Aubrey Drake Graham, known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and businessman. Born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario, Drake has become one of the most influential figures in contemporary music, blending hip-hop and R&B sensibilities. This timeline highlights significant events and milestones in his life and career.
Main Milestones
Birth
October 24, 1986
Aubrey Drake Graham was born in Toronto, Ontario, to Dennis Graham, an African American and a practicing Catholic from Memphis, and Sandi Graham, a Jewish Canadian educator.
Parents' Divorce
October 4, 1991
Drake's parents divorced when he was 5 years old. He then stayed with his mother and moved to a wealthy neighborhood in Toronto called Forest Hill.
Acting Career
2001-2008
Drake began his acting career by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He played a character who got shot and was paralyzed from the waist down.
First Mixtape
2006
Drake released his first mixtape, Room for Improvement, marking the beginning of his music career.
Meeting Lil Wayne
2007
Drake met Lil Wayne after Lil Wayne called him while he was getting a haircut. This led to an invitation to Houston, where they met and collaborated on their first song, 'Man of the Year'.
Billboard Success
2009
On July 4, 2009, Drake landed two songs on Billboard's Top 100, with 'Best I Ever Had' at number 3 and 'Every Girl' at number 10.
So Far Gone
September 15, 2009
Drake released the album So Far Gone, which reached number 6 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums and was certified gold with over 500,000 copies sold in the USA.
First Award
2010
On April 18, 2010, Drake won Rap Recorder of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.
Take Care
2011
Drake released his second studio album, Take Care, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was critically and commercially successful.
Hotline Bling
2015
Drake released 'Hotline Bling', which became a certified hit, reaching number 1 on the UK R&B chart and number 3 on the UK Singles chart. The song's colorful music video has over 1.7 billion views on YouTube.
Views
2016
Drake released his fourth studio album, Views, which broke several chart records, including sitting atop the Billboard 200 for 13 nonconsecutive weeks and containing the US number one single 'One Dance'.
For All the Dogs
2023
Drake released his eighth studio album, For All the Dogs, which featured his twelfth and thirteenth number one singles, 'Slime You Out' and 'First Person Shooter'.
Rap Feud and Upcoming Album
2024
Drake was involved in a high-profile rap feud with Kendrick Lamar and announced his second collaborative album, Some Sexy Songs 4 U, with PartyNextDoor, set for release on February 14, 2025.
