The Stunning Transformation Of Drake

Drake is a self-proclaimed proud Canadian but often was shuttled back and forth between Memphis, Tennessee, and Toronto. In an interview that aired on the "Q," Drake told radio host Jian Ghomeshi that shuttling between two households was tough, saying, "It was pivotal in shaping me as the man I am today." The "Started From the Bottom" rapper wanted to clear up any misconceptions about him having an easy life since he grew up in the wealthy neighborhood of Forest Hill. Drake shared that his mother lived in debt so her family could have the best chance at success.

The young rapper credited his father for exposing him to music around the age of six, even after he landed himself in prison. While his father was behind bars, he would share his phone time with a young rapper who would spit out lyrics with the young Drake. Being able to be exposed to so much music "opened up not only my mind but my ears."

Drake was born into a musical family with numerous connections back in 1986 in Toronto, Canada (per Biography). His father played the drums with Jerry Lee Lewis, his uncle played with Sly and the Family, and his grandmother even babysat Aretha Franklin. So the singer was bound to have the Midas touch when it came to vocals.

While fans may feel that he found success quickly, the actor worked hard for his chance at the spotlight. As a result, he went from a young pre-teen to a full-grown adult right before fans' eyes. Thanks to his smooth vocals and mile-wide smile, he has won over music fans for life. The Canadian can easily rock a varsity letter jacket on "SNL" or a tuxedo on the red carpet as his style is everlasting. Thanks to the Canadian teen soap of yesteryear, aka "Degrassi: The Next Generation," music fans were gifted this rare talent (via IMDb).

As most Canadians know him, Drake or Aubrey Drake Graham may be one of R&B's biggest stars, but he got his start at the age of 14 when he played the part of Jimmy Brooks (per Biography). During an interview with GQ, Drake recalled how he originally got his chance to step in front of the cameras, saying, "I was in class, and I used to always crack jokes in class. I was a good liar and a good talker. And this kid in my class was like, 'Yo, my dad is an agent. You should go talk to him because you're good, and you make people laugh.'"

As he grew into an adult, Drake began to really concentrate on his rapping. An old episode of "Degrassi Unscripted" showed the thin rapper sporting an oversized puffer jacket and a t-shirt, giving a tour of his home and showing off his notebooks that held tons of song lyrics. According to ET Canada, Drake revealed he was told he would have to choose between acting and rapping; the latter won, saying, "Eventually, they realized I was juggling two professions and told me I had to choose. I chose this life." By then, Drake had started to grow into his looks, and in 2009 he released his hit track "Best I Ever Had," which was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Drake made his debut in 2009, but before that time, according to Vogue, there had not been a non-U.S. rapper to break into the American hip-hop market so successfully. His lyrics were effortless, and the music industry took notice. Along with success came a few feuds that are just par for the course when it comes to the rap game. However, he never really let any of it phase him, even if the battles included names like Chris Brown, Jay-Z, and Kanye West.

As Drake rocked the broody suit look, he was also starting to get attention from other women in the industry, specifically Rihanna. Sadly, the romance didn't work out, which Drake believes was because he was just a pawn in her break-up with Brown. He told The New York Times, "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.'"

In 2017 Drake's whole look changed when TMZ revealed that he was a father! Above all, Drake is a private man who wants to keep his family and personal issues behind closed doors. While he used to give a couple of interviews during his early days, now he prefers to mostly let his music do the talking. Still, fans can follow his adventures on his active Instagram. And we haven't forgotten his shortest public romance: a kiss from the "Material Girl" herself (via Vanity Fair). At the 2015 Coachella, Drake found himself locking lips with Madonna. Even though he grimaced after the kiss, the incident made the front pages everywhere, and the rapper later clarified, "I got to make out with the queen Madonna and I feel 100 about that forever."

Drake was busy during down the pandemic and, in March of 2021, released his new hit "What's Next," where he sported a beard and a muscular build. Not only was this his eighth album it was also his fourth song to start at the top of the charts (via Forbes). Fans are just happy that becoming a dad didn't mean a dad bod, but and that Drake has gone on to continue to break music records.