Canadian rapper and vocalist Drake is celebrating as he clock 35 years old.
Born October 24, 1986, the rapper sustained a high-level commercial presence shortly after he hit the scene in 2006, whether with his own chart-topping releases or a long string of guest appearances on hits by the likes of Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and A$AP Rocky.
Thanks to his introspective rap style, his sensitive R&B crooning, and his gold-touch songwriting, each one of his albums — from 2011’s Take Care to 2018’s Scorpion — topped charts worldwide, and singles like the Grammy-winning “Hotline Bling” and many of his mixtapes did too.
As Drake’s star rose, he helped others along, sponsoring the Weeknd’s early work, starting the OVO Sound label, and giving features on his records to up-and-coming acts. By the second decade of his career, Drake’s constant chart domination, his Grammy wins and nominations, and his meme-worthy cultural presence made him one of the world’s most popular musicians.
Known initially for his role as Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, the Toronto-born Aubrey Drake Graham stepped out as a rapper and singer with pop appeal in 2006, when he initiated a series of mixtapes. A year later, despite being unsigned, he scored major exposure when his cocky and laid-back track “Replacement Girl,” featuring Trey Songz, was featured on BET’s 106 & Park program as its “Joint of the Day.”
Drake raised his profile throughout the next several months by popping up on countless mixtapes and remixes, and as rumors swirled about contract offers from labels, he gradually became one of the most talked-about artists in the industry.
In 2019, Drake raided the vaults for two archival releases: an official streaming release of the So Far Gone mixtape, and the Billboard 200-topping Care Package, which rounded up tracks that were leaked, discarded, or used as teasers, dating back to the Take Care era.
Drake collected two Grammy nominations for the 2020 ceremonies, one for best rap song with his Rick Ross collaboration “Gold Roses” and another for best R&B song with his Chris Brown-assisted “No Guidance.” That same year, he released another mixtape made up of demos and singles titled Dark Lane Demo Tapes. One of the tracks was “Toosie Slide,” his third song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first male artist to accomplish that feat.
In honor of Drake’s 35th birthday, tell us your favorite song by the star!