When most of the world hears the name “Drake” they think Grammy nominated rap superstar. When I hear the name “Drake”, I think wheelchair Jimmy from Degrassi: The Next Generation. To each their own, I guess, but that’s not really the point. The point is that in a few short years, Drake has gone from Lil’ Wayne prot?g? to one of the biggest rapper in the world.
Drake is in the tabloids a lot, but it’s usually over stupid shit I’m sick of hearing about (Is he with Rihanna? Is he with Nicki Minaj? Is he fighting with Chris Brown? Is he doing a duet with Chris Brown?), so instead I decided to look at some shit about Drake that is actually pretty interesting.
1. He’s been a star in Canada for well over a decade.
Drake will never really be Drake to me. A part of me will always just know him as Aubrey Graham, the guy who played the beloved character of Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001-2009. I’m Canadian, so Degrassi is basically like a religion to me. ?I have all the seasons on box set and in my late teens/early twenties I honestly used to write Degrassi fan fiction. Every part of me wishes I was joking, but if you Google me you can still find that shit. The internet never forgets.
Drake started out on Degrassi just like Shenae Grimes of 90210 fame and Nina Doberev (I don’t think I spelled that right) from The Vampire Diaries. Apparently he’s still good pals with some of his old co-stars, as he recently posted a pic of him and his former tv love interest, Stacey Farber a.k.a. Ellie Nash (I always wanted those two to end up together in real life. I’m such a sad, sad, little woman) on Instagram.
2. He was in a movie with Robert Downey Jr.
No, you read that right! Back in 2007,?when he was still just Canadian actor, Aubrey Graham, Drake, and many other cast?members from Degrassi like Jake Epstein and Lauren Collins, had a small roles in Charlie Bartlett, one of RDJ’s comeback films. The film wasn’t a huge box office success, but it’s picked up a bit of a cult following, and, frankly, I fucking love it. If you haven’t watched it you should because it’s actually a really fun, sweet movie. ALSO, the movie also co-stars Kat Dennings, Drake’s admitted celebrity crush. Wonder if there was any canoodling on set? Yep, I just typed “canoodling.” I’m turning into my grandmother.
3. He didn’t exactly start from the bottom.
Drake can rap about “starting from the bottom” and talk about the hardships he went through growing up all he wants, but in reality, he’s a bi-racial Jewish child star who grew up in the affluent Forest Hill suburb of Toronto. I love how in his video for “Started at the Bottom” it’s him and his friends working at a Shopper’s Drug Mart. Drake, you did not work at a Shopper’s when you were a teen. When you were a teenager you starred on an incredibly popular Canadian television program and had?hundreds of thousands?of fans around the world, so calm the fuck down, AUBREY.
4. His dad worked with Jerry Lee Lewis.
Drake’s dad, Dennis Graham, was a drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis. So, I mean, Drake reeeeaaaallllly didn’t start from the bottom, he kind of always had connections.
5. Kanye West thinks he’s pretty great.
During a recent show in Toronto, Kanye West referred to Drake as a “Rap God” and my mind was blown. I honestly didn’t think that Kanye West liked anyone other than himself and Jay-Z. And that includes Kim Kardashian and their daughter! For Kanye to give another rapper any sort of cred (especially since he himself is the greatest rapper of all time) is pretty fucking cool.
6. Drake is a meme superstar.
I don’t get what’s up with all these Drake memes, but man, oh man, do I love it!