Drizzy Drake (Aubrey Graham) Biography

Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian actor, rapper and singer. He is best known for playing Jimmy Brooks, the physically disabled character on Degrassi: The Next Generation. As a rapper, he performs under the mononym Drake, and is often billed as the new version of The Fresh Prince. After rumours of signing with Young Money Entertainment, it was later confirmed that Drake is only affiliated with the label, and he is currently signed to Cash Money and Universal Motown Records. He is managed by Hip Hop Since 1978.

Early life and career

Drake was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Dennis Graham, a drummer who worked with Jerry Lee Lewis; his uncle is musician Teenie Hodges. His father is African American (a native of Memphis, Tennessee) and his mother is a white Jewish Canadian. His parents divorced when he was five, and he was raised by his mother in Toronto’s wealthy Forest Hill neighbourhood,[9] attending elementary school at Forest Hill Public School, and high school at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, where he began acting. He also spent many summers with his father in Memphis.

Acting career

In 2001, Graham began his acting career, playing the role of Jimmy Brooks, a character on Degrassi: The Next Generation. His role on the show ended in 2009, when producers cut the entire Degrassi staff for a new group of actors.

Music career

Drake and Birdman

In February 2006, Drake released his first mixtape Room for Improvement. It was made available via his website and official MySpace page. From the success of his first mixtape, he later began releasing more, capitalizing from the buzz.

In 2007, he released Comeback Season to much critical acclaim and praise. It was from here on where Graham started gaining popularity when he did his first song with Lil Wayne, a remix of the already popular song “Man of the Year” which Wayne didn’t rap in but had ad-libs in the end of the song. In 2008, he released Heartbreak Drake, yet again a popular release and gaining more acclaim and buzz for the artist. So Far Gone, which included Drake’s mentor Lil Wayne, and members of Young Money, was released in 2009. Also in 2007, Graham became the first unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on BET when his first single, “Replacement Girl” was featured as the “Joint of the Day” in April 2007.

While working on his mixtapes and his album, Drake has worked with Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Trey Songz, Robin Thicke, Little Brother, Mary J. Blige, and Jamie Foxx. Drake has also written for Jazz Cartier, Bishop Brigante and Dr. Dre.

He has achieved this success without even signing to a major record label, according to his management Hip Hop Since 1978. In June 2009, it was revealed that an unauthorized album entitled The Girls Love Drake and credited to Drake was up for sale on iTunes. A lawsuit is planned against the label.

On the Billboard Hot 100 chart of July 4, 2009, both “Best I Ever Had” and “Every Girl” by Young Money Entertainment (a supergroup that includes Drake) entered the top ten at positions 3 and 10 respectively. Drake is only the second artist to have his first two top ten hits in the same week. The first was fellow Canadian Nelly Furtado who entered the top ten in 2001 with “I’m Like A Bird” the same week as Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On”, a remix of which included a credited contribution from Furtado.

Should “Best I Ever Had” reach the #1 position, Drake could be only the second artist to have a #1 single without having a recording contract. The first was Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories with “Stay (I Missed You)” in 1993.
On June 29, 2009 it was confirmed Drake signed a record deal with Cash Money/Universal/Motown, which was considered “one of the biggest bidding wars ever”. He plans to release his official debut album, Thank Me Later, in late 2009, and has confirmed collaborations with the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne.

Personal life

Interview Magazine

In 2008, Drake spoke about his past relationship with Keshia Chanté on the second verse of his song “Deceiving”, referencing Chanté’s mother, Tessa, stating “when I say I’m serious, you claim your only teasing” and “What up Tessa? I love you like my own mama, and your daughters getting grown mama, and me, I’m just here working, waiting, patient for her to be ready for love and leave alone drama”

In May 2009, Drake finally speaks with MuchMusic about his song “Deceiving” and addressed speculation of his past relationship with Chante, “Would I call Keshia Chante an ex? I’d be proud to say she is an ex. I’m proud to say we had our time, when we were, like 16 years old. She’s great. She’s one of the first people in the industry that I met, we just connected.”

In June 2009, Drake did two remixes to Chante’s song “Fallen” where he addresses his love for her, on Version 1 he raps “Keshia, Keshia, do you remember the old us? They said we’d never be together that’s what they told us. Immature kids, to entrepreneur kids.” then on Version 2, he raps “you just hold it down for your boy until the plaques arrive, that’s why I love you.”

Source: Wikipedia