While on Degrassi, Drake landed small roles in other Canadian television series, such as Blue Murder (2001) and Soul Food (2002). He then transferred to Vaughan Road Academy’s Interact program, designed for students with outside commitments in the arts and athletics, where his classmates included actor Elliot Page. At 14 he won the role of basketball player Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation. In his teen years, Drake transferred to Toronto’s Forest Hill Collegiate, where he had problems fitting in with the largely white, upper middle class student body. Mabon “Teenie” Hodges played guitar and co-wrote several hit songs with Al Green.

Two of Drake’s uncles are also successful musicians: famed bassist Larry Graham played with Sly and the Family Stone, and Prince and Drake’s father, who did time in prison during Drake’s childhood, played drums for Jerry Lee Lewis. In the summers he visited his father in Memphis, often accompanying him to He worked as a child model in commercials and print catalogues, played minor hockey and acted in the Young People’s Theatre. With his mother in the Weston Road area of Toronto. Early Years and Educationĭrake’s parents - Jewish teacher Sandi Graham of Toronto and African American musician Dennis Graham of Memphis, Tennessee - divorced when he was five years old. In 2013, he was named global ambassador for the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors. He has also had 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, ranking him fourth all-time, ahead of Jamesīrown and behind Elvis Presley. 1 singles on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop and Hot Rap Songs charts in 2012. Called “hip hop’s current center of gravity” by the New York Times in 2011, the Juno and Grammy Award winner set the record for the most No. His atmospheric, ambient sound has proven highly influential. Lyrical approach, which often explores his personal relationships. His musical style is distinguished by his R&B-influenced singing voice and his introspective Hit Canadian television series Degrasssi: The Next Generation before becoming one of the most popular and influential figures in contemporary hip hop. A child actor turned hip hop superstar, Drake first gained attention for his role on the Drake performing at the Oslo Spektrum, 2014.Īubrey Drake Graham, rapper, singer, songwriter, actor (born 24 October 1986 in Toronto, ON).

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