Drake

Biography

Aubrey Drake Graham, known as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. He first became known as an actor on the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 to 2008, playing Jimmy Brooks. This early start in entertainment set the stage for his switch to music, where he saw huge commercial success and cultural impact.

Drake began his music career with independent mixtapes, including Room for Improvement (2006), Comeback Season (2007), and So Far Gone (2009), before joining Young Money Entertainment. His first studio album, Thank Me Later (2010), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making him a major player in hip-hop. He continued with successful albums like Take Care (2011), Nothing Was the Same (2013), Views (2016), Scorpion (2018), Certified Lover Boy (2021), Honestly, Nevermind (2022), and For All the Dogs (2023), all reaching the top of the charts.

What sets Drake apart in hip-hop is his unique blend of R&B and rap, creating a melodic style with singing and emotional depth. His hits like "Hotline Bling," "God's Plan," "One Dance," "In My Feelings," and "Nice for What" have topped both hip-hop and pop charts. His album Views led the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks straight, while Certified Lover Boy broke records with nine songs simultaneously in the US top ten.

Besides music, Drake is a successful entrepreneur and cultural figure for Toronto. In 2012, he started the OVO Sound record label with producer Noah "40" Shebib, and became the global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors basketball team in 2013, also securing naming rights to their practice facility. His business ventures include Virginia Black bourbon whiskey, the OVO fashion label, a collaboration with Nike called Nocta, the production company DreamCrew, and the fragrance house Better World. By 2018, he was reportedly responsible for 5% of Toronto's annual tourism, contributing about CAD$440 million to the local economy.