Drake, the Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter, has quickly risen to become one of the best in the industry. Starting his career as an actor, he soon found his true passion in music. With a series of self-released mixtapes, he gained popularity and eventually released an EP titled ‘So Far Gone’. Since then, he has released four studio albums, showcasing his egotistical lyrics and personal experiences. Despite having a different upbringing than most African-American rappers, Drake prefers to be known for his music rather than his past.
Quick Facts
- Name: Aubrey Drake Graham
- Age: 37 Years
- Gender: Male
- Family:
- Father: Dennis Graham
- Mother: Sandi Graham
- Children: Adonis Graham
- Born Country: Canada
- Occupation: Rapper, Musician
- Height: 6’0″ (183 cm)
- Ancestry: American Canadian
- City: Toronto, Canada
Childhood & Early Life
Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Canada. His father, Dennis Graham, worked as a drummer for legendary musician Jerry Lee Lewis, and his mother, Sandi Graham, was an English teacher and a florist. Drake has a unique racial and religious background, being born to an African-American Catholic father and a white Canadian Jew mother. He considers himself more immersed in black culture and sees his Jewish heritage as a cool twist. His parents divorced when he was 5 years old, and he was raised by his mother in Toronto while his father moved to Memphis.
Drake spent his early childhood in a working-class neighborhood near Weston Road. After sixth grade, his family moved to the more affluent neighborhood of Forest Hill in Toronto. He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and Vaughan Road Academy for high school but eventually dropped out. He later completed his high school diploma in 2012.
Despite his upbringing, Drake faced hardships early on in his life. His father was arrested while trying to cross the border, his mother struggled to support the family due to illness, and he experienced bullying in his predominantly white school for being the only black Jew.
Early Acting Career
In 2001, Drake began his acting career by accepting a role in the Canadian teen drama series ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’. He played the character Jimmy Brooks, a wheelchair-bound former basketball player, for a total of 145 episodes. He also appeared in other television series such as ‘Soul Food’, ‘Being Erica’, and ‘Sophie’, as well as making guest appearances on shows like ‘Beyond the Break’, ‘Saturday Night Live’, and ‘Punk’d’. He even did voice acting for the film ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’.
Music Career
After gaining fame as an actor, Drake decided to pursue music. He self-released his debut mixtape, ‘Room for Improvement’, followed by another mixtape called ‘Comeback Season’. The single ‘Replacement Girl’ from ‘Comeback Season’ brought him recognition as a singer. He founded his own label, October’s Very Own, to release his mixtapes.
In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape, ‘So Far Gone’, as a free download. It featured tracks like ‘Best I Ever Had’ and ‘Successful’ and became a commercial success. He followed it up with his debut EP of the same name, which reached No. 6 on the ‘Billboard 200’.
Drake’s debut studio album, ‘Thank Me Later’, was released in 2010 and featured collaborations with artists like Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. His second studio album, ‘Take Care’, was released in 2011 and earned him his first Grammy Award. He continued to release successful albums like ‘Nothing Was the Same’ (2013), ‘Views’ (2016), and ‘Scorpion’ (2018).
In addition to his albums, Drake has released several mixtapes and playlists, including ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’ (2020) and ‘Certified Lover Boy’ (2021).
Major Works
Drake’s debut studio album, ‘Thank Me Later’, reached No. 1 on the US ‘Billboard 200’ chart and sold 1.83 million copies in the US. His second album, ‘Take Care’, also debuted at No. 1 and sold over 631,000 copies in its first week. His third album, ‘Nothing Was the Same’, received critical acclaim and sold over 1.78 million copies in the US alone.
Awards & Achievements
Drake has won four Grammy Awards out of thirty-six nominations. His album ‘Take Care’ won ‘Best Rap Album’ in 2013, and his song ‘Hotline Bling’ won two awards in 2017. He has received a total of eighty awards from three hundred and thirty nominations throughout his career.
Love Life
Drake has been romantically linked to several women in the entertainment industry. His most notable relationship was with singer Rihanna, which had its ups and downs. He has also been involved with Jennifer Lopez, Serena Williams, and reality star Johanna Leia. In 2017, he became a father to a son named Adonis.
Trivia
Drake credits his father for introducing him to rap. His father had a connection with a rapper named Poverty while in jail, and they used to swap lyrics over the phone.