We know Drake as a rapper, entrepreneur, and celebrity personality, but it didn’t happen overnight
By Jillian Gonzales
Drake performing on stage in July 2016 for The Come Up Show. (Image from: The Come Up Show via Openverse / Licensed under CC BY 2.5. Graphic by Caelan Monkman)
It’s no secret that Drake is among the biggest stars in the world today. From his extensive music career — which continues to excel — to his entrepreneurial ventures, he is a mastermind celebrity who knows how to keep his audience entertained. He has also been a pipeline for many other successful artists and celebrities to help them advance to where they are now, thanks to his own work and accumulated fame. With his new album, For All the Dogs, which was released last month alongside his sold-out It’s All A Blur Tour, Drake has come a long way. Being in the spotlight for over a decade, we can’t help but wonder: How has he managed to stay relevant for so long?
Started From The Bottom
Drake’s career most notably began when he starred in the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 to 2009. His character, Jimmy Brooks, became a prominent figure on the show, allowing Drake to build an image. During this time, he started making music. His music ventures are what ultimately led to his exit from the hit Canadian series in 2009. This is due to producers finding out he was making music, and as he gained traction from this “side” venture, Drake was given the choice between continuing the show or music. Clearly, he made the right decision.
In 2006, he released his first mixtape, Room for Improvement, which fit right into the trending era of mixtapes where many of the rap and hip-hop artists we now know started their careers. Room for Improvement led Drake to work with R&B artist Trey Songz on “Replacement Girl,” the leading single on his sophomore mixtape, Comeback Season, which caught the attention of Lil Wayne. Who knew Lil Wayne’s shout-out to Drake when he said, "Drizzy Drake, I love you boy!" would have such an impact on Drake’s career – which we see evident in the success of his next mixtape, So Far Gone, which, to date, has accumulated 1.1 billion Spotify streams.
A New Era
So Far Gone was the start of a new era for Drake. Alongside Thank Me Later, these two releases helped establish his presence as an artist. The two sound like extensions of his mixtape era but prominently showcase his vocal ability and improved production. This era sounds very retro and hip-hop-focused, with Drake exclusively rapping. He utilizes an orchestral sound to open many of his tracks with rhythmic percussive beats to help his rap flow evolve.
Between the release of these albums, Drake officially founded OVO Sound, his independent record label established in 2012, which has signed artists including PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan, Smiley and many more. Drake’s previous albums are under this label, but it was not until 2012 that it was finally established and founded. This comes after Drake established himself, not just in the music industry but also as a celebrity personality. OVO Clothing was created a year prior, marking the dawn of the production of his clothing line (not to be confused with merch) and OVO as a whole.
2011 also marked the release of Drake’s Take Care, showcasing his R&B range. This album set him apart from other rappers at the time as he incorporated not only rapping but his melodic vocals as well. Hits like “Marvin’s Room” and the album’s title track, “Take Care” featuring Rihanna, both gained over 555 million Spotify streams. This was a turning point in Drake’s music career when he was able to explore a new sound and showcase his versatility. We hear this new sound in his following albums If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (IYRTITL) and What A Time To Be Alive, where he returned to his rap roots with fast-paced beats contrasted with slower, relaxed percussion, evoking different emotions through lyrics and backtracks.
During this era, Drake collaborated with many notable artists, including Future, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan and Lil Wayne, intermingling audiences and bringing one another to even higher levels of fame. As well, Drake became closely associated with the Toronto Raptors; so much so that he was named “Global Ambassador” for the NBA team in 2013.
Superstar Status
By 2016, Drake’s sound was established and showcased his versatility through his lyricism, vocals, and production, as well as his overall storytelling ability. Views is a notable album that broke records. Songs like “One Dance” (his most streamed song), “Controlla,” and “Hotline Bling” allowed him to rise to superstar status. The album as a whole feels like a story where Drake takes listeners to Toronto to experience the four distinct seasons felt here. The Ringer debates different views of the album and points out the theme to the tracklist, where T.C. Kane says, “It’s supposed to start in winter and then go through summer and back to winter, which is meant to showcase the ‘two extreme moods’ the seasons cause in Toronto.”
“Keep the Family Close,” “Weston Road Flows,” “Controlla,” and “Fire and Desire” mark the beginning of each season of the year, making the album an all-year-round listen. Arguably, this is among his best albums, thanks to his attention to detail and authenticity, creating an album that feels like a love letter to Toronto.
In More Life, Scorpion, Dark Lane Tape Demos and Certified Lover Boy, Drake’s sound changes while still infusing rap and R&B seamlessly, paying homage to the groovy old-school Drake but moving away from the percussion that was so heavily present in his earlier work. Speaking of old-school, Care Package, an archive album, compiles Drake songs from 2010 to 2016, debuting as a hit. In this era, Drake took his talents to the television and film industry as a producer on a number of projects starting in 2017. Euphoria and Top Boy are his biggest projects, with more to come.
Drake is not only a superstar artist but also a personality on social media. If you have seen his presence online, he plays along with the jokes – he seems like a fun guy who doesn’t take life too seriously. He shows love to his fans and stays active on his social media, keeping people coming back to see what he’s up to. Memes of Drake consistently find ways to blow up, like the “Drake the type of guy” trend or even his song with Central Cee, “On the Radar Freestyle,” in which his intro went viral on TikTok.
The Drake We Know Today
By 2021, Drake was the definition of a household name with the hit release of Certified Lover Boy. The release of Honestly, Nevermind in 2022, however, marks another major shift in Drake’s musical style as he explores the dance and house genres. Sadly, the album was not well received. The piece is consistently upbeat, with his voice melting into the changing tempos. The bright synths and stabbing drums are prominent and definitely unique to his discography but not appreciated in the way Drake had likely hoped.
Later that year Drake released the collaborative album Her Loss, which allowed Drake to redeem himself. His partnership with 21 Savage brought back the Drake people missed. Heavily rap dominated with some great features such as Travis Scott and production from Earl on that Beat and Metro Boomin, so many elements did the trick to bring him his credit.
Now, in 2023, we have the latest Drake album, For All The Dogs, which has received mixed reviews. The record includes notable features from SZA, J Cole, Yeat, even his son Adonis, and many more. This album acts as a great summary of his music career thanks to the lyrics and authenticity of this piece of work. The authenticity is demonstrated in the album art, created by Adonis, and Drake’s vulnerability in songs like “Slime You Out” and “What Would Pluto Do.”
The new album opens with “Virginia Beach” which includes a Frank Ocean sample and transitions into a soft kickdrum and melody combo with the sample continuing to play in the background. The song encapsulates a full circle moment for Drake, as he once performed in Virginia Beach with Lil Wayne in 2014. In the song, Drake reminisces on his career. This opens the album perfectly, paying homage to his humble beginnings. For All The Dogs's release aligned with the last weekend of his It’s All A Blur Tour, adding an increased sentiment to the release while cementing Drake’s career.
Throughout Drake’s professional life, he has grown exponentially. From making mixtapes in his friends’ basement to owning a record label, clothing brand, and much more, Drake has certainly established himself as an all-time great. He continues to stay relevant through his content and interactions on social media and makes big efforts to give back to his community. He also never fails to pay tribute to his roots in the city of Toronto. All in all, he is an inspiration and his story is truly one that could not have been possible without the immense hard work and dedication he puts into his craft.