Last updated on January 24, 2023
Index
Drake is a Canadian singer, songwriter, rapper and actor. He started out as a TV star on the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, but later switched to music. By releasing his own mixtapes, he has become one of the best rappers in modern music and has received numerous awards for his work.
childhood and first struggles
To be bornAubrey Drake Graham, the Grammy-winning singer was born on the 24th of October 1986 in Toronto. He is the son of Dennis and Sandi Graham, who divorced when he was a child. Although he was raised by his mother, he also spent a lot of time with his father - who was once a drummer for legendary musician Jerry Lee Lewis.
Born to a white Canadian Jew and an African-American Catholic father, Drake comes from a unique religious and racial background. He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute as well as Vaughan Road Academy for his secondary education. He dropped out of school but managed to graduate from high school in 2012.
Drake had his own share of problems early on in his life. He watched his sick mother struggle to make ends meet while his father was arrested for trying to cross the border. He also dealt with bullying for being the only black Jew in a predominantly white school.
rise to popularity
Drake first entered the entertainment industry as an actor. From 2001 to 2008, he portrayed basketball star Jimmy Brooks on the critically acclaimed Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation.
He started rapping during the show, using his middle name as his rapper nickname. In 2006 he self-released Room for Improvement, his first mixtape. The record was followed by "Comeback Season" just a year later.
It included a single with Trey Songz entitled "Replacement Girl", which was later proclaimedBET's Music Video Show „106 & Park.” The song helped raise Drake's profile and brought him to the attention of major music producers. Drake has successfully garnered endorsements from rap icons like Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West.
successes
Drake's big break came in 2009, when he released the mixtape So Far Gone featuring the single Best I Ever Had. He has made a name for himself with his combination of lyrical rapping and singing, along with the raw vulnerability he displays in every performance.
After gaining a huge following, Drake was signed to the well-known record label Universal Motown Records. Drake then won Best New Artist at the 2010 Juno Awards.
That same year, he released his first full-length studio album, titled Thank Me Later. This was followed in 2011 by the track "Take Care", which is named after a collaboration between him and Rihanna. This studio album earned him Rap Record of the Year at the 2012 Juno Awards and Best Rap Album at the 2012 Grammy Awards.
The following year, Drake released his next album titled "nothing was the same', which, as expected, took home yet another Juno Award. After receiving high praise for his music, Drake decided to form a Toronto-based collective called October's Very Own (OVO), which grew into a full-fledged record label in 2012.
interesting little things
The term "YOLO" was popularized by Drake on his studio album Take Care. The tour accompanying this album grossed over $42 million in 2012, making Drake one of the best selling artists of the year.
At the height of his career, Drake also tried his hand at voice acting. He voiced the animated character Ethan in Fox Animation's 2012 hit Ice Age: Continental Drift.
Drake always credits his father with introducing him to rap. His father would have shared a cell with a rapper named Poverty behind bars. He exchanged text messages with him for phone calls.
2012 wasn't just a winning year for Drake. That year, he got into a huge fight with fellow hip-hop singer Chris Brown. It is believed they were feuding over Brown's ex-girlfriend Rihanna, who had a brief relationship with Drake.
The two rappers even had a heated exchange on social media, with Brown releasing a diss track directed at Drake. The two appeared in a comedy at the ESPY Awards in 2014 and hinted that they had put the past behind them.
At the end of "Look What You've Done", a voice recording of Drake's grandmother plays. She is now deceased.
One of Drake's greatest strengths is his extreme passion for music. Life can be really tough, but thanks to people like Drake, we're reminded that music can help us understand the truth about living in this kind of society.
Inspirational Drake Quotes
Here are 70 thought-provoking Drake quotes and lyrics that will inspire you to live a fun and authentic life.
"If you think I'm going to give up before I die, keep dreaming." -Erpel
"They don't make me what I am, they just found me that way." -Erpel
"I swear this life is the sweetest thing I've ever known." -Erpel
“People like to tell their own story about my life. I don't know if that makes them feel better or if it's okay if they don't like me. But the last thing I grew up with was rich.” –Erpel
“The girl I want to save is like a threat to my health. Try to be with someone who wants to be someone else.” –Erpel
"When it comes to knowing what to say, charming, I always have." -Erpel
"Count your blessings, not problems." -Erpel
"Live without pretending, love without being dependent, listen without defending, speak without insulting."Erpel
"It's funny when you come first but hope you're last, you just hope it lasts." -Erpel
"In short, what I learned from this is you never see it coming, you just see it go." -Erpel
"Everyone dies, but not everyone lives." –Erpel
"I try to do better than enough." -Erpel
"Pain makes you stronger. Fear makes you braver. Heartbreak makes you wiser." -Erpel
"The moment I stop enjoying it, it's over." -Erpel
"I'm not confrontational, but if someone challenges me, I won't back down." -Erpel
"I always felt that my vision was bigger than the big picture." -Erpel
"Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about the destination." -Erpel
"Life can always change, you have to adapt." -Erpel
"Strength doesn't always show what you can hold on to, sometimes it shows what you can let go." -Erpel
"It's never too late to realize what you want in life and it's never wrong to fight for it."Erpel
"Jealousy is just love and hate at the same time." -Erpel
"Before you give up, think about why you lasted so long." -Erpel
“Patience is the key to getting over a breakup. That and cutting off their interaction after the breakup.” –Erpel
"Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart." -Erpel
"Haters will publicize your mistakes, but whisper your successes." -Erpel
"I was born to make mistakes, not to fake perfection." -Erpel
"When you write the story of your life, don't let anyone else hold the pen." -Erpel
"Everyone has an addiction, mine is success." -Erpel
"The good ones go away if you wait too long."Erpel
"Be careful what you wish for, you can get anything." -Erpel
"The tables turn, bridges burn, we live and learn." -Erpel
"I've learned that working with negatives can lead to better images." -Erpel
"Make the most of tonight and worry about everything tomorrow." -Erpel
"I sit and eat with some of the hardest working people in the business. And I watch and try to apply it to my own craft.” –Erpel
"Live for today, plan for tomorrow, celebrate tonight." -Erpel
"I always want the truth, but it's dangerous."Erpel
"Accept yourself. You don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself."Erpel
"I would like you to learn to love people and use things, not the other way around." -Erpel
"A goal is just a dream with a deadline." -Erpel
"When you look ahead and darkness is all you see, faith and determination will see you through." -Erpel
"I just want to work. I just want to make this album as amazing as possible. That's really the best way to put it.” –Erpel
"I have my fate in my hands, never doubt it" -Erpel
"I will always work as if I have something to prove." -Erpel
"They say take the good with the bad, I'll take it without" -Erpel
"I can wake up and be myself." -Erpel
"I don't have connections. I don't have a family. I'm working. And at this point in my life, I'm happy with that. Who knows, maybe 10 years from now we might have a different conversation." –Erpel
"I don't want to be number 2. I think that would be a strange statement. I want to make this city proud. That's the main reason for me.” –Erpel
"Sometimes I wake up and wonder if this is for me, but then I get on a long flight and land in a place like London and I realize I don't care what anybody has to say about me." -Erpel
"I didn't hide my son from the world, I hid the world from my son. From empty souls just waking up and looking for debate. Until you stare at your seed, you can never relate to her." –Erpel
"Judge me, and you won't have time to love me anymore." -Erpel
“Know that life is just a card game. I am never given in the world where things are taken, how long they choose to love you will never be their choice.” –Erpel
"I struggle in many ways." -Erpel
"Life is too short, I have to catch it before they give it away." –Erpel
"My life is mine to remember." -Erpel
"You know, a wise man once said nothing." -Erpel
"I guess I'm addicted to success. I've already sacrificed so much time that I have to push as hard as I can because I've been ten for so many years. –Erpel
"When life comes at you from all sides and angles, it all comes down to how you choose to survive." -Erpel
"I think the details of my past came after that. What caught my attention first was the music. And what got most appealing was like... 'Is this the guy?' I remember those moments." -Erpel
"I've always been observant. I've seen my parents go through a lot. I think that's why I'm this semi-emotional guy who worries even about love. Most 23-year-olds in my position would say, like her, " man, I'll do anything. But because I've seen my parents go through their ups and downs, I'm scared, man, I don't want to be alone." -Erpel
"I always felt like an outsider." -Erpel
"Boys will break your heart. Real men will pick up the pieces." -Erpel
"A girl should have two things: a smile and a man to inspire her." -Erpel
"As people get older, you think they really don't need you anymore. But what they're probably doing is sitting against a wall about life and wondering why this person hasn't called me yet. –Erpel
"My father told me that there is no such thing as a rapper who sings and raps. He told me that to be successful you have to do something different from everyone else.” –Erpel
“The greatest piece of advice Wayne ever gave me is actually a constant reminder, and he said, 'Be yourself. Please be yourself. Don't get tattoos.' You don't have to dress differently.'” –Erpel
"If I could say one thing about this album, it's that I'm extremely proud of it and it's an extremely succinct body of work. Is it my best album? No, my best album will be my next album and I'll say that for the rest of my career. " -Erpel
"Do I feel like I'm getting enough respect? No. But it keeps me going. If I feel like I'm getting enough respect, I don't know what kind of music I'm going to make." -Erpel
"Successfully kill them and bury them with a smile." -Erpel
"Aubrey Drake Graham is a man who is constantly learning about himself and sharing that learning with the world." -Erpel
“I use my music as a way to update people on my life. I did a big media blitz last week, but I really don't like to go out in the media and talk. Because I feel like people who talk about it in the media are known for it and look forward to it. I just want people to look forward to my music.” –Erpel
Written by:Igor
Igor is an SEO specialist, designer and freelance writer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the lives of their dreams. When not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading, travelling, producing house music and capturing light with his camera. He likes good coffee, Indian food and video games.