Aubrey Drake Graham, also known as Drake, has rocketed to superstardom after stepping away from acting and focusing more on perfecting his craft as a rapper.
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Early Beginnings On Degrassi: The Next Generation
Drake starred as Jimmy Brooks on the popular teen drama, “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” He started as a series regular in 2001 and portrayed the basketball player whose life takes a dramatic turn when he’s shot by a classmate, leaving him wheelchair-bound. Drake portrayed Jimmy for seven seasons, navigating the character’s struggles with disability, identity, and finding a new normal. This role launched his acting career and provided him with valuable experience in front of the camera.
Show writer, James Hurst, said Drake reportedly threatened to leave the show if Brooks remained in a wheelchair:
“There was a letter from a law firm in Toronto, and it was from Aubrey. It was an odd letter that said, ‘Aubrey Graham will not return to Degrassi season 6 as Jimmy Brooks unless his injury is healed, and he’s out of the wheelchair.’ I said, ‘Get him down here.’ He came in and was like, ‘What letter? I don’t know about that.’ And I said, ‘All right, I understand. But how do you feel about the wheelchair?’ He’s like, ‘All my friends in the rap game say I’m soft because I’m in a wheelchair.’ And I said, ‘Well, tell your friends in the rap game that you got shot. How much harder can you get? You got shot, and you’re in a wheelchair.’”
He apparently reconsidered the decision and remained on the show. Drake also rapped on the series in some episodes and even discussed his future rap career in a behind-the-scenes video.
Breakout Success With Young Money and Lil Wayne
Drake self-released his debut mixtape, Room For Improvement, in 2006 which had features such as Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco. Although the project only sold 6,000 copies, Drake continued to perform at nightclubs and released his second mixtape, Comeback Season, which launched the single “Replacement Girl” with Trey Songz. After listening to the track, Lil Wayne invited Drake to join his Tha Carter III Tour where they also recorded songs such as “Ransom,” “Forever,” and Brand New(remix). Due to the success of his mixtape, record labels were willing to sign Drake but he made the decision to join Young Money in June 2009. He released his debut album, Thank Me Later, and landed No. 14 on the Billboard charts for “Over.” Soon after, he released “Take Care” (2011) and “Nothing Was the Same” (2013). These albums produced numerous chart-topping singles like “Find Your Love,” “Take Care,” “Started from the Bottom,” and “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” solidifying his place on the Billboard charts. He collaborated with established other artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Rihanna while also mentoring and paving the way for a new wave of rappers. By 2015, Drake had become a global icon, influencing music, fashion, and pop culture.
Drake Starts To Explore Business Ventures and Genre-Bending Features
Drake released more studio albums, “Views”(2015), “More Life” (2017), “Scorpion”(2018), and “Certified Lover Boy” (2021), both of which broke records and topped the Billboard charts. Songs like “God’s Plan,” “In My Feelings,” and “Hotline Bling” became cultural staples, with music videos garnering billions of views. He also collaborated with Future on their first mixtape, “What A Time To Be Alive.” Drake became the first artist to surpass 100 billion streams on Spotify and remains one of the most streamed artists globally. He also collaborated with Wizkid, Bad Bunny, and Romeo Santos, Drake’s entrepreneurial ventures flourished. OVO Sound, his record label, nurtured new talent like Popcaan and signed established artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR. He also expanded his fashion line and co-founded a cannabis brand.
In late 2020, he launched his own sub-label under the Nike umbrella called NOCTA (an abbreviation for “Nocturnal Creative Process”). This sub-label allows Drake more creative control, crafting apparel and footwear that blends streetwear sensibilities with high-performance athletic wear. NOCTA collections typically feature hoodies, puffer jackets, sweatpants, and sneakers, all designed with a distinct aesthetic that reflects Drake’s nocturnal creative flow and affinity for comfortable yet stylish clothing. The collaboration has been a success, with NOCTA collections selling out quickly and generating significant hype, blurring the lines between sportswear and fashion.
Before his hiatus, he released “Honestly, Nevermind” (2022) and “For All the Dogs” (2023) and is currently on tour.