Drake called in to 107.9 in Atlanta to talk with DJ Drama. The two spoke about Forever, working with Justin Timberlake and Timberland, and how he wants Andre 3000 and Sade on Thank Me Later. Drake has landed some incredible co-signs and features over the last 6 months. If he gets Sade on the album, its a wrap… Drake would at that point be beyond superstar status. Props to nahright and MissInfo for the audio and link.
Download: Drake Calls DJ Drama
Drake Calls DJ Drama Talks Thank Me Later Wishlist
August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Drake Talks Collaborating With Jay-Z During MTV Interview
August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Following the leak of Off That, Drake sat down with MTV to talk about working with Jay-Z. During the interview, Drake states that he and Jay-Z have actually worked on a few joints, and will be working together again in the near future. Perhaps this time we will hear an actual verse from Drake on a song with Jay-Z. Wasn’t sold on Off That when it dropped, but its growing on me… plus the fact that its got O’Reilly and Limbaugh grumbling counts for something.
Drake Says Knee Injury Is Part Of The Plan
August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Drake sat down with MTV while in Toronto to discuss his knee injury, and his brief hiatus due to it. Drake says that he feels that the knee injury will work to his advantage in his career. While he took time to shoot a video for Successful during the hiatus from the AMW tour, Drake says that he’s received text messages from LeBron James and Chris Paul advising him to take it easy with the injury.
Drake Performs Live At S.O.B.s
July 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Here is video footage of Drake performing live at S.O.B.s for Hot 97′s Who’s Next showcase!
Drake Interview With MTV
July 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Drake sat down for an interview with MTV recently. During the interview, Drake discusses the lack of method to his madness, and that he raps or sings depending on how the beat makes him feel. In discussing the combination of singing and rapping on So Far Gone, Drake stated, ‚ÄúI mean, I don‚Äôt really have a formula for that. I don‚Äôt say, like, ‚ÄòOK, I can only sing this hook or I want to rap this.‚Äô I just really hear a beat, and it‚Äôs like, ‚ÄòIf I can write to it on a hip-hop level, if I can pen some raps to it, then that will work.‚Äô And then maybe after I do that, I‚Äôll get in the booth and sing a little part of the verse.”
Drake mentions that an official hip hop video for Successful is being discussed, and a video for Digital Girl with Jamie Foxx is already in the works.
Drake Interview with DJ Whoo Kid
July 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Drake sits down with DJ Whoo Kid at Sirius Studios to discuss a wide range of topics. Drake speaks on his deal with Young Money, the concept behind the hip hop video for Best I Ever Had, representing Toronto, his debut album Thank Me Later, and of course, working with the likes of Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, and Mary J. Blige. Drake also discusses his relationship with Kanye West, the prospects of a possible reality show, how he copes with fame and money, and just who are his favorite rappers. Press play.
Drake Sells 300,000 Copies of Best I Ever Had in 2 Weeks
July 3, 2009 By 1 Comment
The title says it all. If there is one thing that Drake has demonstrated, it is that it is possible for an unsigned artist to do numbers and achieve great success if their grind is right, and if they are willing to think outside the box. Don’t get me wrong. Drake has obviously benefitted from his affiliation with Young Money, and from co-signs from some of the industry’s biggest heavy-hitters. However, he had to turn some heads to get to that level.
Drake used TuneCore to sell his single Best I Ever Had. Mind you, this is AFTER he gave away So Far Gone for free. So let’s get this straight… Best I Ever Had was out there for the public’s taking… it was available by Drake for FREE. With that said, 300,000 units of the single were sold on iTunes. So there we go, fans found music they enjoyed and a personality to go with it, and decided to spend money and purchase it. Major labels, are you paying attention? Or are you just too caught up in your disbelief that he was able to do what you’ve failed to do for years?
Here’s the scoop, 10 days before signing the deal with Young Money with distribution through Universal, Drake’s single went up for sale independently through the TuneCore service. During the two or so weeks it has been available on iTunes, it has become one of the hottest selling singles, amassing sales of 300,000 plus. According to the New York Times Business section, Drake’s Best I Ever Had single was the #4 best selling single from June 15-June 21. More than likely, his chart status will only improve.
You can bet that the major labels, such as Interscope, held nothing back when courting Drake to sign to their label. In the end, they lost AGAIN. They lost the first time when Drake proved that an artist no longer needs the majors to achieve success. They lost again when Drake enjoyed their lavish courtship for what its worth, but in the end, realized that he can achieve greater success in this industry, not only artistically, but financially by remaining independent. Drake has shown that the game has changed indeed.