' (2021), featuring on the song "Bubbly". On October 22, Drake featured on
Majid Jordan Majid Jordan is a Canadian R&B duo, consisting of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman from Toronto, Ontario. They formed in 2011 and signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and ...
's "Stars Align", the lead single to the band's third album ''Wildest Dreams''. Two weeks later, on November 5, Drake released a horror-themed
black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
music video for "Knife Talk", the third single from ''Certified Lover Boy'', with featured appearances by
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
and Project Pat. On November 6, he debuted the song "Give It Up" on OVO Sound Radio. ''Certified Lover Boy'' was nominated for Best Rap Album and "Way 2 Sexy" was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the
64th Annual Grammy Awards The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, ...
. He was later named ''Billboards Top Artist of the Year for 2021, and was the fourth most streamed artist on Spotify for the year, and the most streamed rapper. On December 6, he withdrew his music for consideration for the Grammys, with multiple outlets noting his contentious relationship with the Recording Academy. Drake accumulated 8.6 billion on-demand streams in 2021, making him the most overall streamed artist of the year in the United States; one out of every 131 streams was a Drake song.


2022–present: ''Honestly, Nevermind'' and ''Her Loss''

On January 7, 2022, Drake was announced as a featured artist on Gunna's '' DS4Ever''; he was included on the deluxe edition released a week later. On January 17, Drake announced another collaboration with
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station 99 Jamz, a ...
; this was reportedly recorded that June, and eventually released with
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
on August 5 as "Staying Alive", the lead single from Khaled's thirteenth studio album ''God Did'' (2022). On March 3, Drake placed fourth on ''Forbes''s ranking of highest paid rappers of 2021, with an estimated pre-tax income of $50 million, and then announced a return to touring, with two "interactive" concerts expected in Toronto and New York City. On March 23, he won Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards. On April 16, it was calculated Drake generated more streams in 2021 than every song released prior to 1980 combined; his music accumulated 7.91 billion streams, while songs pre-1980 had generated 6.32 billion. Drake was then confirmed as a guest artist on Future's ''
I Never Liked You ''I Never Liked You'' is a graphic novel by Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown. The story first ran between 1991 and 1993 under the title ''Fuck'', in issues of Brown's comic book '' Yummy Fur''; published in book form by Drawn & Quarterly ...
'' (2022), featuring on the songs "
Wait for U "Wait for U" is a song by American rapper Future, featuring vocals from Canadian rapper and singer Drake and Nigerian singer Tems. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio as the second single from Future's ninth studio album, '' I Never Like ...
" alongside Tems and " I'm on One", the former of which debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Drake's tenth number-one song and making him the tenth act to achieve ten number ones. On May 2, Jared Krichevsky, a Character and Creature Designer for
Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of li ...
revealed the studio once sought to cast Drake as Victor Stone / Cyborg in an untitled television series, publishing concept art. In
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
's Q1 earnings call on May 4, it was announced Drake re-signed with the company in a multifaceted deal, which includes recordings, publishing, merchandise, and "visual media projects"; although an official figure wasn't revealed, it was reported to be worth as high as $400 million, making it one of the largest recording contracts ever. On June 16, Drake announced his seventh album, ''
Honestly, Nevermind ''Honestly, Nevermind'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, which was surprise-released on June 17, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. The album includes a sole guest feature from 21 Savage, and producti ...
'', which released a day later; on the debut episode of his recently launched radio show ''Table for One'' on
Sirius XM Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius Sat ...
, he announced a poetry book with frequent writing collaborator Kenza Samir in 2022, and a yet undetermined release of the third iteration of his ''
Scary Hours ''Scary Hours'' is the second extended play recorded by Canadian rapper Drake. It was first released on January 19, 2018 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. It contains the single " God's Plan", which also appe ...
'' EP series. ''Honestly, Nevermind'' sold 204,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, becoming Drake's eleventh US number-one album and making him the fifth artist with over 10 number one albums, after
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
(19),
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
(14),
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
, and
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
(both 11). It was also the fourth-largest streaming week for any album in 2022, after '' Un Verano Sin Ti'', '' Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'', and ''I Never Liked You''. "
Jimmy Cooks "Jimmy Cooks" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on June 17, 2022, from Drake's seventh studio album '' Honestly, Nevermind''. The song is the only track from the album to have a guest app ...
" also became Drake's eleventh US number-one song, although, the song "Texts Go Green" tied the record (held by
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...
and Taylour Paige's "We Cry Together") for biggest single-week drop in ''Billboard'' Hot 100 history, falling from number 13 to number 94. On July 14, it was announced Drake would reunite with former Young Money label mates
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
and
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
on a three date
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
exclusive concert series titled the "October World Weekend", on July 28, July 29, and August 1. The concerts are also set to feature both
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
and
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
, and is expected to be the first leg of the Road to OVO Fest Tour, a worldwide edition of OVO Fest to commemorate its 10th anniversary. On July 29, Drake was revealed as a collaborator on
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
's ''
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
'' (2022), co-writing the song "Heated". On August 2, the music video for "Sticky", the second single from ''Honestly, Nevermind'', was released. After the debut of "Staying Alive" on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, it marked the 30th Drake song to reach the top five on the chart, breaking a 55-year-old record for most songs to reach the top five on the chart (29), held by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. On October 5, 2022, Drake, in conjunction with SiriusXM, announced a special two-night live concert at the
Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a ...
in
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
for November 11 and 12; these were first delayed to that December and then delayed to January 2023, citing production delays. Drake then refused to submit his solo music for consideration at the 2023 Grammy Awards, refusing to submit his music for Grammy consideration for a second consecutive year. At the 2022 SOCAN Awards, Drake won Songwriter of the Year. On October 22, Drake announced ''
Her Loss ''Her Loss'' is a collaborative studio album by Canadian rapper Drake and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on November 4, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. Featuring a sole guest appearance from Travis Scott, the a ...
'', a collaborative album with
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
which would release on October 28; it was then delayed to November 4 after Drake's longtime producer, 40, was diagnosed with COVID-19. At the 2022 People's Choice Awards, Drake was nominated for three awards: Male Artist of 2022, Song of 2022 (for "
Wait for U "Wait for U" is a song by American rapper Future, featuring vocals from Canadian rapper and singer Drake and Nigerian singer Tems. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio as the second single from Future's ninth studio album, '' I Never Like ...
" with
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that current ...
and Tems), and Collaboration Song of 2022 (for "
Jimmy Cooks "Jimmy Cooks" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on June 17, 2022, from Drake's seventh studio album '' Honestly, Nevermind''. The song is the only track from the album to have a guest app ...
" with
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
). ''Her Loss'' debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, accumlating first week sales of 404,000 album-equivalent units. Eight of the album's songs debuted in the top ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, extending Drake's record for most top ten entries, with 67 (with a record 49 as a lead artist). He is also the only artist to log eight top tens from one album twice. On November 15, Drake was nominated for four awards at the 2023 Grammy Awards:
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
(for his writing on Beyoncé's ''Renaissance''), Best Melodic Rap Performance (for "Wait for U"), and two for Best Rap Song (for "
Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was p ...
" with
Jack Harlow Jackman Thomas Harlow (born March 13, 1998) is an American rapper from Louisville, Kentucky. He started his career in 2015 and released several EPs and mixtapes before he was signed to Don Cannon and DJ Drama's record label Generation Now in ...
, and "Wait for U"). A day later, he released the music video for "Rich Flex" from ''Her Loss''.


Artistry


Influences

Drake has cited several hip hop artists as influencing his
rapping Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
style, including
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
,
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
,
MF Doom Daniel Dumile ( ; July 13, 1971October 31, 2020), best known by his stage name MF Doom or simply Doom (both stylized in all caps), was a British-American rapper and record producer. Noted for his intricate wordplay, signature metal mask, and ...
, and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, while also attributing various R&B artists as influential to the incorporation of the genre into his own music, including
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
and
Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** F ...
. Drake has also credited several
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...
artists for later influencing his
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
-inflected style, including Vybz Kartel, whom he has called one of his "biggest inspirations".


Musical style

Drake is considered to be a pop rap artist. While Drake's earlier music primarily spanned hip hop and R&B, his music has delved into
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
and trap in recent years. Additionally, his music has drawn influence from regional scenes, including Jamaican dancehall and UK drill. Drake is known for his
egotistical Egotism is defined as the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself and generally features an inflated opinion of one's personal features and importance distinguished by a person's amplified vision of one's self and self-importan ...
lyrics, technical ability, and integration of personal backstory when dealing with relationships with women. 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. His songs often include audible changes in lyrical pronunciation in parallel with his upbringing in Toronto, and connections with
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
and
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
ern countries which include such phrases as "ting", "touching road", "talkin' boasy" and "gwanin' wassy". Most of his songs contain R&B and
Canadian hip hop The Canadian hip hop scene was established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much slower than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained l ...
elements, and he combines rapping with singing. 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. Drake's style of R&B is characterized by vacant beats and a rap-sung dichotomy, which has also seen incredible mainstream success, spawing several imitators. The lyrical content that Drake deploys is typically considered to be emotional or boastful. However, Drake is often revered for incorporating "degrading" themes of money, drug use, and
women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...
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 Pace or paces may refer to: Business *Pace (transit), a bus operator in the suburbs of Chicago, US *Pace Airlines, an American charter airline * Pace Foods, a maker of a popular brand of salsa sold in North America, owned by Campbell Soup Compan ...
, tone timbre, and
volume Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). ...
and vocal fermata." Drake is credited with innovating what has been referred to as "hyper-reality rap", characterized by its focus on themes of celebrity as distinct from the "real world."


Public image

Drake's lyrical subject matter, which often revolves around relationships, have had widespread use on social media through photo captions to reference emotions or personal situations. However, this content has incited mixed reception from fans and critics, with some deeming him as sensitive and inauthentic, traits perceived as antithetical to traditional hip hop culture. He is also known for his large and extravagant lifestyle, including for high-end themed birthday parties; he maintained this image in his early career by renting a
Rolls-Royce Phantom Rolls-Royce has used the Phantom name on full-sized luxury cars over the past century: *Rolls-Royce Phantom I, 1925–1931 *Rolls-Royce Phantom II, 1929–1936 *Rolls-Royce Phantom III, 1936–1939 *Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, 1950&ndash ...
, which he was eventually gifted in 2021. He cultivated a reputation as a successful
gambler Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three elem ...
; between December 2021 and February 2022, he was reported to have made bets of over $1 billion, which included winnings ranging between $354,000 and $7 million. ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' editor Maura Judkis credits Drake for popularizing the phrase " YOLO" in the United States with his single " The Motto", which includes, "You only live once: that's the motto, nigga, YOLO." Drake later popularized the term "The Six" in 2015 in relation to his hometown
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, subsequently becoming a point of reference to the city. June 10 was declared "Drake Day" in
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
. In 2016, Drake visited
Drake University Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, law, and pharmacy. Drake's law school is among the 25 oldest in the United States. Hist ...
after a show in
Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines ...
in response to an extensive social media campaign by students that began in 2009, advocating for his appearance. According to a report from
Confused.com Confused.com is a UK based financial services comparison platform specialising in comparison of insurance and financial services, including car insurance, home insurance, energy, van insurance and life insurance. Confused.com's platform includes ...
, Drake's Toronto home was one of the most
Googled Owing to the dominance of the Google search engine, to ''google'' has become a transitive verb. The neologism commonly refers to searching for information on the World Wide Web using the Google search engine. The American Dialect Society c ...
homes in the world, recording over a million annual searches in 2021; its features, such as its NBA-size indoor basketball court and Kohler Numi toilet, have also received widespread media attention. The music video for " Hotline Bling" went viral due to Drake's eccentric dance moves. The video has been remixed, memed, and was heavily commented on due to the unconventional nature on the song, causing it to gain popularity on YouTube, and spawning several parodies. Drake has also been critiqued for his expensive, product placement-heavy attire, exemplified by the video for "Hotline Bling". Drake modelled a $1,500 Moncler Puffer Jacket, a $400 Acne Studios turtleneck, and limited edition Timberland 6" Classic Boots. He was labeled by '' GQ'' magazine as " ne ofthe most stylish men alive"; during promotion for '' Certified Lover Boy'', Drake debuted a "heart haircut", which became popular and widely imitated. Writing for '' GQ'', Anish Patel noted Drake's consistent incorporation of styles and themes not typically associated with hip hop, such as wearing gorpcore in the music video for his song "Sticky". Between 2016 and 2019, Drake was noted for the "Drake curse", an internet
meme A meme ( ) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ...
based on the incidents where he appears to be support of particular sports team or person, just for that team or person to lose, often against the odds. In 2016, Drake spoke on the shooting of Alton Sterling, publishing an open letter expressing his concern for the safety of
ethnic minorities The term 'minority group' has different usages depending on the context. According to its common usage, a minority group can simply be understood in terms of demographic sizes within a population: i.e. a group in society with the least number o ...
against police brutality in the United States. In 2021, he joined a group of Canadian musicians to work with the
Songwriters Association of Canada The Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) is a Canadian organization dedicated exclusively to Canadian composers, lyricists and songwriters. Their mission is to develop and protect the creative and business environments for songwriters in Canada ...
(SAC) to lobby Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...
to restructure the country's copyright law to allow artists and their families to regain ownership of copyrights during their lifetime. He also campaigned for the expansion of a
Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Nati ...
(WNBA) franchise in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, and headlined a
benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate hu ...
at the
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was commissioned in 1921 as a me ...
with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
on December 9, 2021, to raise clemency for Larry Hoover, although his solo performance was later removed from the
Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology ...
replay. In Christmas 2021, Drake gave away money to individuals in Toronto.


Impact

A prominent figure in
pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ...
, Drake is often praised one of the most influential figures in hip hop; particularly his use of singing over hip hop instrumentals has been noted as an influence on modern rappers. He is widely credited for popularizing the Toronto sound to the music industry and leading the "Canadian Invasion", a play on the
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" o ...
in the 1960s, of the American charts — alongside the likes of
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
and
The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
. In 2022, music recognition app Shazam revealed Drake to be their most searched artist by users, with music featuring Drake collecting 350 million recognitions; his 2016 single "One Dance" collected 17 million recognitions alone. ''The Insider'' declared Drake the artist of the decade (2010s). Regarding the general view that Drake introduced singing in mainstream hip hop, the publication said that at the height of
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances. Auto-T ...
in hip hop during the late 2000s, "there were virtually no artists who were both a legit rapper and a legit crooner who delivered velvety smooth pop/R&B hybrid vocals that could exist separately from his hip-hop songs." Commenting on Drake's ''Take Care'', Elias Leight of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' noticed in 2020 that "now nearly every singer raps, and nearly every rapper sings", as many artists "have borrowed or copied the template of
he album He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
that the boldness of the original is easily forgotten", according to the writer. Aaron Williams of
Uproxx ''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...
added "jump-starting the sad boy rapper craze alongside
Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Y ...
" and "helping to renew stateside interest in UK grime and Caribbean
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...
with
Skepta Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (born 19 September 1982), known professionally as Skepta, is a British-Nigerian grime MC, rapper and record producer. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became foundin ...
, PartyNextDoor, and Rihanna" to the modern trends Drake assisted.
BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been ...
argued that his co-signs helped push the
British hip-hop British hip hop, also known as UK hip hop or UK rap, is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of R&B/Hip-Hop. Briti ...
scene to a wider international market, as he did with the Toronto music scene. According to CBS Music in 2019, Drake has inspired "the next wave" of artists coming out of his hometown. Writing for '' Bloomberg'', Lucas Shaw commented Drake's popularity has influenced the promotion of music, with ''Certified Lover Boy'' attaining large commercial success despite relatively minimal orthodox marketing techniques, stating "fans are consuming Drake's usicin a way that is different to others". He also noted the album as novel in relation to consumption, with each song having relatively equivalent
stream A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams ...
s, as opposed to a dominant single(s). Justin Charity of The Ringer noted Drake's signature of producing "half-hearted" performances on songs to create a "natural and off-the-cuff" effect has become the "obvious touchpoint for ubsequentmale R&B singers". Charity further wrote Drake's success in the genre is "so thorough that it's all but impossible to hear certain vintages of R&B without hearing Drake". The ubiquity of Drake's music has consistently seen it played during various activities or events. In 2021, a study conducted by Pour Moi found, over a kilometer, joggers ran 21 seconds slower while listening to Drake's music compared to other artists. Drake's music was also found to extend a three-mile run by 105 seconds. Beginning in 2022, Drake's music was canonized academically by
Toronto Metropolitan University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a public research university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, although it also operates facilities elsewhere in Toro ...
, which began teaching courses titled "Deconstructing Drake and
the Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
", with the pair's music used to explore themes related to the Canadian music industry, race, class, marketing and globalization. With the release during LGBT Pride Month of his seventh album ''
Honestly, Nevermind ''Honestly, Nevermind'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, which was surprise-released on June 17, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. The album includes a sole guest feature from 21 Savage, and producti ...
'' (2022), Mark Savage of the BBC wrote Drake's exploration of
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
, a genre with overt origins in black and queer spaces, would help "build a bridge to those riginsubcultures" for younger music listeners.


Achievements

Drake is the highest-certified digital singles artist ever in the United States, having moved 142 million units based on combined sales and on-demand streams. His highest-certified single is "God's Plan" (11× Platinum), followed by "Hotline Bling", which was certified 8× Platinum. He holds several ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart records; he has the most charted songs of any artist (258), the most simultaneously charted songs in a single week (27), the most debuts in a week (22), the most top 10 singles (54), the most top 10 debuts in a week (9), the most top 10 debuts (39), and the most continuous time on the chart (431 weeks). He has accumulated 10 number-one singles, a record among rappers. In 2021, Drake became second act to occupy the entire Hot 100's top five in a single week, the other act being
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
in 1964. He also has the most number-one singles on the
Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stati ...
(23),
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
(23), and
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...
. He is also the only artist to have two albums log 400 weeks each on the ''Billboard 200''. , Drake has won four
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
from 47 nominations. He has also won a record 29 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. In
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, he surpassed
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
's record for most wins at the
Billboard Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by ''Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of t ...
in one night, winning 13 awards from 22 nominations. He was named Artist of the Decade at the 2021 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. ''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". From 2015 to 2017, Drake ranked within the top-five of the ''Billboard'' year-end chart for Top Artists topping it in 2018. He was named the
IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
Global Recording Artist of 2016 and 2018. Drake was
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
's most streamed artist of the 2010s. ''Pitchfork'' ranked ''Nothing Was the Same'' as the 41st best album of the decade "so far"—between 2010 and 2014, and ranked him fifth in the publication's list of the "Top 10 Music Artists" since 2010. ''Take Care'' was ranked at number 95 on ''Rolling Stone''s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020). He has been ranked by '' Complex'' on their "Best Rapper Alive Every Year Since 1979" list, awarding Drake the accolade in 2011, 2012, and 2015.


Controversies


Legal issues

On May 31, 2009, Drake was robbed at gunpoint in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
's
Little Italy Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian culture. There are ...
district and was forced to forfeit a gold and diamond necklace, an Audemars Piguet watch, and $2,000. Soccerties Cotterell and Paul Lelutiu were initially charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, three counts of pointing a firearm and possession of stolen property. All charges were later dropped, except conspiracy to commit armed robbery, to which the men pleaded guilty. They were sentenced to time served, amounting to just over six months in jail. In April 2017, Mesha Collins was arrested for criminal trespass after breaking into Drake's home in Calabasas; although no criminal charges were brought, Collins filed a $4 billion lawsuit against Drake for defamation in June 2021, which was dismissed that December. Drake then filed a
restraining order A restraining order or protective order, is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and personal protecti ...
against Collins in March 2022, which was granted that April. In March 2021, an unidentified woman armed with a knife was arrested after a failed attempt to break into Drake's Toronto home. In 2012, singer Ericka Lee filed a lawsuit against Drake for the usage of her voice on "
Marvins Room "Marvins Room" is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake. It is the lead single from Drake's second studio album '' Take Care''. Produced by 40, it features keyboard-based instrumentation and muted bass. "Marvins Room" is performed from the ...
". Claiming to have provided the female vocals, Lee also alleged she was owed songwriting credits and royalties. 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. 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, who said Drake never asked for permission when sampling it for the intro on "
Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2 "Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' released in 2013. The track consists of two songs, "Pound Cake" featuring a guest appearance by Jay-Z, and "Paris Morton M ...
", claiming Smith himself would have disagreed as he disliked hip hop. Drake would win the lawsuit in 2017, with federal judge
William Pauley William Henry Pauley III (August 14, 1952 – July 6, 2021) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He was noted for issuing the opinion in '' ACLU v. Clapper'' in 2013 conce ...
ruling the content used was transformative, and there was no liability for copyright infringement. Also in 2014, it emerged that Drake was sued by rapper Rappin' 4-Tay, claiming Drake misused his lyrics 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. In 2016, Drake caused a nightclub in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
to close down, due to his usage of
marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various t ...
and other illegal drugs being prevalent at the club. In December 2021, Drake sued jeweler Ori Vechler and his company Gemma LTD for incorrectly using his likeness in promotional material; he also sought to return three items he purchased. In December 2022, a lawsuit brought by rapper Angelou Skywalker, who allged Drake stole his song "Reach for Skies" to make " Way 2 Sexy", was dismissed following "repeated misconduct" by Skywalker against prosecutors and U.S. district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who presided over the case; Skywalker was also accused of filing no less than 50 irrelevant motions and was handed a restraining order, preventing contact with Drake. In 2017, Drake was embroiled in another lawsuit, being sued by producer Detail (Noel Fisher) over an alleged assault in 2014. Fisher claimed Drake's bodyguard, Nessel "Chubbs" Beezer, punched him in the face and allegedly broke his jaw over musical and financial disputes. Fisher also said the injuries caused him to be hospitalized for days and had to undergo several surgeries, following which he sued for damages related to medical bills and physical and emotional suffering. The case, which was set to undergo trial in May 2018, was dismissed by Superior Court Judge Elaine Lu after Fisher failed to show up for a final status conference. Lu ruled that Beezer solely acted in self-defense. In January 2019 Drake, Odell Beckham Jr., and Younes Bendjima were sued by a man named Bennett Sipes in regards to an alleged assault that occurred outside of a L.A. nightclub in 2018. Sipes claims he suffered "traumatic brain injury, as well as injuries to his back, neck, shoulders, etc." on March 24, 2018 when he was attacked by Bendjima, as well as members of Drake and Beckham’s entourages in an alley near the nightclub and sought $250,000 in damages. The suit alleges Drake and Beckham followed their respective crews to the alley to watch Sipes get attacked. A video of the incident was recorded using the on-site surveillance system. The suit was eventually settled out of court. In October 2021, Drake and
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
were sued by Braindon Cooper and Timothy Valentine for
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, ...
between "
No Guidance "No Guidance" is a song by American singer Chris Brown featuring vocals from Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 8, 2019, as the fourth single from Brown's ninth studio album, ''Indigo'' (2019). The song was written by Brown, Drake, Ve ...
" and their own song "I Love Your Dress", but Drake was dropped by Cooper and Valentine from the lawsuit in April 2022. Drake was handed another copyright lawsuit from Samuel Nicholas, citing infringement from Drake's "
In My Feelings "In My Feelings" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his fifth studio album ''Scorpion'' (2018). It was released to rhythmic and contemporary hit radio on July 10, 2018, as the album's fifth single. The song features additional vocals by th ...
" and " Nice For What". In November 2021, he was named co-defendant with Travis Scott in a multi-claimant lawsuit for inciting " a riot and violence" at the Astroworld Festival, to which he released a statement; he was later criticized for reportedly attending the Area 29 strip club in Houston the day after the incident, and reportedly delayed the release of "Splash Brothers", a collaboration with
French Montana Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
, as a result. On July 14, 2022, Drake was detained by Swedish police, reportedly stemming from drugs present within a
Stockholm Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropo ...
nightclub. That November, Drake and
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
were sued by
Condé Nast Condé Nast () is a global mass media company founded in 1909 by Condé Montrose Nast, and owned by Advance Publications. Its headquarters are located at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. The company's m ...
, the publisher of ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', for using the ''Vogue'' name without permission to promote their collaborative album ''
Her Loss ''Her Loss'' is a collaborative studio album by Canadian rapper Drake and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on November 4, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. Featuring a sole guest appearance from Travis Scott, the a ...
''; Drake and 21 Savage "voluntarily ceased" to a preliminary injunction to stop using ''Vogue'' trademarks to promote the album.


Feuds

Drake and
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
were allegedly involved in a physical altercation in June 2012 when Drake and his entourage threw glass bottles at Brown in a
SoHo Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was deve ...
nightclub in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City. Chris Brown tweeted about the incident, and criticized Drake in music until 2013, including on the " R.I.P." remix. Despite no response from Drake, he and Brown both appeared in a comedic skit for the 2014
ESPY An ESPY Award (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) is an accolade currently presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously ESPN (as of the 2017 ESPY Awards the latter still airs them in the form ...
Awards, and rehearsed the skit together prior to the televised airing, virtually ending the dispute. The pair later collaborated on "
No Guidance "No Guidance" is a song by American singer Chris Brown featuring vocals from Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 8, 2019, as the fourth single from Brown's ninth studio album, ''Indigo'' (2019). The song was written by Brown, Drake, Ve ...
" in 2019. 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. Drake was also involved in a feud with
Tyga Michael Ray Nguyen-StevensonMicheal Ray Stevenson ...
, stemming from Tyga's negative comments about him during an interview with ''
Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
'' magazine. 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 Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...
. Further controversy arose in July 2015 when it was alleged by
Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...
that Drake had used
ghostwriter A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often ...
s during recording sessions for "
RICO The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was en ...
", one of the lead singles off 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 WDNG Crshrs (pronounced Wedding Crashers) are an American Hip hop music, hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia consisting of Quentin Miller, and Thaddeus "TheCoolisMac" Callaway. In 2015, they released the mixtapes, ''UTDinfini ...
. 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 Aston George Taylor Jr. (born August 5, 1968), professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot 9 ...
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 track A diss track, diss record or diss song (diss – abbr. from ''disrespect'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feud between the ...
s, titled "
Charged Up "Charged Up" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It is the first diss track aimed at American rapper Meek Mill. At OVO Fest 2015, Drake performed this song and "Back to Back" live. Background On July 22, 2015, Meek Mill publicly criticized Drake ...
" and " Back to Back", in the space of four days. Mill would later respond with " Wanna Know", before removing it from
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
weeks later. Following several subliminal disses from either artist, Drake further sought to denounce Funkmaster Flex while performing in New York (Flex's home state) on the Summer Sixteen Tour. Following Mill's prison sentencing for probation violation, Drake stated "Free Meek Mill" at a concert in Australia, and ended their rivalry on "Family Feud"; the pair later collaborated on "
Going Bad "Going Bad" is a song by the American rapper Meek Mill featuring the Canadian rapper Drake. It was the first single released from his album ''Championships'' (2018) on January 22, 2019, to US urban contemporary radio. The music video was teased in ...
" in 2019.
Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...
would also use the same rationale to criticize Drake on "Infrared" in 2018, leading Drake to respond with the "
Duppy Freestyle "Duppy Freestyle" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake (musician), Drake. Released on May 25, 2018, the song is a diss track aimed at American rappers Pusha-T and Kanye West. The song was produced by Boi-1da and Jahaan Sweet. Background On the fina ...
" diss track on May 25. Pusha T responded with "
The Story of Adidon "The Story of Adidon" is a diss track by American rapper Pusha T aimed at Canadian rapper Drake, released on May 29, 2018. It reuses the instrumental track from Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J.", which was produced by No I.D. and sampled " Four Women" ...
" on May 29, which presented several claims and revealed Drake's fatherhood. The pair are considered to have been in a rivalry since 2012, resulting from Pusha T's feuds with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
and Birdman, with Drake yet to respond to "The Story of Adidon". In 2016, Drake was embroiled in a feud with
Joe Budden Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American media personality and former rapper. He first gained recognition as a rapper with his 2003 top 40 single " Pump It Up" and as a member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse. In ...
, 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 "No Shopping" is a single by American rapper French Montana, from his mixtape '' MC4''. The track features a guest appearance from Toronto-based rapper Drake. It was released on July 16, 2016. The hip hop track was produced by Murda Beatz and Cu ...
" alongside
French Montana Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
, directly referencing Budden throughout the song, although, Montana claimed Drake's verse was recorded before the release of Budden's diss tracks. Despite Budden releasing two further songs in reference to Drake, he has yet to officially respond to Budden. In the same year, Drake dissed
Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Y ...
on "Two Birds, One Stone" after Cudi launched an expletive-filled rant on the artist on Twitter. Cudi later checked into a rehabilitation facility following the release of the song, and continued to disparage Drake in further tweets; the pair eventually resolved their feud, and collaborated on "IMY2" in 2021. In mid-2018, Drake was embroiled in a feud with long-time collaborator
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. In an appearance on ''The Shop'', Drake recounted several meetings with West, who voiced his desire to "be
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
" and work with Drake and replicate the producer-artist relationship between Jones and
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
. West requested Drake play and inform him of upcoming releases, while he gave Drake the instrumental to "
Lift Yourself "Lift Yourself" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. West wrote the song alongside James Massie and Ben Winters, and produced it with additional production from Mike Dean. The song was debuted on April 27, 2018, through West's website and ...
". West requested the pair work in
Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
, with Drake arriving a day after close friend 40, who said West was instead recording an album. Judging the pair to have differing release schedules, Drake traveled to Wyoming, but "only worked on est'smusic"; they explored Drake's after he played West "
March 14 Events Pre-1600 * 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland. * 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Huguen ...
", which addressed Drake's relationship with his newborn son and co-parent. This prompted a conversation with West regarding his personal issues, after which, news of his son would be exposed by Pusha T, which Drake concluded was revealed to him by West; West also released "Lift Yourself" as a solo song and produced "Infrared". Drake then denounced West in songs and live performances. West would retaliate in a series of tweets in late 2018, and the pair continued to respond on social media and in music as of late 2021, which included Drake leaking West's song "Life of the Party". During their feud, West also made several public attempts to reconcile with Drake, which is reported to have occurred after they co-headlined a benefit concert in December 2021. Drake has also been involved in reported feuds with DMX, music critic Anthony Fantano,
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...
,
Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...
,
The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
,
XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
,
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
,
Tory Lanez Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson (born July 27, 1992), known professionally as Tory Lanez, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and convicted felon. He received initial recognition from the mixtape ''Conflicts of My Soul: The 416 Story'', rel ...
, and
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
, although the latter five, and his feud with DMX, have been reported to be resolved.


Business ventures


Endorsements

Prior to venturing into business, Drake garnered several endorsement deals with various companies, notably gaining one with Sprite following his mention of drinking
purple drank Lean, also known as purple drank, purp, sizzurp, syrup, wock, oil, joy juice, and several other names, is a recreational drug beverage, prepared by mixing prescription strength cough or cold syrup containing codeine and promethazine with a ...
, a concoction that contains Sprite as a key ingredient. In the aftermath of his highly publicized feud with
Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...
, Drake was also endorsed by fast food restaurants
Burger King Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based res ...
and
Whataburger Whataburger is an American regional fast food restaurant chain, headquartered and based in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in hamburgers. The company, founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, opened its first restaurant in Corpus Chris ...
. Business magazine ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' commented his endorsement deals and business partnerships "combined heavily" for Drake's reported pre-tax earnings at $94 million between June 2016 to June 2017, being one of the highest-paid celebrities during that period.


OVO Sound

During the composition of ''Nothing Was the Same'', Drake started his own record label in late 2012 with producer Noah "40" Shebib and business partner Oliver El-Khatib. Drake sought for an avenue to release his own music, as well helping in the nurturing of other artists, while Shebib and El-Khatib yearned to start a label with a distinct sound, prompting the trio to team up to form OVO Sound. 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 Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
. Drake, 40, and
PartyNextDoor Jahron Anthony Brathwaite (born July 3, 1993), known professionally as PartyNextDoor (stylized as PARTYNEXTDOOR), is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. PartyNextDoor was the first artist signed to Drake's OVO Sound record label ...
were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including Drake, PartyNextDoor,
Majid Jordan Majid Jordan is a Canadian R&B duo, consisting of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman from Toronto, Ontario. They formed in 2011 and signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and ...
,
Roy Woods Denzel Spencer (born April 18, 1996), better known by his stage name Roy Woods (also stylized as Roy Wood$), is a Canadian singer and rapper. Woods is signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, record p ...
, and
dvsn Dvsn (stylized as dvsn and pronounced "division") is a Canadian R&B duo composed of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85. The duo is signed to Canadian rapper Drake through his label OVO Sound. History ''Sept. 5th'' On September 5, 2 ...
, as well as producers including 40, Boi-1da,
Nineteen85 Anthony Paul Jefferies (born July 1, 1985), known professionally as Nineteen85, is a Canadian record producer and songwriter. Nineteen85 holds the distinction of winning an ASCAP Music Award back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. He is best known for p ...
, and Future the Prince.


Toronto Raptors

On September 30, 2013, at a press conference with
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE) is a professional sports and commercial real estate company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With assets that include franchises in four of the six major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
CEO
Tim Leiweke Timothy J. Leiweke (born April 21, 1957) is an American sports executive who is the chief executive officer of the Oak View Group. Leiweke was the former president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) and former President and CEO of ...
, Drake was announced as the new "global ambassador" of the Toronto Raptors, joining the executive committee of the
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
franchise. It was announced together with the 2016 NBA All-Star Game being awarded to the
Air Canada Centre Scotiabank Arena ( French: ''Aréna Scotiabank)'', formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in the South Core district of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Rap ...
in Toronto. This was also the setting where Drake was given The Key to the City. 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. He also collaborated with the Raptors on pre-game practice jerseys, t-shirts, and sweatsuits, and began hosting an annual "Drake Night" segment with the organization, beginning in 2013.


Entertainment


Apple Music

Following the launch of
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Appl ...
, a music and video streaming service developed by
Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...
, the company announced Drake as the figurehead for the platform at their
Worldwide Developers Conference The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is an information technology conference held annually by Apple Inc. The conference is usually held at Apple Park in California. The event is usually used to showcase new software and technologies in t ...
in 2015, with the artist also penning an exclusivity deal with the service worth a reported $19 million. This saw all future solo releases by Drake becoming available first on Apple Music, before seeing roll out to other streaming services and music retailers. Drake had also developed the OVO Sound Radio station on Beats 1, which is utilized as the primary avenue for debuting singles and projects, with the station overseeing over 300 million unique users when it debuted '' More Life''. Drake's partnership with Apple Music has largely been credited for the platform's sharp success, as it attained 10 million subscribers after six months, as well as giving birth to exclusivity from artists, with many independent and signed artists, such as
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
and
The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
, also brokering exclusivity deals with streaming services. Through signing with the company, Drake was one of the artists, alongside
Pharrell Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...
and
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
, to exclusively own an
Apple Watch Apple Watch is a line of smartwatches produced by Apple Inc. It incorporates fitness tracking, health-oriented capabilities, and wireless telecommunication, and integrates with iOS and other Apple products and services. The Apple Watch was rel ...
before the
smartwatch A smartwatch is a wearable computer in the form of a watch; modern smartwatches provide a local touchscreen interface for daily use, while an associated smartphone app provides management and telemetry, such as long-term biomonitoring. While ea ...
saw public release.


DreamCrew and investments

In 2017, Drake and Adel "Future" Nur co-founded the production company
DreamCrew DreamCrew Entertainment is a Canadian production company co-founded by Drake and Adel "Future" Nur in 2017. It functions as both a management company and entertainment group. The company is best known for producing the HBO television series ''Eup ...
, with functions in both management and entertainment. The company has produced the television series ''
Euphoria Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and d ...
'' and '' Top Boy''. Their debut produced film was sports documentary ''
The Carter Effect ''The Carter Effect'' is a 2017 documentary directed by Sean Menard. It covers the impact of Vince Carter in Canada when he was still playing for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The film was shown at the 2017 Tor ...
'', detailing the impact of
Vince Carter Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played p ...
in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. On August 5, 2022, Drake was among those nominated for a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series since its institution in 1951. The award goes to the producers of the series. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys cerem ...
for acting as a producer on ''Euphoria''. In July 2021, Drake was announced as an executive producer, alongside
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
and
Maverick Carter Maverick Carter is an American sports-marketing businessman and media personality. Early life and education Maverick Carter was born on October 10, 1980 Carter spent most of his youth in Akron, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia. Carter grew up the son ...
, for ''Black Ice'', a documentary film charting the experiences of
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
and ethnic minority professional and amateur ice hockey players. It is due to be produced by Uninterrupted Canada in partnership with Drake's DreamCrew Entertainment, James'
SpringHill Company SpringHill Company is an entertainment development and production company founded in 2020 by LeBron James and Maverick Carter. Its board of directors includes Serena Williams. The company unites three earlier companies founded by James and Carter ...
, and
Bell Media Bell Media Inc. ( French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies. Establishment (2011–13) On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...
. DreamCrew also began production on the unscripted survival series ''Chillin' Island'' in 2021, due to air on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
. In June 2021, Live Nation confirmed a long-standing partnership with Drake to open History, a 2,500 convertible capacity live-entertainment and general function venue in Toronto. It was in development for over three years and is situated in
The Beaches The Beaches (also known as "The Beach") is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is so named because of its four beaches situated on Lake Ontario. It is located east of downtown within the "Old" City of Toronto. The approximate boundar ...
. He also aided in the venue's interior design, which contains LED screens, soundproofing, quick-change rooms and a customizable staircase. In November 2022, DreamCrew invested near-$100 million to revive the
open-air museum An open-air museum (or open air museum) is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts out-of-doors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum. Definition Open air is “the unconfined atmosphere ...
and
amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
'' Luna Luna''; originally staged in
Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...
, it is set to go on a worldwide tour, with Drake stating, " una Lunais such a unique and special way to experience art. This is a big idea and opportunity that centers around what we love most: bringing people together". Drake signed as an investor and collaborator with Los Angeles-based sustainability and financial services startup Aspiration; he will also use the company's enterprise services to monitor and ensure personal carbon neutrality. He has also invested in
robo-advisor Robo-advisors or robo-advisers are a class of financial adviser that provide financial advice and investment management online with moderate to minimal human intervention. They provide digital financial advice based on mathematical rules or algorith ...
Wealthsimple, the "livestreaming video commerce platform" NTWRK, the cannabis provider Bullrider, and several sports-related ventures, including online esports betting platform Players' Lounge, the sportstech firm StatusPro, and online sports network Overtime. In an analysis by Brennan Doherty for ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'', Drake's investment "carry all the hallmarks" typical of musicians, which is often
momentum investing Momentum investing is a system of buying stocks or other securities that have had high returns over the past three to twelve months, and selling those that have had poor returns over the same period. While momentum investing is well-established as ...
, and cited Jason Pereira, who described Drake's business deals as typically
angel investing An angel investor (also known as a business angel, informal investor, angel funder, private investor, or seed investor) is an individual who provides capital for a business or businesses start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or owner ...
and
private equity In the field of finance, the term private equity (PE) refers to investment funds, usually limited partnerships (LP), which buy and restructure financially weak companies that produce goods and provide services. A private-equity fund is both a ty ...
(often
venture capital Venture capital (often abbreviated as VC) is a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which ha ...
) funds. Pereira also noted his "leveraging his personal brand to generate cash". On August 30, 2022, it was reported that Drake and
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
, as part of the investment fund Main Street Advisors, would partner with U.S. private equity group RedBird Capital and
Yankee Global Enterprises Yankee Global Enterprises, LLC, formerly YankeeNets, LLC, is an American limited liability company (LLC) which owns the New York Yankees baseball team, along with a plurality stake in YES Network and a 20% and 10% stake in New York City FC and AC ...
to purchase Italian football club A.C. Milan for a rumored $1.2 billion. Drake has also invested in cryptocurrency firm Moonpay.


100 Thieves

In 2018, Drake purchased an ownership stake in the gaming organization 100 Thieves, joining as a co-founder and co-owner. The investment was partly funded by music executive
Scooter Braun Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun (born June 18, 1981) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment executive. Known as the manager for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi and other artists ...
and
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
owner
Dan Gilbert Daniel Gilbert (born January 17, 1962) is an American billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and majority owner of Rocket Mortgage, founder of Rock Ventures, and owner of the National Basketball Association' ...
.


Cuisine

Two months prior to the release of ''Views'', Drake announced the development of Virginia Black, a bourbon-based whiskey. This would be his second foray into selling foodstuffs, previously partnering with celebrity chef Susur Lee to open Fring's Restaurant and Antonio Park to open the sports bar Pick 6ix, both in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
and eventually closed. Virginia Black was created and distributed by
Proximo Spirits Proximo Spirits, Inc., is an American Distilled beverage, spirits importer and international distributor based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It is best known for importing and distributing Jose Cuervo, the world's largest-selling tequila brand.Nore ...
and Brent Hocking, a spirits producer who founded
DeLeón Tequila DeLeón Tequila is a brand of the alcoholic beverage tequila. It is certified as 100% blue Weber agave tequila. DeLeón is produced in the town of Purísima del Rincón in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The city name literally translates to ...
in 2008. The company described the partnership as "fruitful s theyshare a passion for style, music, and the pursuit of taste na quest to redefine whiskey." In 2021, using ratings compiled from
Vivino Vivino is an online wine marketplace and wine app, which has been downloaded more than 60 million times. The Vivino app is available for download on Android and Apple devices. Vivino was founded in 2010 by Heini Zachariassen and Theis Søndergaa ...
and complimentary website Distiller, Virginia Black was ranked the worst value celebrity liquor for quality and price. The product was launched in June 2016, and contained two, three and four-year old Bourbon whiskies. The company sold over 4,000 bottles in the first week domestically. The brand was also promoted and marketed through Drake's music and various tours, such as being part of the "Virginia Black VIP Lounge" additional package available for purchase during the Summer Sixteen Tour. Virginia Black shipped a further 30,000 units when rollout was extended to select international markets in late 2016. The company later aired commercials with Drake's father, Dennis Graham, which featured the mock tagline of "The Realest Dude Ever" (in reference toward "
The Most Interesting Man in the World The Most Interesting Man in the World was an advertising campaign for Dos Equis beer featuring actor Jonathan Goldsmith as a bearded, debonair older gentleman with voiceovers that were both humorous and outrageous. The advertisements first bega ...
" tagline employed by
Dos Equis DOS is shorthand for the MS-DOS and IBM PC DOS family of operating systems. DOS may also refer to: Computing * Data over signalling (DoS), multiplexing data onto a signalling channel * Denial-of-service attack (DoS), an attack on a communicatio ...
) after extending the sale of the drink to Europe in 2017. In 2019, Drake began collaborating with Hocking on Mod Sélection, a luxury range of
champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
, and in May 2021, formed part of a $40 million series B investment funding round led by D1 Capital Partners in Daring Foods Inc., a vegan
meat analogue A meat alternative or meat substitute (also called plant-based meat or fake meat, sometimes pejoratively) is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically approximate qua ...
corporation. That September, he purchased a minority stake in Californian food chain Dave's Hot Chicken, and organized a promotion on October 24, 2022, to give away free chicken to Toronto residents on his 36th birthday.


Fashion

In December 2013, Drake announced he was signing with Nike and
Air Jordan Air Jordan is an American brand of basketball shoes produced by American corporation Nike. The first Air Jordan shoe was produced for Hall of Fame former basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in late 1984 an ...
, saying "growing up, I'm sure we all idolized
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
. I mofficially inducted into the Team Jordan family." Drake also released his own collection of Air Jordans, dubbed the "Air Jordan OVOs". This foresaw collaborations between OVO and
Canada Goose The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
, in which various items of clothing were produced. In 2020, A Bathing Ape announced a collaboration with Drake, releasing an OVO x BAPE collection of clothing, while he also partnered with candle manufacturer Revolve to create "Better World Fragrance", a line of scented candles. In December 2020, Drake announced Nocta, a sub-label with Nike. In a press release, Drake said "I always felt like there was an opportunity for Nike to embrace an entertainer the same way sathletes," he wrote, "to be associated with the highest level possible was always my goal." The apparel line is named after Drake's "nocturnal creative process", in which Nike described as a "collection for the collective", and noted by GQ as "fashion-forward, minimal-inspired sportswear". One clothing item features an image of Drake's muses, Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta, with a poem. After the first collection sold out, another was released in February 2021, which introduced t-shirts, adjustable caps, a utility vest, and a lightweight jacket. That July, OVO released the "Weekender Collection", which includes a line of hoodies, velour sweatsuits, t-shirts, shorts, and accessories for women. OVO then released a "Winter Survival Collection" that December which included puffer jackets, vests, and parkas made with 700- fill down and Oeko-Tex certified down feathers. They followed this with limited ''Jurassic Park''-themed collection and an indoor footwear collaboration with Suicoke, as well as a
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
-collaborated
capsule collection A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothing that is composed of interchangeable items only, to maximise the number of outfits that can be created. The aim is to have an outfit suitable for any occasion without owning excessive items of clothing ...
. In July 2022, a capsule inspired by and in collaboration with
Mike Tyson Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is cons ...
was released, featuring both blouson jackets and caps. In conjunction with
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
's 12-year, $540 million sponsorship deal with
FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Founded ...
, the club wore special edition OVO owl silhouette branded jerseys in their
El Clásico El Clásico or el clásico (; ca, El Clàssic, ; ) is the name given to any football match between rival clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Originally referring to competitions held in the Spanish championship, the term now includes every m ...
match against
Real Madrid CF Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn ...
on October 16, 2022. OVO then partnered with former professional ice hockey player
Tie Domi Tahir "Tie" Domi (born November 1, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Known as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets over a 16-year NHL career. He is the Maple Leafs' all ti ...
and fashion retailer
Roots Canada Roots Corporation (doing business as Roots) is a publicly held Canadian brand that sells apparel, leather bags, small leather goods, footwear, athletic wear, and home furnishings. The company was founded in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, by Michael ...
to release a capsule collection on October 28, matching Domi's jersey number for the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
and
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
; a capsule collection was later released in collaboration with the Maple Leafs in November.


Personal life


Health and residences

Drake lives in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, in a 35,000-square-foot, $100 million estate nicknamed "The Embassy", which was built from the ground-up in 2017, and is seen in the video to his song "
Toosie Slide "Toosie Slide" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his commercial mixtape '' Dark Lane Demo Tapes'' (2020). It was released as the lead single on April 3, 2020, through Republic and OVO. The song is titled after social media influencer Toosi ...
". He owned a home nicknamed the "YOLO Estate" in
Hidden Hills ''Hidden Hills'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2002 to January 21, 2003, during the 2002 fall line up. Based on the book ''Surviving Suburbia'', the series was created by Peter Segal and Ric Swart ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
from 2012 to 2022, and bought a
Beverly Crest Beverly Crest is a neighborhood in the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Westside area of the city of Los Angeles, California. History Developer George Read purchased the 80-acre area in 1923. After the streets were paved and underground utilities ...
home in 2022 from
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
for $70 million. He owns a
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
adjacent to the
CN Tower The CN Tower (french: Tour CN) is a concrete communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway c ...
. He also owns a
Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is an American wide-body aircraft developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft was launched as the 7X7 program on July 14, 1978, the prototype first flew on September 26, 1981, and it was certified on ...
, and in 2021, rented a $65 million multi-purpose property in
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
. Drake has a variety of
tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several Process of tatt ...
s, some of which are symbols associated with personal accomplishments, such as a
jack-o-lantern A jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved lantern, most commonly made from a pumpkin or a root vegetable such as a rutabaga or turnip. Jack-o'-lanterns are associated with the Halloween holiday. Its name comes from the reported phenomen ...
, "October Lejonhjärta" (),
owls Owls are birds from the Order (biology), order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly Solitary animal, solitary and Nocturnal animal, nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vi ...
, and a controversial ''
Abbey Road ''Abbey Road'' is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It is the last album the group started recording, although '' Let It Be'' was the last album completed before the band's break-up in April 1970. It was mostly ...
'' (1969) inspired depiction of himself and
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. He has portraits of
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
,
Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
,
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
,
Jesús Malverde Jesús Malverde ( "bad-green Jesus"; born Jesús Juarez Matzo Campos, 15 January 1870– 3 May 1909), commonly referred to as the "generous bandit", "angel of the poor",Park, Jungwon University of Pittsburgh or the "narco-saint", is a folklore h ...
,
Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...
, 40, his parents, grandmother, maternal uncle, and son; and several related to Toronto, including the CN Tower and the number " 416". On August 18, 2021, Drake revealed he contracted
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
amidst the
pandemic A pandemic () is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. A widespread endemic (epidemiology), endemic disease wi ...
, which led to temporary hair loss. He was also one of the first celebrities to publicly test for the virus in March 2020. He contracted the disease again in 2022, causing the postponement of reunion concerts with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
and
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...
.


Family and relationships

Drake's paternal uncles are guitarists and songwriters
Larry Graham Larry Graham Jr. (born August 14, 1946) is an American bassist and baritone singer, both with the psychedelic soul/funk band Sly and the Family Stone and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station. In 1980, he released the single "O ...
and
Teenie Hodges Mabon Lewis "Teenie" Hodges (November 16, 1945 – June 22, 2014) was an American musician known for his work as a rhythm and lead guitarist and songwriter on many of Al Green's soul hits, and those of other artists such as Ann Peebles and Syl J ...
. Graham was a member of
Sly and the Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-i ...
, while Hodges contributed to songs for Al Green, including "
Love and Happiness "Love and Happiness" is a 1972 song by Al Green from his album '' I'm Still in Love with You''. Green co-wrote the song with Teenie Hodges. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom on London Records in 1973 and in the United States on H ...
", "
Here I Am (Come and Take Me) "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" is a 1973 song by Al Green, the second single released from his album '' Call Me''. The song reached number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It was certified as a gold ...
", and " Take Me to the River". Drake has two dogs, a snow white
American Bully The American Bully is a modern breed of dog that was developed as a companion dog, and originally standardized and recognized as a breed in 2004 by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC). Their published breed standard describes the dog as giving ...
and an American
Akita is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places * 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid * Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan * Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan * Akita, Kumamoto ...
; he acquired another Akita in 2016, but surrendered the dog to a trainer not long after due to tour commitments. Drake is close friends with
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
. He dated SZA between 2008 and 2009, and was in an
on-again, off-again relationship An on-again, off-again relationship (also known as an on–off or off–on relationship) is a form of personal relationship between two persons who keep breaking up only to reconcile afterwards, thus repeating a cycle. Researcher Kale Monk, an a ...
with
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
from 2009 to 2016. He has mentioned the relationship in every one of his studio albums, and when presenting Rihanna with the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, also known as the Video Vanguard Award or the Lifetime Achievement Award, is a merit given to recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was establis ...
in 2016, he said "she's a woman I've been in love with since I was 22 years old." On his relationship with her, he said on the talk show ''
The Shop ''The Shop: Uninterrupted'', or simply ''The Shop'', is an American television talk show created by Paul Rivera. It stars professional basketball star LeBron James and businessman Maverick Carter, who alongside guests have conversations and deba ...
'':
As life takes shape and teaches you your own lessons, I end up in this situation where I don't have the fairy tale f'Drake started a family with Rihanna, t'sso perfect.' It looks so good on paper ndI wanted it too at one time.
Drake is a father to one son who was born on October 11, 2017, to French painter and former model Sophie Brussaux. Brussaux's pregnancy was the subject of several rumours after featuring in a
TMZ TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
article in early 2017. After the nature of the pair's relationship was discussed in
Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...
's "
The Story of Adidon "The Story of Adidon" is a diss track by American rapper Pusha T aimed at Canadian rapper Drake, released on May 29, 2018. It reuses the instrumental track from Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J.", which was produced by No I.D. and sampled " Four Women" ...
", Drake confirmed his fatherhood on the album ''
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
'' in 2018, citing a desire for his child's privacy.


Discography

Studio albums * '' Thank Me Later'' (2010) * '' Take Care'' (2011) * '' Nothing Was the Same'' (2013) * '' Views'' (2016) * ''
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
'' (2018) * '' Certified Lover Boy'' (2021) * ''
Honestly, Nevermind ''Honestly, Nevermind'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, which was surprise-released on June 17, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. The album includes a sole guest feature from 21 Savage, and producti ...
'' (2022) Collaborative albums * ''
Her Loss ''Her Loss'' is a collaborative studio album by Canadian rapper Drake and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. It was released on November 4, 2022, through OVO Sound and Republic Records. Featuring a sole guest appearance from Travis Scott, the a ...
'' (2022)


Tours


Headlining

*
Away from Home Tour The Away from Home Tour, also marketed as the Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour, was the first headlining concert tour by Canadian recording artist, Drake. The tour began on April 5, 2010 in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania and continued until Novemb ...
(2010) * Club Paradise Tour (2012) * Would You Like a Tour? (2013–2014) * Jungle Tour (2015; six date promotional tour) *
Boy Meets World Tour The Boy Meets World Tour was the fifth headlining tour by Canadian recording artist Drake, to support his album '' Views'' (2016), and his playlist ''More Life'' (2017). The European leg began on January 28, 2017, at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam a ...
(2017) * Assassination Vacation Tour (2019)


Co-headlining

* America's Most Wanted Tour (2009) * Drake vs. Lil Wayne (2014) * Summer Sixteen Tour (2016) * Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour (2018)


Filmography


Film


Television


See also

*
Culture of Toronto Toronto is the largest city of Canada and one of the most multiculturalism, multicultural cities in the world. Many immigrant cultures have brought their traditions Heritage Languages in Toronto, languages and music to Toronto. Toronto is a busin ...
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List of artists who reached number one in the United States This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on '' Billboard'' magazine's weekly singles chart(s). This list spans from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to the present. Prior to the creation of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ''Bil ...
*
List of Canadian musicians This is a list of Canadian musicians. Only notable individuals appear here; bands are listed at List of bands from Canada. 0-9 *347aidan - rapper A * Lee Aaron – jazz and rock singer-songwriter, also known as "Metal Queen" *Abdominal – hi ...
*
List of people from Toronto This is a list of notable people who are from Toronto, Ontario, or have spent a large part or formative part of their career in that city. A * Abdominal – hip hop musician * Patrick J. Adams – actor ('' Suits'') * Oluniké Adeliyi – ac ...
*
List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart This is a list of artists who have reached number one on the UK Singles Chart as recorded by the Official Charts Company. Artists are listed alphabetically, solo artists are listed by surname and groups are listed by full names excluding "the" o ...
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List of highest-certified music artists in the United States This is the list of the highest-certified music artists in the United States based on certifications of albums and digital singles (but not physical singles) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA certifications are based ...
* List of best-selling music artists * List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones *
List of most-followed Instagram accounts This article is a list of the top 50 accounts with most followers on the photo and video-sharing social platform Instagram. the most-followed person is Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo with over 520 million followers, and the most- ...
*
List of Canadian hip hop musicians This is a list of hip hop musicians from Canada. Rappers 0-9 * The 6th Letter *88Camino A *Abdominal *Chuckie Akenz * Ale Dee * Anodajay *Arabesque * Aspektz * Langdon Auger B *B-Kool * Backxwash * Bad News Brown *Baka Not Nice * Baracuda ...
*
List of Canadian Jews This list of Canadian Jews includes notable Canadian Jews or Canadians of Jewish descent, arranged by field of activity. Academic figures Biology and medicine * Eric Berne (1910–1970), psychiatrist * John Bienenstock (1936– ), immunologis ...
*
List of Black Canadians This is a list of notable Black Canadians, inclusive of multiracial people who are of partially Black African descent. A *Elamin Abdelmahmoud, CBC Radio host *Wayne Adams, first black MLA in Nova Scotia, Liberal *Lovell Adams-Gray, actor *Olun ...
*
Black Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area Black Canadians make up a sizable group within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin, although the population also consists of Indigenous Black Canadians, African American immigrants and their de ...
*
History of the Jews in Toronto Toronto's Jewish community is the most populous and one of the oldest in the country, forming a significant part of the history of the Jews in Canada. It numbered about 165,000 in the 2001 census, having overtaken Montreal in the 1970s. As of 20 ...
*
List of artists who reached number one on the Canadian Hot 100 This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard'' magazine's weekly Canadian Hot 100 chart. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated 31 March 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Cana ...
*
List of Canadian Grammy Award winners and nominees The following is a list of Grammy Awards winners and nominees from Canada (This page only includes the competitive awards which have been won by various artists/producers, and does not include the various special awards that are presented by the R ...
*
List of most-streamed artists on Spotify This list contains the most-streamed artists on the audio streaming platform Spotify. As of , The Weeknd has the most monthly listeners on Spotify for a male artist, Ariana Grande has the most monthly listeners on Spotify for a female artist a ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Drake 1986 births Living people 21st-century Black Canadian male singers 21st-century Canadian Jews 21st-century Canadian male actors 21st-century Canadian rappers African-American businesspeople African-American Jews African-American male rappers Black Canadian businesspeople Black Canadian male actors Black Canadian musicians Brit Award winners Businesspeople from Toronto Canadian Ashkenazi Jews Canadian contemporary R&B singers Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States Canadian hip hop singers Canadian male child actors Canadian male comedians Canadian male film actors Canadian male rappers Canadian male television actors Canadian male voice actors Canadian music industry executives Canadian people of African-American descent Canadian people of Jewish descent Canadian philanthropists Canadian pop singers Canadian songwriters Cash Money Records artists Grammy Award winners for rap music Jewish Canadian male actors Jewish Canadian musicians Jewish Canadian writers Jewish rappers Jewish singers Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year winners Male actors from Toronto MTV Europe Music Award winners Nike, Inc. people OVO Sound artists People from Hidden Hills, California People from Weston, Toronto Pop rappers Rappers from Toronto Republic Records artists Sports spectators Toronto Raptors personnel Universal Motown Records artists Writers from Toronto Young Money Entertainment artists