Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham is a famous Canadian singer, rapper, and actor born on October 24, 1986. He’s a big deal in today’s music industry, especially known for mixing R&B style into hip-hop, making it popular.
He started his career acting on the TV show Degrassi from 2001 to 2008, but then he jumped into making music in 2006 with his first mixtape, Room for Improvement. He kept putting out more mixtapes like “Comeback Season” and “So Far Gone” before getting signed by Young Money Entertainment.
Drake’s first three albums, “Thank Me Later”, “Take Care”, and “Nothing Was the Same” all did well, topping the charts and giving us hits like “Find Your Love, Take Care” with Rihanna, “Started from the Bottom”, and “Hold On, We’re Going Home” with Majid Jordan.
His album Views in 2016 was a massive hit, with songs like “Hotline Bling” and “One Dance”, which made dancehall and Afrobeats super popular. His next album, Scorpion, in 2018 had three number-one hits in the US: “God’s Plan”, “Nice for What”, and “In My Feelings”.
In 2021, Certified Lover Boy broke records with nine top-ten hits, including “Way 2 Sexy” with Future and Young Thug. He’s released more albums since then, like “Honestly”, “Nevermind”, and “For All the Dogs” which also topped the charts.
Aside from music, He is an entrepreneur. He started the OVO Sound record label, worked with the Toronto Raptors, got into whiskey with Virginia Black, and launched fashion lines with Nike and OVO. He’s even been credited with boosting Toronto’s tourism income by a significant amount.
He is a big star in the music industry, selling millions of records and winning tons of awards, including Grammys and Billboard Music Awards. He’s broken lots of records on the charts, showing just how influential he is in the world of R&B, hip-hop, and pop music.
| Full Name | Aubrey Drake Graham |
| Date of Birth | October 24, 1986 |
| Place of Birth | Toronto, Canada |
| Occupation | Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Actor |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Spouse | No |
| Children | Adonis Graham |
| Net Worth | $250 Million |
Inside Drake’s Early Life and Education
Aubrey Drake Graham was born in Toronto, Canada, on October 24, 1986. His dad, Dennis Graham is a Black drummer from Memphis who played with Jerry Lee Lewis. His mom, Sandra “Sandi” Graham is a Canadian Jew who taught English and arranged flowers. He is both Canadian and American because of his dad.
Drake went to a Jewish school as a kid and had his bar mitzvah. His parents split when he was five and he stayed with his mom in Toronto while his dad dealt with legal problems in the U.S. He would visit his dad in Memphis every summer.
He lived in different parts of Toronto, starting in a working-class area until sixth grade, where he also played hockey. After a bad injury during a game, his mom moved him to a wealthier neighborhood called Forest Hill. He joked that they had half a house there; his mom lived upstairs, and he lived in the basement. It wasn’t fancy, but it was what they could afford.
He went to Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and later Vaughan Road Academy, which he said was tough. He also worked at his grandpa’s furniture factory. He faced bullying at school because of his race and religion, and eventually, he dropped out to focus on acting. However, he later got his high school diploma in 2012.
Career
When Drake was 15 years old he met the father of a friend from high school who was an acting agent. This connection led to Drake landing a role on the Canadian TV show “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” On the show, he played Jimmy Brooks a basketball star who becomes disabled after being shot by a classmate. Drake recalled his early acting days mentioning his family’s financial struggles due to his mother’s illness. His income mainly came from Canadian television at that time.
Despite his acting commitments, Drake was also passionate about music. Inspired by artists like Jay-Z and Clipse he released his first mixtape “Room for Improvement” in 2006. Initially, it was a modest start with around 6000 copies sold earning him just over $300 in royalties. He performed his first concert as an opening act for Ice Cube making $100 for his half-hour set.
In 2007, Drake released his second mixtape “Comeback Season” which featured the single “Replacement Girl” with Trey Songz. This caught the attention of Lil Wayne who invited him to join his tour and collaborate on several songs.
Drake’s breakthrough came in 2009 with his third mixtape “So Far Gone” which he initially offered for free download on his blog. It gained massive popularity with hits like “Best I Ever Had” and “Successful” both achieving Platinum status. This success led to a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment.
His debut studio album “Thank Me Later” dropped in 2010 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured collaborations with Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Jay Z and was supported by a successful tour.
Looking ahead Drake focused on his next album “Take Care” which showcased a mix of hip hop R&B and pop influences. The album released in 2011 received critical acclaim and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
During this time he also ventured into acting again appearing in the animated film “Ice Age: Continental Drift.”
In 2012, he embarked on the Club Paradise Tour which became one of the most successful hip hop tours of the year grossing over $42 million.
Throughout his career Drake’s journey from TV actor to music icon has been marked by perseverance and a passion for both entertainment worlds. His ability to blend storytelling with musical innovation continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
During Drake’s Club Paradise Tour in Europe, he started planning his third studio album. He wanted it to have a different style from his previous work thanks to the influence of British producer Jamie xx. This album called “Nothing Was the Same” was announced after Drake won a Grammy. Its singles like “Hold On We’re Going Home” were big hits and the album topped charts worldwide receiving praise for its new musical direction.
Afterward, Drake went on the “Would You Like a Tour?” to promote the album which was a huge success earning him millions. He also returned to acting impressing critics with his comedic skills on Saturday Night Live.
Moving on to his next project Drake quietly released “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” on iTunes. Despite debates over whether it was an album or mixtape it sold over a million copies and solidified his status.
In the years following Drake continued to make waves with collaborations and his fourth studio album “Views.” It broke records topping the charts for weeks and becoming his most successful album to date despite receiving mixed reviews.
His career continued to soar with tours and awards. He collaborated with Future on “What a Time to Be Alive” and dropped “More Life” described as a “playlist of original music” which also topped charts and set streaming records.
Throughout this period Drake’s versatility in music and entertainment earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards solidifying his place as a dominant force in the music industry.
Drake put out a short EP called Scary Hours on January 20 2018 which was his first solo release since More Life. This EP included the songs “Diplomatic Immunity” and “God’s Plan”. “God’s Plan” debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 marking Drake’s first solo song to achieve this. It also became his first song to be certified Diamond by the RIAA and is one of the highest-certified digital singles in US history. Shortly after Drake appeared on BlocBoy JB’s debut single “Look Alive” which helped him set a record for the most top 10 hits on the Hot 100 by a rapper with 23 hits.
In April 2018, Drake released “Nice for What” a single from his upcoming fifth studio album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 replacing “God’s Plan” at the top spot. His fifth studio album titled Scorpion was set to release on June 29, 2018. The album featured tracks like “I’m Upset” and broke streaming records on Spotify and Apple Music. Scorpion debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 749000 units in its first week.
Drake continued his success with “In My Feelings” another number-one hit and appeared on Travis Scott‘s album Astroworld on the track “Sicko Mode”. He took a break from music to work on TV shows and films including producing the series Euphoria and reviving Top Boy. He also embarked on a tour with Migos and collaborated with Bad Bunny on “Mia” where he sang in Spanish.
In 2019, Drake won a Grammy for Best Rap Song with “God’s Plan”. He re-released his mixtape So Far Gone on streaming platforms to celebrate its 10th anniversary. He later released the EP The Best in the World Pack to celebrate the Toronto Raptors’ NBA Championship win and followed up with the compilation album Care Package.
From 2019 to 2021, Drake released tracks like “War” and “Toosie Slide” both achieving number-one debuts on the Billboard Hot 100. He also dropped the mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes and announced his sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy which was delayed due to a knee injury. Certified Lover Boy eventually released in September 2021 becoming his tenth number-one album on the Billboard 200. The album’s success included multiple top 10 hits and earned him accolades like Artist of the Decade at the Billboard Music Awards.
Throughout 2021, Drake maintained his dominance in streaming becoming the most streamed artist in the US with billions of streams.
Drake had a big 2021 financially ranking fourth on Forbes’s list of highest-paid rappers with around $50 million before taxes. His music also did incredibly well surpassing all songs released before 1980 in streaming numbers. He continued his success in 2022 by signing a huge deal with Universal Music Group reportedly worth up to $400 million. He released his seventh album “Honestly Nevermind” which topped the charts and earned him his eleventh number-one album in the US.
Throughout the year he broke records with multiple songs hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and he refused Grammy consideration for the second year in a row. He collaborated with 21 Savage on the album “Her Loss” which also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. By February 2023 he became the most streamed artist ever on Spotify.
Drake announced more projects including his eighth album titled “For All the Dogs” and released successful singles like “Slime You Out” and “8 AM in Charlotte.” He continued making headlines in March 2024 when Kendrick Lamar dissed him in a song sparking a feud that involved other artists like Future ASAP Rocky and The Weeknd.
Despite the controversies Drake kept up with his music releases including responses to Lamar’s disses with tracks like “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle.” The feud escalated with Lamar’s releases like “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA” prompting Drake to counter with “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6.”
In June 2024, He was featured on Snowd4y’s track “Wah Gwan Delilah” adding to his diverse musical collaborations. Pharrell Williams also made waves with a single that some saw as indirectly aimed at Drake.
His career remains dynamic and eventful marked by both creative successes and high-profile conflicts within the music industry.
Net Worth
Drake has an estimated net worth of $250 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Personal life
Drake lives in a huge mansion called “The Embassy” in Toronto, Ontario. It’s worth $100 million and covers 35000 square feet. The house was built in 2017 and is featured in his music video for “Toosie Slide”. Previously he owned a place in Hidden Hills California known as the “YOLO Estate” from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, he bought another home in Beverly Crest from Robbie Williams for $70 million. Drake also owns a condo near the CN Tower. His assets include a Boeing 767 jet and in 2021 he rented a property in Beverly Hills valued at $65 million.
Drake has several tattoos that symbolize personal milestones and interests. These include images like a jack-o-lantern “October Lionheart” owls and a controversial tattoo inspired by the Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover. He also has portraits inked of people significant to him such as Lil Wayne Sade Aaliyah Jesús Malverde Denzel Washington his close friends and family members and references to Toronto like the CN Tower and the area code “416”.
In 2021, Drake disclosed that he had contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic which led to temporary hair loss. He was among the first celebrities to publicly test positive for the virus in March 2020. Unfortunately, he caught COVID-19 again in 2022 forcing him to delay planned concerts with Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj.
Drake’s family background includes noteworthy musical connections. His paternal uncles are Larry Graham and Teenie Hodges both accomplished musicians. Larry Graham was part of Sly and the Family Stone while Teenie Hodges collaborated on hits with Al Green.
Regarding relationships Drake dated SZA from 2008 to 2009 and had an on-again off-again romance with Rihanna from 2009 to 2016. His relationship with Rihanna has influenced his music significantly and he publicly acknowledged his deep feelings for her. Drake is also a father to a son named Adonis born on October 11, 2017, to Sophie Brussaux a former model and painter. The news of Adonis’ birth surfaced in 2017 initially sparking rumors until Drake confirmed his fatherhood on his album Scorpion in 2018. There have been rumors about another daughter but Drake denied these claims.
Legal Battles
In 2012, singer Ericka Lee took legal action against Drake for using her voice in “Marvin’s Room.” She said she wasn’t given credit or royalties. Drake’s team said she only asked for a credit in the album notes. They settled out of court in 2013.
In 2014, Drake was sued for $300,000 for using a sample without permission in “Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2.” He won in 2017, with the judge saying it transformed the original content enough not to be a copyright issue.
Drake was also sued for $100,000 in 2014 for using someone else’s lyrics without permission. He settled the case later that year.
In 2016, a club closed down because Drake used drugs there. In December 2021, he sued a jeweler for misusing his image. In 2022, a rapper accused Drake of stealing a song, but the case was dropped due to the rapper’s misconduct.
In 2017, Drake faced a lawsuit for allegedly assaulting a producer in 2014. The case was dismissed after the producer didn’t attend a court meeting.
In 2019, Drake settled a sexual assault lawsuit for $350,000 but denied the allegations. He was also sued for copyright infringement that year but was later dropped from the case.
In 2021, Drake and Chris Brown were sued for copyright issues again. Drake faced more lawsuits in 2022, including one for using a magazine’s name without permission. He settled that one too.
In 2023, Drake was asked to testify in a murder trial but didn’t show up, citing legal issues with how he was served the notice.
