Drake (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Drake
Drake at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival
Born	Aubrey Drake Graham (1986-10-24) October 24, 1986 (age 38) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Other names	Champagne Papi Drizzy 6 God The Boy
Citizenship	Canada United States
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter entrepreneur actor
Years active	2001–present
Works	Singles albums videography
Children	1
Relatives	Larry Graham (uncle) Teenie Hodges (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Hip-hop pop rap R&B pop trap
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	OVO Sound Republic Young Money Cash Money Aspire
Signature

Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986), known professionally as Drake, is a famous Canadian rapper, singer, and actor. Many people consider him one of the greatest rappers ever. He is known for mixing R&B music with hip-hop.

Drake first became known as an actor on the TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 to 2008. He then started his music career, releasing popular mixtapes like So Far Gone in 2009. After signing with Young Money Entertainment, his first album, Thank Me Later (2010), went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Almost all of his later albums, including Take Care (2011), Views (2016), and Certified Lover Boy (2021), also reached number one in the United States. He has released many hit singles, such as "Hotline Bling", "One Dance", and "God's Plan".

Besides music, Drake is a successful entrepreneur. He started the OVO Sound record label and has worked with brands like Nike. He is also the "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors basketball team. Drake is one of the best-selling music artists in the world. He has won many awards, including five Grammy Awards and 39 Billboard Music Awards.

Early life

For high school, Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (left) and Vaughan Road Academy (right)

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His father, Dennis Graham, was an African-American drummer from Memphis, Tennessee. His mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham, is a Canadian Ashkenazi Jew who worked as an English teacher. Drake has citizenship in both the United States and Canada.

His parents divorced when he was five years old. Drake and his mother stayed in Toronto, while his father returned to Memphis. For a time, his father had some legal troubles and had to stay in the U.S. Drake would visit his father in Memphis every summer.

Drake grew up in two different Toronto neighborhoods. He first lived on Weston Road and later moved to the more wealthy area of Forest Hill. He attended a Jewish day school and had a bar mitzvah. He played minor hockey as a promising young player.

He went to Forest Hill Collegiate Institute for high school. Drake has said he was bullied at school for his racial and religious background. He later dropped out of school to focus on his acting career but earned his high school diploma in 2012 at age 25.

Career

2001–2009: Starting with Acting and Music

When he was 15, an agent helped Drake get a role on the Canadian TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation. He played Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star who becomes disabled after being shot by a classmate. Drake said the money he earned from the show helped his family, as they were very poor at the time.

Lil Wayne, the founder of Young Money Entertainment, signed Drake to the label in 2009.

Inspired by artists like Jay-Z, Drake released his first mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. In 2007, he released another mixtape, Comeback Season. A song from this mixtape caught the attention of rapper Lil Wayne, who invited Drake to tour with him.

In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape, So Far Gone. It was a huge success, with hit singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful". This led to a bidding war between record labels, and Drake signed with Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment.

2010–2012: Becoming a Music Star

Drake at Bumbershoot in 2010

Drake released his first studio album, Thank Me Later, on June 15, 2010. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and featured famous artists like Kanye West and Jay-Z. The album's singles, like "Over" and "Find Your Love", were very successful.

His second album, Take Care, was released in 2011. It had a different, more emotional sound. The album was a huge hit, winning a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. It included popular songs like "Headlines", "The Motto", and the title track, "Take Care". The song "The Motto" helped make the phrase "YOLO" (You Only Live Once) popular.

2013–2017: More Number-One Albums

Drake performing in 2011

In 2013, Drake released his third album, Nothing Was the Same. It also debuted at number one and included the hit single "Hold On, We're Going Home". The album was praised by critics for its unique sound.

In 2015, he released If You're Reading This It's Too Late without any warning. Later that year, he released a project with the rapper Future called What a Time to Be Alive. Both projects reached number one, making Drake the first hip-hop artist since 2004 to have two number-one projects in the same year.

Drake performing at the Summer Sixteen Tour in Toronto in 2016

His fourth album, Views, came out in 2016. It was his most successful album yet, staying at number one on the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks. The album featured the massive international hit "One Dance", which became his first number-one single as a lead artist in the U.S. and the U.K. In 2017, he released a project called More Life, which he described as a "playlist." It also debuted at number one.

2018–2021: Scorpion and Certified Lover Boy

In 2018, Drake released his fifth album, Scorpion. It was a double album with 25 songs. It broke streaming records on both Spotify and Apple Music. The album had three number-one singles: "God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings".

After Scorpion, Drake took some time to work on TV and film projects. He was an executive producer for the TV shows Euphoria and Top Boy. In 2019, he released Care Package, a collection of older songs that fans loved.

In 2020, he released the mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes and the hit song "Toosie Slide". His sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy, was released in 2021. It became his tenth number-one album and broke a record when nine of its songs were in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.

2022–2024: Recent Music and Rivalries

In 2022, Drake surprised fans by releasing Honestly, Nevermind, an album with a dance and house music sound. It became his eleventh number-one album. Later that year, he released a collaborative album with rapper 21 Savage called Her Loss, which also went to number one.

His eighth studio album, For All the Dogs, was released in 2023. It also topped the charts, and its single "First Person Shooter" featuring J. Cole hit number one. This tied Drake with Michael Jackson for the most number-one songs by a male solo artist.

In 2024, Drake was involved in a highly publicized rivalry with rapper Kendrick Lamar. Both artists released several songs aimed at each other, which received a lot of attention from fans and the media.

Artistry and Impact

Drake has credited Kanye West (left) and Aaliyah (right) as being his biggest musical influences

Musical Style

Drake is known for blending different music styles, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, and trap. He often sings and raps on the same song, a style that has become very popular. His lyrics are often about his personal life, relationships, and his journey to success. He was influenced by artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Aaliyah.

Impact on Music

Drake is considered one of the most influential artists of his generation. He helped popularize the "Toronto sound," a style of music from his hometown. Along with artists like Justin Bieber and the Weeknd, he led a "Canadian Invasion" of the American music charts.

Many artists today have been inspired by Drake's style of mixing rapping and singing. He has also helped bring attention to international music scenes, like UK drill and dancehall from the Caribbean. In 2022, a university in Toronto even started a course called "Deconstructing Drake and the Weeknd" to study their impact on music and culture.

Business Ventures

OVO Sound

The logo of Drake's OVO Sound imprint

In 2012, Drake started his own record label, OVO Sound, with his partners Noah "40" Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib. OVO stands for "October's Very Own," a reference to his birth month. The label has signed several successful artists, including PartyNextDoor and Majid Jordan.

Toronto Raptors

In 2013, Drake became the "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors, his hometown's NBA team. He helps promote the team and has even helped design their clothing. The team hosts a popular "Drake Night" every year.

Other Ventures

Drake has had many successful business deals. He has a partnership with Apple Music, where he hosts his OVO Sound Radio show. He also has a fashion sub-label with Nike called Nocta and has invested in many companies, from a vegan food brand to an esports organization called 100 Thieves.

Personal life

Drake lives in a large mansion in Toronto, Ontario, which he nicknamed "The Embassy." He also owns property in California. He has many tattoos, including portraits of his family members and other people who have inspired him.

Drake has a son named Adonis, who was born on October 11, 2017. He first confirmed he was a father on his 2018 album Scorpion. Drake's father and uncles were also musicians. His uncle Larry Graham was a member of the famous band Sly and the Family Stone.

Discography

Solo studio albums

Collaborative studio albums

• Her Loss (with 21 Savage) (2022)
• Some ... Songs 4 U (with PartyNextDoor) (2025)

See also

In Spanish: Drake (músico) para niños