Drake (musician)
| Drake | |
|---|---|
Drake in 2017
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| Born | Aubrey Drake Graham October 24, 1986 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Residence | Hidden Hills, California[1] |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
| Net worth | $90 million (May 2017)[2] |
| Website | drakeofficial |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
Drake released his debut studio album Thank Me Later in 2010,[7] which debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was soon certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His next two releases were 2011's Take Care and 2013's Nothing Was the Same,[8][9][10][11] with certifications of quadruple and triple platinum respectively in the United States; the former also earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. They were followed by two mixtapes – the trap-influenced If You're Reading This It's Too Late, and a collaboration with Future for What a Time to Be Alive – in 2015, with both earning platinum certification in the U.S.[12]
Drake released his fourth album, Views, in 2016, breaking several chart records in the process.[13] The dancehall-influenced album sat atop the Billboard 200 for ten nonconsecutive weeks,[14] becoming the first album by a male solo artist to do so in over ten years. Its single "One Dance" topped the charts in several countries, including the U.S., the UK and Canada, where it became his first number-one single as the lead artist. This saw Drake leading the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 simultaneously for eight weeks, coming close to a record held by Whitney Houston.[15] It achieved quadruple platinum status in the U.S., and earned over 1,000,000 album-equivalent units in the first week of its release.[16][17] The single "Hotline Bling" secured him his second and third Grammy win, for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song, at the organization's 59th ceremony.[18]
Drake released the multi-genre More Life in 2017. Described by Drake as a playlist,[19][20] it was his seventh consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and set multiple streaming records.[21]
Drake holds several Billboard chart records. He has the most charted songs (154) among solo artists in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, the most simultaneously charted Hot 100 songs in a single week (24), the most time on the Hot 100 (431 weeks) and the most Hot 100 debuts in a week (21).[22] Drake also has the most number one singles on the Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Charts.[23][24] Alongside his Grammy Award wins, Drake has won three Juno Awards and six American Music Awards.
Drake has developed other ventures, including his OVO Sound record label with longtime collaborator Noah "40" Shebib. Drake acts as a producer, producing under the pseudonym of Champagne Papi. Using the "OVO" moniker, Drake has his own clothing line and his own program on Beats 1 Radio. He has also developed a whiskey, is a restaurateur, and is the global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors.[25]
Contents
Early life
Drake attended both Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (left) and Vaughan Road Academy (right) for high school.
Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in Toronto, while his father chose to return to Memphis in order to find a way to supplement himself financially.[31][32][33] As a child, he witnessed his father's arrest while visiting him in Memphis.[34][35] His father later collaborated with Canadian music group Arkells for a song entitled "Drake's Dad", detailing the events that had occurred following his departure from Drake's early life.[36]
Drake was raised in two polarizing Toronto neighbourhoods; he lived on Weston Road in the city's working-class west end,[34] until the sixth grade. In his youth, he played minor hockey with the Weston Red Wings.[37] Drake then moved to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000.[38][39] When asked about the move to Forest Hill, Drake replied, "[We had] a half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half, we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mom lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."
He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, where he demonstrated an affinity for the arts, first acting while an active student at the school.[40] He later attended Vaughan Road Academy in the city's multicultural Oakwood–Vaughan neighbourhood. Due to the economic status associated with the neighbourhood, Drake described the school as "not by any means the easiest school to go to. [It's tough]."[34] Drake was often bullied in school for his racial and religious background,[41] and upon realizing that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, Drake dropped out of school.[42] He later graduated in October 2012.[43]
Career
2001–2005: Degrassi: The Next Generation
At 15, Drake encountered an acting agent who was the father of a high school friend.[44] The agent found Drake a role on Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks,[45] a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. When asked about his early acting career, Drake replied, "My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was off of Canadian TV".[34] He would continue to appear on the show until 2007, returning for sporadic appearances until his character graduated from school. Overall, Drake appeared in a total of 145 episodes.[46]2006–2009: Early mixtapes and So Far Gone
In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape, So Far Gone. It was made available for free download through his OVO blog website, and was featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Lloyd, and Bun B. It received over 2,000 downloads in the first 2 hours of release, finding mainstream commercial success due to the singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful", both gaining Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[49] This prompted the release of an EP, featuring only four songs from the original mixtape, as well as the addition of "I'm Goin' In" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.[50]
Due to the success of the mixtape,[51] Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever".[52] Despite this, it was confirmed that on June 29, 2009, Drake had secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment.[53] This was confirmed following the planned lawsuit from Drake and Young Money against an unauthorized album entitled The Girls Love Drake, which was released on iTunes under dubious means.[54]
While participating on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009, Drake fell on stage while performing "Best I Ever Had" in Camden, New Jersey.[55] Drake was confirmed to have torn his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the performance, and underwent surgery on September 8, 2009.[citation needed]
2010–2011: Thank Me Later
Drake performing at the Fox Theater in 2010.
On March 9, 2010, Drake released the debut single "Over",[59] peaking at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as topping the Rap Songs chart. It also received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[60] His second single, "Find Your Love", became an even bigger success; peaking at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[61] The music video for the single was shot in Kingston, Jamaica, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in [showcasing] images of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing [the island's image]."[62] The third single and fourth singles, "Miss Me" and "Fancy" respectively,[63] 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.[64] On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished Thank Me Later during a show in Kansas City, Missouri.[65]
Thank Me Later was released on June 15, 2010,[66] debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week.[67] Upon the album's release, 25,000 fans gathered at New York City's South Street Seaport for a free concert, hosted by Drake and Hanson. A near-riot ensued after police cancelled the show due to overflowing crowds.[68] The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010,[69] and featured Lil Wayne, Kanye West,[70] and Jay Z.[71]
It was soon announced that Drake would have a prominent role in military science fiction video game, Gears of War 3. He was scheduled to play the part of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming Away from Home Tour[72] prevented Drake from accepting the role.[73] He began the tour on September 20, 2010, in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs.[74] It concluded in Las Vegas in November 2010.[75] Due to the success of the Away from Home Tour, Drake hosted the first OVO Festival in 2010. It would soon become a regular event during the summer, with the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto playing host to the festival on its annual cycle. Drake also had an eco-friendly college tour to support the album, beginning with Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 8, and he had also performed at The Bamboozle on May 1.[76][77]
2011–2012: Take Care
Beginning his second effort in fall 2010,[78] Drake announced his intentions to allow for Noah "40" Shebib to handle most of the production and record a more cohesive sound than on Thank Me Later, which featured disparate production duties by Shebib and others.[79] In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be Take Care.[80] 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."[81] Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic aesthetic of Thank Me Later.[82][83] Primarily a hip hop album, Drake attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound.[84]
Drake performing alongside Bun B in 2011.
"Headlines" was released on August 9, acting as the lead single for Take Care. It was met with positive critical and commercial response, reaching number thirteen on the Hot 100, as well as becoming his tenth single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs, making Drake the artist with the most number-one singles on the chart, with 12.[92] It was eventually certified Platinum in both the United States and Canada.[93] The music video for the single was released on October 2, and foresaw Drake performing the song during the second intermission of the 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game in January 2012.[94] "Make Me Proud" was released as the album's second single, on October 16.[95] 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.[88] 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.[96] "Make Me Proud" soon became Drake's fourth consecutive single to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA.[97]
Drake had also planned to record a collaborative album with Lil Wayne, however, it was ultimately scrapped due to the success of Watch the Throne.[98][99][100] Drake had also begun collaborations with Rick Ross for a mixtape entitled Y.O.L.O., but was decided against in favor of increased concern for their respective studio albums.[101][102]
Take Care was released on November 15, 2011, and received generally positive reviews from music critics.[9] John McDonnell of NME dubbed it "an affecting masterpiece" and commended its "delicate, mellifluous sound and unashamedly candid, emotive lyrics."[103] 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."[104] Andy Hutchins of The Village Voice called it "a carefully crafted bundle of contradictory sentiments from a conflicted rapper who explores his own neuroses in as compelling a manner as anyone not named Kanye West."[105] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot complimented the depth of Drake's "moral psychodramas" and stated, "the best of it affirms that Drake is shaping a pop persona with staying power."[106] It was also certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 2016, with sales for the album marking 2.6 million in the US,[107] as well as winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
The album's third and fourth singles, "The Motto" and Take Care", were released on November 29,[87] and February 21, 2012 respectively.[108] 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.[109][110] The music video for "Take Care" saw widespread acclaim, with MTV stating, "None of his contemporaries – not even the ever-obtuse Kanye [West] - make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it."[111] 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.[112] The song was also featured on the channel's "Pop Songs You Must Hear" list of 2011.[113] "HYFR" was the final single to be released from the album, and became certified Gold.[114][115] It would later win the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video in 2012.[116][117] Drake was soon ranked at number two on MTV's "Hottest MCs in the Game" list in 2011.[118]
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.[119] Drake would soon star in Ice Age: Continental Drift, providing the voice for Ethan.[120]
2012–2015: Nothing Was the Same and commercial mixtapes
During the European leg of the Club Paradise Tour, Drake spoke in an interview stating that he had begun working on his third studio album. Revealing his intentions to remain with 40 as the album's executive producer, Drake spoke fondly about Jamie xx, hoping to expand the British producer's influence over his next album.[121] Drake had also revealed that the album would stylistically differ from Take Care, departing from the ambient production and despondent lyrics prevalent in the album.[122]In January 2013, Drake announced that he would release the first single off of his third album at the conclusion of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[123][124] 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.[125] The album's second single "Hold On, We're Going Home" was released in August 2013, becoming the most successful single off of the album, peaking at number-one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[126] Drake sought inspiration from the 1980s television series Miami Vice during the video's composition, incorporating the dramatic elements seen in the show into the song's music video, which won him his second MTV Video Music Award in 2014.[127][128][129] Drake appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing the album's third single, "Too Much", alongside featured artist Sampha.[130]
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 favorable reviews by contemporary music critics, commending the musical shift in terms of the tone and subject matter, comparing it to the distinct change showcased in 808s & Heartbreak.[131] 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.[132] It became the 22nd-most successful tour of the year, grossing an estimated $46 million.[133] Drake returned to acting in January 2014, hosting Saturday Night Live, as well as serving as the musical guest. His versatility, acting ability and comedic timing were all praised by critics, describing it as what "kept him afloat during the tough and murky SNL waters".[134][135][136] Drake also performed in Dubai, being one of the only artists ever to perform in the city.[137] In late 2014, Drake announced that he had begun recording sessions for his fourth studio album.[138]
On February 12, 2015, Drake released If You're Reading This It's Too Late onto iTunes, with no prior announcement. Despite debate on whether it is an album[139] or a mixtape,[140] its commercial stance quantifies it as his fourth retail project with Cash Money Records.[141][142] 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.[143] Drake proceeded If You're Reading This It's Too Late with a collaborative mixtape with Future,[144][145] which was recorded in Atlanta in just under a week.[146]
 Drake's cover on Fader Magazine's 100th Issue from January 2015 |
2016–present: Views and More Life
Drake announced in January 2016 that his fourth studio album would be launched during the spring, releasing the promotional single "Summer Sixteen" later that month. The album was originally titled Views from the 6, but would later be shortened to Views.[150] "Summer Sixteen" debuted at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and proved controversial, with Drake comparing his standing in hip hop to more tenured artists. This move divided many contemporary music critics, describing his self-comparison as "goodly brash" or "conventionally disrespectful."[151][152][153] It was also interpreted as a diss track towards Tory Lanez, who was unhappy at Drake popularizing the term "The Six" when referencing Toronto.[154][155] Drake also crashed a Bat Mitzvah in New York City on February 20, performing at the event.[156]Drake soon released the album's lead singles, "Pop Style" and "One Dance", on April 5. Both debuted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,[157] however, the latter proved more commercially successful, with "One Dance" becoming Drake's first number-one single in Canada, and on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, as a leading artist.[158][159] 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.[160][161] During an episode for OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed the album's release date of April 29, through a tweet and various promotional videos.[162] On October 15, "One Dance" became Spotify's most-streamed song ever, amassing over 882 million plays as of October 2016.[163]
Drake performing at the Summer Sixteen Tour in Toronto in 2016.
Drake returned to host Saturday Night Live on May 14, serving as the show's musical guest.[169] 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, Dr. Dre, and Diddy respectively.[25] Drake and Future 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 on July 20.[170][171][172] On July 23, Drake announced that he was working on a new project, scheduled to be released in early 2017,[173] and was later named as the headline act for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.[174] The latter dates of the Summer Sixteen Tour were postponed, however, due to Drake suffering an ankle injury.[175] During the 2016 OVO Festival, Kanye West confirmed that he and Drake had began working on a collaborative album.[176] Soon after, the music video for "Child's Play" was released, depicting Drake and Tyra Banks playing a couple encountering relationship issues at the Cheesecake Factory in a reference to one of the song's lyrics.[177] 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.[178]
Drake performing in August 2017
He then released the single "Signs" on June 24, as well as reuniting with Metro Boomin on a single with Offset.[191][192] 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, as part of their Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2018 Fashion Show.[193] The event also had a playlist exclusively from OVO Sound, curated by label co-founder Oliver El-Khatib.[194] Drake later hosted the first annual NBA Awards on June 26, and starred in multiple commercials alongside his father in promotion of Virginia Black.[195][196]
Artistry
Influences
Musical style
Drake is known for his egotistical lyrics, technical ability, and integration of personal backstory when dealing with relationships with women.[204] 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.[205] His songs often include audible changes in lyrical pronunciation in parallel with his upbringing in Toronto, and connections with Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries which include such phrases as "ting", "touching road", "talkin' boasy" and "gwanin' wassy".[205] Most of his songs contain R&B and Canadian hip hop elements, and he combines rapping with singing.[206] 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.[207] His rapping ability has been noted as "polarizing", and has contributed to him being named one of the most divisive rappers of his generation by multiple critics and media publications.[208]The lyrical content that Drake deploys is typically considered to be emotional[209] or boastful.[210] However, Drake is often revered for incorporating "degrading" themes of money, drug use, and women into newer, idealized contexts, often achieving this through his augmentation of the typical meaning of phrases in which he combines an objective and subjective perspective into one vocal delivery. His songs often maintain tension between "pause and pace, tone timbre, and volume and vocal fermata."[211] Drake is credited with innovating what has been referred to as "hyper-reality rap" which is characterized by its focus on themes of celebrity as being distinct from the "real world."[212]
Public image
Drake at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017.
The music video for "Hotline Bling" went viral, due to Drake's eccentric choices in dancing.[232] The video has been remixed, memed, and was heavily commented on due to Drake's unconventional nature on the song,[233] causing it gain popularity on YouTube, spawning several parodies on the website.[234] Drake has also been critiqued for his expensive, product placement-heavy attire, exampled by the video for "Hotline Bling". Drake modeled a $1,500 Moncler Puffer Jacket, a $400 Acne Studios turtleneck, and limited edition Timberland 6" Classic Boots.[235][236] This foresaw collaborations between OVO and Canada Goose,[237] in which various items of clothing were produced.[238] Drake had also released his own collection of Air Jordans, dubbed the "Air Jordan OVOs".[239] Drake was one of the artists, alongside Pharrell and Katy Perry, to exclusively own an Apple Watch before the smartwatch saw public release.[240] His style and dress sense have caused GQ magazine to describe him as "[one of] the most stylish men alive".[241] Business magazine Forbes reported his pre-tax earnings at $94 million between June 2016 to June 2017, being one of the highest-paid celebrities during that period.[242]
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