document_title: Abby Sciuto

question_text: who played abby's brother kyle on ncis

question_tokens: who played abby 's brother kyle on ncis

text: Abby Sciuto

text: Concept and casting[edit]

text: Prior to taking up a career in acting, Pauley Perrette had studied at John Jay School of Criminal Science in New York, having previously aspired "to work with animals, be in a rock 'n' roll band, or be an FBI agent."[6] She eventually began acting, later saying, "There’s no drug that I ever did that worked as well as being an actor. What you’re looking for with substance abuse is escape. But with acting, you can escape into 1,000 different things without almost killing yourself doing it. Acting is a total drug!"[6]

text: Perrette was cast for the role of Abby Sciuto in 2003. On the subject of her character's creation and its purpose, she said "[NCIS creator] Don Bellisario told me that when he created Magnum, P.I. he wanted to introduce a Vietnam vet who defied the negative stereotype. So with Abby, he wanted to take an alternative-style person with tattoos and make her someone who is happy, totally put together and successful. All the script said about her was: black hair, caffeinated and smart...She's completely unaware that anybody thinks she looks weird. She thinks she looks pretty and never calls herself anything other than happy. And I fight for that."[7]

text: Child actress Brighton Sharbino was cast to portray 10-year-old Abby for the season 10 episode "Hit and Run", which featured several flashbacks to a young Abby. Sharbino, who strongly resembled Perrette, reportedly spent time with the latter "in part to pick up on the NCIS vet’s mannerisms and such."[1]

text: Characterization[edit]

text: Abby has a gothic style of dress,[1] including black dresses and T-shirts, miniskirts, and goth jewelry, including anklets and toe rings. She wears pigtailed dyed hair (due to Perrette's hair being dyed as she is a natural blonde[7]) and has at least nine tattoos on her neck, arms, back, ankle, and other places.[7] Her neck choker appears to be one of her favorite pieces of jewelry. While some of the tattoos are Perrette's and real, others are makeup, such as the large cross on her back applied on occasions when Perrette shows her bare back on camera.[8] The spider web on her neck is not real, either, as producer Bellisario wanted the character to have a tattoo that would be visible (almost) all the time. However, Perrette has expressed dislike for the spider tattoo, saying, "It only takes a few minutes to do, but it feels like old chewing gum,"[7] and wishes for an episode where Abby gets it removed.[8] Abby also has a stuffed hippo named "Bert" that makes flatulence noises when squeezed, which has been used for comic effect when Abby is upset.[5] She decorates some of the areas in her lab with toys such as 'Bleeding Edge Goth' dolls and 'Teddy Scares'. The Teddy Scare 'Rita Mortis' can be seen sitting next to her computer monitor. Abby's biggest pet peeve, as revealed in season five's "Lost and Found" by Timothy McGee, is people who claim to be vegetarians, but still eat chicken; her second-biggest pet peeve is people who mishandle evidence.[9]

text: Pauley Perrette commented, "Don (Bellisario) wanted to do Abby as an alternative-lifestyle person, but not as a junkie or a thief. She might be the smartest person on television."[10] When asked about her depiction of a goth character, she responded that Abby "wouldn't call herself anything but Abby...What she represents is a smart, capable chick that cannot be reduced to a stereotype."[11]

text: Abby drives a candy-apple red 1930/31 Ford Model A coupe bearing a Washington, DC, personalized vanity plate "4NS CHIK" which is prominently featured in season five's "Dog Tags".[12] She previously drove a hearse (mentioned in "Hiatus, Part I"), which ran poorly and had bald tires.

text: Like Gibbs, Abby enjoys caffeine,[7] primarily in the form of large cups of a fictional drink called "Caf-Pow". At times, when she is worried about the caffeine interfering with her sleep, she drinks "No-Caf-Pow" instead. (According to Perrette, the cups were originally filled with Hawaiian Punch, but when she stopped eating and drinking refined sugar, unsweetened cranberry juice was used in its place.)[13] When changing the artwork in her lab during "Hung Out to Dry", she states that she has a "Chagall feeling", a reference to Marc Chagall, a Jewish Belarusian artist whose main works came from fantasy and dreams. Her favorite term for something out of the ordinary is "hinky". It is also shown that she enjoys attending concerts, but her failure to wear earplugs at one of them left her with temporary hearing loss the next day, forcing her to ask DiNozzo for help analyzing some audio evidence.[14]

text: Abby has shown a tendency to become very agitated, to the point of near-panic, if any of the team is seriously hurt. When Gibbs was admitted to the hospital, Abby ended up on the verge of a nervous breakdown, pacing back and forth while delivering a rambling, disjointed stream-of-consciousness plea that explained (among other things) how close Gibbs and she were, the reason she was arriving after visiting hours, how she felt about Gibbs being injured, and how important it was to her that Gibbs not die from his injuries.

text: Abby developed a fondness for Butch, a Navy sniffer dog, in the season five episode "Dog Tags". She renamed it "Jethro" in honor of Gibbs, because it was "handsome and quiet" like him. The dog was framed for the murder of a petty officer, as the dog was found at the murder victim's house, but Abby proved Jethro's innocence. Afterwards, Abby forced McGee to adopt the dog, much to his dismay (as Jethro had attacked him earlier in the episode). Abby would have preferred to adopt Jethro herself, but her landlord did not allow tenants to have pets.

text: Backstory[edit]

text: Sciuto is portrayed as having a happy, normal childhood. Her younger brother, Luca, was first mentioned by name in the season-nine episode "Enemy on the Hill".[15] He appears in season 10 in a flashback.[16] She also mentioned that she has a niece[17] and that her grandmother was an Olympic swimmer who won a silver medal.[18] She has mentioned several uncles, including one named Teddy who owned a bar,[19] one named Horace whom she referred to as Horace "the Haggler" during an episode, and one named Larry who apparently wore knee-high socks and fanny packs. Both her parents are deceased, although when they passed is never mentioned.

text: Abby is a hearing child adopted by deaf parents[20] and likes her music loud. In the episode "Seadog", Gibbs tells Tony that Abby knows how to use sign language because both of her parents were deaf. Abby has stated that she dreams of visiting the Galápagos Islands, Dollywood, and Israel before she dies.[21] Abby graduated with full honors from Louisiana State University with a triple major in sociology, criminology, and psychology. She earned her master's degree from Georgia State University in criminology and forensic science. Sciuto's interest in forensics came from living near a wrecking yard and being intrigued by the cause and effect of the wrecks.[21][22] The season nine episode "Enemy on the Hill" revealed that Abby has another brother, Kyle (played by Daniel Louis Rivas), who is her biological brother, as it is revealed that Abby is in fact adopted.[23]

text: She appears well-versed in her field of study;[5] she is rarely stumped by the puzzles that Gibbs' team presents to her. Abby has been shown to have skills in traditional forensics, computer forensics, and hacking. She has implied that she has a PhD in chemistry.[24] It has been shown that she does all the work on the evidence herself. In season three, when she was given an assistant, Charles "Chip" Sterling, she revolted, but eventually learned to put up with him. However, their working partnership did not last long, as Abby later discovered Sterling had framed DiNozzo for murder. Exposed, Chip threatened her with a knife; she promptly subdued him, hog-tied him with duct tape, and insisted on being allowed to work alone from then on, something to which then-Director Jenny Shepard agreed.

text: It has also been mentioned numerous times that she is a devout Roman Catholic and is on a bowling team with several nuns.

text: In the 2009 NCIS: Los Angeles episode "Random On Purpose", Abby is described as being in her late 20s, suggesting she was born in the early 1980s. (Actress Perrette was born in 1969, and was 40 when this episode first aired.) However, in a flashback in the 2013 NCIS episode "Hit and Run", Abby is shown to be 10 years old in the early 1980s, implying that she was born in the early 1970s.

text: Relationships[edit]

text: Abby gets along well with all the rest of the team.[5] She is very fond of Ducky, who uses her full name, Abigail. She is called Abby or Abbs by almost everyone else, except Director Leon Vance, who calls her Ms. Sciuto. Abby is fiercely loyal to the team, and considers them family, which is shown by her distress when one or more of them is in serious danger. Likewise, the team are generally fond of her and describe her as "the favorite".

text: Before her death in the line of duty, Special Agent Caitlin Todd was a close friend of Abby's. They often hung out after work, and Abby is one of the few to know what Kate's tattoo actually is.

text: She is friendly with Medical Assistant Jimmy Palmer. She has helped him with an autopsy and Rolfed him when he injured himself in the morgue in "Life Before His Eyes". In "Newborn King", Palmer brings his future father-in-law, Ed Slater, to NCIS. Later in the episode, McGee visits Abby to see she has locked the two in the back room. Jimmy states if Slater had not made a comment about Abby's tattoo, then they would not be in time out, implying he took Abby's side. Jimmy also chose Abby to be his "best woman" at his wedding in "The Missionary Position".[25]

text: In the episode "Crescent City", she is shown to have a relationship with Senior Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride, who runs the New Orleans NCIS office.

text: Leroy Jethro Gibbs[edit]

text: Gibbs is depicted as having a close (father/daughter-like) relationship with Abby, who is initially one of only two characters (the other one being Ducky Sciuto with other characters Gibbs) to have no fear of him. Gibbs is often seen giving Abby kisses on the cheek, and hugging her, especially when she does good work on her cases. He often brings her a fresh Caf-Pow when he arrives at the lab for information on a case, whether or not she has called him down to tell him about it. Gibbs generally tolerates Abby's goth dress style, knowing that she does a great job in her work, but often has to ask her to get to the point when she starts rambling. Abby sometimes turns to Gibbs when she needs to talk about something personal that is bothering her and he helps by listening to her. Both Gibbs and Abby are proficient with American Sign Language, as Abby grew up with deaf parents. On several occasions, Abby has been described as "the favorite", a fact that does not escape the rest of the team, but they do not begrudge her for it.

text: Gibbs is also very protective of Abby, especially when she is in very serious danger. For example, in the episode "Bloodbath", she was threatened by a hit man hired by a defendant in a case in which she was testifying, which was also complicated by an ex-boyfriend, Mikel Mawher[26] (guest star, Vincent Young), against whom she had a restraining order, but who then called her in violation of the order. When Gibbs found out about this, he pointedly told Mikel, "The only reason you're still able to walk is because I never heard about you until today!"[27]

text: Sometimes, that protectiveness extends from the rest of the team, as well. For example, in the episode "Spider and the Fly", Alejandro Rivera came to NCIS and began to threaten Abby for not sending in a report about the murder of Pedro Hernandez, Rivera's father, whom Gibbs had killed 20 years previously in revenge for Hernandez killing Gibbs' first wife, Shannon, and young daughter, Kelly. The entire team, including Ducky and Vance, ordered him to leave her alone and to not harass her, or to be escorted forcibly from NCIS Headquarters. Rivera eventually left of his own accord, but was later arrested for attempting to kill Gibbs and his father at a safehouse, and accidentally killing his sister, Paloma.

text: Gibbs' concern for Abby's safety is such that he will even drop his trademark cup of coffee if she is in serious danger. Twice this occurred: in the episode "Kill Ari" when Ari shot at her while she was in her lab, the other time was in the episode "Driven" when she was trapped inside an experimental Humvee, which had been rigged to fill with exhaust fumes and suffocate its occupants.

text: Ziva David[edit]

text: Abby was at first cold to Ziva David when the latter first arrived at NCIS as she, like the rest of the team, was still grieving over Kate Todd's death and the fact that Ziva was Ari Haswari's half-sister. Abby would scribble over pictures of Ziva and frequently mispronounce her surname to annoy her. Later, upset by Ziva's calm response to Gibbs being injured in a bombing, Abby slapped her.

text: Abby eventually came around, and Ziva and she became good friends. This was solidified in the episode "Capitol Offense" when Ziva, in gratitude for Abby allowing her to stay at her place (Ziva's home was being fumigated for termites), bought her a "chocoholic's choice" cupcake. The cupcake soon vanished, and Abby brought out all her forensic know-how to find it. Ultimately, McGee was found to have taken the cupcake, angering Abby and the others. At first, Ziva flinched whenever Abby would hug her given that she did not know why Abby did so, but eventually she came to accept Abby's hugs without any trouble.

text: In the season-seven finale, Abby was shown to be present at Ziva's citizenship ceremony, along with Ducky, McGee, and Jimmy Palmer.

text: Later in the episode "Gone", the two bonded more when Ziva took in a teenaged girl who witnessed her father's murder and best friend's kidnapping as they both tried to help the girl feel at ease throughout the ongoing investigation.

text: After Ziva's father was gunned down in "Shabbat Shalom", Abby was shown baking cookies in an attempt to help her feel better.

text: Tony DiNozzo[edit]

text: Abby's relationship with Tony is a friendly one, with the two making friendly, nonhostile jibes at each other, and squabbling about various topics, such as movies and personal possessions. Abby is perhaps the only member of the NCIS cast who displays a love and knowledge of movies that even comes close to matching Tony's. In "Twilight", after Tony narrowly avoids being part of an explosion on his first day back from sick leave after getting pneumonic plague, she runs at him and hugs him so hard he nearly falls over. In the episode, "Frame-Up", she almost single-handedly unravels the forensic evidence used to frame Tony of murder to clear his name, then subdues the killer – her assistant Chip Sterling – when he threatens her with a knife.[5] The explosion of Tony's car in "Bury Your Dead" causes her to become increasingly obsessed with her work, to prevent thoughts of his possible death. In "Reunion", after Tony, McGee, and Gibbs rescue Ziva from Somalia, Abby starts with a rant criticizing Ziva for her continuing mistrust of Tony, which, in trademarked Abby fashion, ends with her saying how worried she was about Ziva, and hugging her. This then sparks a confrontation between Tony and Ziva that causes their relationship to be restored to normal. Tony would sometimes join Abby in her lab and act like Gibbs when he was absent.

text: Timothy McGee[edit]

text: She had a relationship with McGee which she stated that she would like to keep casual during season one. Although the relationship ended late in the same season, they both have exhibited jealousy when someone of the opposite sex pays attention to the other.[5] Some erotic teasing and tension continues between the two for the next several seasons, implied through such facts as McGee's apparent ability to describe the inside of Abby's bedroom in his novel. After finding out Abby sleeps in a coffin, he said, "You told me it was a box sofa," indicating he has at least stayed over. The implications went farther when he added, "I can't believe I slept in a coffin," and she impishly replied, "Not just slept." In the episode "Bloodbath" when Abby's life is threatened and the team sends her home with McGee, Abby is revealed at one point to have kept a toothbrush at McGee's apartment.

text: Their flirtation became less prominent in later seasons, and TV Guide Senior Critic Matt Roush suggested this was due to the producers' apprehension about using romance within the series to an excess.[28] He reasoned, "pairing up all four members of Gibbs' team romantically might seem like overkill, and the Tony-Ziva dynamic (even if not exactly acted upon) is so integral to the show's core that I'm not surprised they've kept McGee and Abby on more of a loving-sibling level."[28] He further opined that he "wouldn't expect it to change".[28]

text: Donald "Ducky" Mallard[edit]

text: Abby is called Abigail by Ducky, who addresses her by her full first name often. Though in the episode "Faking It", he thanked her and called her by using the name "Abby" instead of "Abigail". Abby used to have a fear of autopsy tables, which she shares with Ducky in episode 16 of season one, "Bête Noire" when Ducky and Kate are held hostage.

text: Appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles[edit]

text: In the NCIS: Los Angeles episode "Random on Purpose", Abby, having been previously seen on video conference or talking to someone from her lab in Washington, DC, arrived in Los Angeles to meet the Office of Special Projects (OSP) team as she informed them she was investigating a serial killer called the Phantom who had murdered 15 people all over the country and had also left no DNA or even physical evidence at the scenes.

text: Having already formed a strong friendship with Eric Beale, Abby developed friendships with the OSP team, including G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell), Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), and most notably the operations manager Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt), who commented that Abby is "the first NCIS employee [she] has ever met with a sense of style".[29] Kensi Blye, another NCIS Special Agent, who is an expert in forensics, praised Abby for her high levels of thinking, stating that she lived up to the hype.

text: Abby was later kidnapped by the Phantom, later revealed to be a law firm receptionist named Tom Smith, who sought to kill her to keep his identity a secret, as he hoped to go around killing more people, having developed something of a taste for it. Although Vance mentioned that Gibbs and the NCIS Major Case Response Team were en route to Los Angeles to rescue her, Abby was saved due to the efforts of the OSP team and was later seen telling Gibbs and McGee on a video-conferencing link that she was okay.

text: To date, Abby has not returned to Los Angeles nor has she reappeared in any video-conference calls which strongly suggests that her appearances in season one were just one-offs.

text: Reception[edit]

text: During the first season of NCIS, Ross Warneke from The Age wrote of the character, "Her role is pivotal in the show because, as with so many crime series these days, the forensics laboratory is the scene of much of the action. Perrette's only shortcoming is her diction. Am I the only one who has difficulty understanding her?"[30] In January 2005, Bill Keveney from USA Today compared the characters on NCIS to those on Magnum, P.I. and commented, "the tattooed Abby, the presumed slacker who is anything but, is Bellisario's not-what-she-appears-to-be tribute to Magnum, a functioning, well-balanced Vietnam vet who contrasted many depictions of the era."[10] New York Times writer Bill Carter described Abby as "television's only regular goth personality" in October of the same year.[31]

text: Later in the show's run, reception continued to be mostly positive, with some critics regarding her as "easily the most outgoing and affectionate member of the group".[32] In 2009, David Martingale of Star-Telegram wrote, "Abby Sciuto, a forensics scientist who, with her caffeine-fueled high energy and kooky Goth/cheerleader wardrobe, is one of a kind".[33] June Thomas from Slate Magazine noted in November 2011 that, "Abby may look like a freak, but she's a church-going patriot."[34] She has been described as "spacy"[35] and "a witty, lovable personality with forensic skills that are even greater than her charm."[5]

text: C. Coville from Cracked criticized the choice to describe Abby's age as "late twenties" in her 2009 guest appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles, finding it unbelievable for someone who "has still somehow picked up a PhD in chemistry, bachelor's degrees in sociology, criminology, and psychology, and good knowledge of hacking and computer forensic science".[36]

text: In March 2011, AOL named Abby as number 95 on a list of the 100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters.[37] In April 2013, a study by E-Poll Market Research listed Pauley Perrette and Cote de Pablo, who portrays Ziva David, among the top 10 most appealing celebrities in America.[38] Perrette and de Pablo were ranked as numbers 5 and 3 respectively.[39]

text: Sciuto is an Italian surname, suggesting that the character is meant to be Italian-American.[40]


document_title: Upside-Down Magic

question_text: how many upside down magic books are there

root

text: Upside-Down Magic

text:
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text: Upside Down Magic is a Scholastic book series by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins[1]. It has been optioned to Disney Channel for development as a TV show[2]. There are four books in the series: Upside-Down Magic, Sticks & Stones, Showing Off,[1] and Dragon Overnight (forthcoming in 2018)[3].


document_title: Ali Mall

question_text: what is the first mall in the philippines

text: Ali Mall

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text:
Ali Mall

Location
Araneta Center, Barangay Socorro, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

Opening date
June 30, 1976

Developer
Araneta Properties

No. of stores and services
100 shops and restaurants

No. of anchor tenants
4

Total retail floor area
64,500 square metres (694,000 sq ft)

No. of floors
4

text: Ali Mall is the first major shopping mall in the Philippines. It is located at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City beside SM Cubao. The mall was named in honor of boxer Muhammad Ali, and was built in 1976, making it one of the oldest malls in the country.[1][2][3] Recently, they relaunched the new Cinemas and Food Court.

text: History[edit]

text: Construction on the mall began in 1975 after Muhammad Ali's boxing victory against Joe Frazier in Araneta Coliseum, dubbed "Thrilla in Manila".[3] At the time there were no malls in the entire country, so Ali addressed a speech to the Philippines to build a shopping mall near the Araneta Center in honor of his victory, a shopping mall with a floor area of 62,000 sq.m.[1][4] The shopping mall was completed within the year and was inaugurated on June 30, 1976. Ali himself attended the ceremony.[5]

text: In the 1980s, the mall has been undergoing expansions and renovations since its construction. In 2009, an expansion to Ali Mall was opened.


document_title: Drake (musician)

question_text: when did drake put out his first album

question_tokens: when did drake put out his first album

text: Drake (musician)

text: Early life

text: Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, an African American and a practising Catholic from Memphis, Tennessee, worked as a drummer, performing alongside country musician Jerry Lee Lewis.[29][30] Drake's mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham (née Sher), an Ashkenazi Jewish Canadian, worked as an English teacher and florist.[31][32][33][34][35] His parents met after Dennis performed at Clue Bluenote in Toronto, where he first interacted with Sandra, who was in attendance.[36] In his youth, Drake attended a Jewish day school, and had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.[37][38][39][40][41] He is also a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.[42]

text: Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in Toronto, while his father returned to Memphis, where he suffered incarceration for a number of years on drug-related charges.[43] Dennis' limited finances and legal issues caused him to remain in the United States until Drake's early adulthood.[37][38][39] Prior to his arrest, however, Dennis would travel to Toronto and bring Drake to Memphis every summer.[44][45][46] His father later collaborated with Canadian music group Arkells on the music video for a song titled "Drake's Dad".[47]

text: Drake was raised in two polarizing Toronto neighbourhoods; he lived on Weston Road in the city's working-class west end,[45] until grade six. In his youth, he played minor hockey with the Weston Red Wings.[48] Drake then moved to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000.[49][50] When asked about the move, Drake replied, "[We had] a half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half, we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mom lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."[51]

text: He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, where he demonstrated an affinity for the arts, first acting while an active student at the school.[52] He later attended Vaughan Road Academy in the city's multicultural Oakwood–Vaughan neighbourhood. Due to the economic status associated with the neighbourhood, Drake described the school as "not by any means the easiest school to go to. [It's tough]."[45] Drake was often bullied in school for his racial and religious background,[37] and upon realizing that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, Drake dropped out of school.[53] He later graduated in October 2012.[54]

text: Career

text: 2001–2005: Degrassi: The Next Generation

text: At 15, eager to find work as an actor, a high school friend Jesse Abrams introduced Drake to his father Norbert, who was an acting agent.[55][56] The agent secured Drake a role on Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. On the series, Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks,[57] a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. When asked about his early acting career, Drake replied, "My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was off of Canadian TV".[45]

text: He would continue to appear on the show until 2007, returning for sporadic appearances until his character graduated from school. Overall, he appeared in a total of 145 episodes.[58]

text: 2006–2009: Early mixtapes and So Far Gone

text: After becoming musically inspired by Jay Z and Clipse, Drake self-released his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. The mixtape featured Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco, and included vast production from Canadian producers Boi-1da, and Frank Dukes. When asked about the mixtape, Drake described the project as "pretty straightforward, radio friendly, [and] not much content to it." The mixtape was released for sale only, and confirmed to have sold over 6,000 copies.[57] In 2007, he released his second mixtape, Comeback Season. Released from his recently founded October's Very Own label, it spawned the single "Replacement Girl", featuring Trey Songz. The song made Drake become the first ever unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on BET, with "Replacement Girl" being featured on the channel's "New Joint of the Day" segment on April 30, 2007.[60] The song also saw Drake sample "Man of the Year" by Brisco, Flo Rida, and Lil Wayne, retaining Lil Wayne's verse, and adjoined his own to the song's earlier half. This caused Jas Prince to gift Lil Wayne the song, which prompted the rapper to invite Drake to Houston in order to join his Tha Carter III tour.[citation needed] Throughout the duration of the tour, Drake and Lil Wayne recorded multiple songs together, including "Ransom", "I Want This Forever", and a remix to "Brand New". Despite the collaborations between the duo, Drake was yet to be signed by Young Money Entertainment.

text: Drake's third mixtape, So Far Gone, was released in 2009 as a free download through his OVO blog website; it featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Lloyd, and Bun B. Upon release, the mixtape found mainstream commercial success due to the singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful", both gaining Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the former also peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[61] This prompted the mixtape's re-release as an EP, featuring only four songs from the original, as well as the additions of the songs "I'm Goin' In" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.[62]

text: Due to the success of the mixtape,[63] Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever".[64] Despite this, Drake was rumoured to have secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment on June 29, 2009.[65] This was later confirmed following a planned lawsuit from Young Money, in conjunction with Drake, against an unauthorized album titled The Girls Love Drake, which was released on iTunes under dubious means.[66]

text: Drake then joined the rest of the label's roster on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009. However, during a performance of "Best I Ever Had" in Camden, New Jersey, Drake fell on stage, and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.[67] He underwent surgery later that year.

text: 2010–2011: Thank Me Later

text: Drake planned to release his debut album, Thank Me Later, in late 2008, but the album's release date was postponed, first to March 2010,[68] and then to May 25, 2010.[69] Young Money and Universal Motown had then released a statement that the album had again been pushed back another three weeks, culminating in a June 15, 2010 release.[68][70]

text: On March 9, 2010, Drake released the debut single "Over",[71] which peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as topping the Rap Songs chart. It also received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[72] His second single, "Find Your Love", became an even bigger success; peaking at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[73] The music video for the single was shot in Kingston, Jamaica, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in [showcasing] images of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing [the island's image]."[74]

text: The third single and fourth singles, "Miss Me" and "Fancy" respectively,[75] attained moderate commercial success, however, the latter garnered Drake his second nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards, for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[76] On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished Thank Me Later during a show in Kansas City, Missouri.[77]

text: Thank Me Later was released on June 15, 2010,[78] debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week.[79] Upon the album's release, 25,000 fans gathered at New York City's South Street Seaport for a free concert, hosted by Drake and Hanson, which was later cancelled by police after a near-riot ensued due to overflowing crowds.[80] The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010,[81] and featured Lil Wayne, Kanye West,[82] and Jay Z.[83]

text: It was soon announced that Drake would have a prominent role in military science fiction video game, Gears of War 3. He was scheduled to play the part of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming Away from Home Tour[84] prevented Drake from accepting the role.[85] He began the tour on September 20, 2010, in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs.[86] It concluded in Las Vegas in November 2010.[87]

text: Due to the success of the Away from Home Tour, Drake hosted the first OVO Festival in 2010. It would soon become a regular event during the summer, with the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto playing host to the festival on its annual cycle. Drake also had an eco-friendly college tour to support the album, beginning with Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 8, and he had also performed at The Bamboozle on May 1.[88][89]

text: 2011–2012: Take Care

text: Beginning his second effort in fall 2010,[90] Drake announced his intentions to allow for Noah "40" Shebib to handle most of the production and record a more cohesive sound than on Thank Me Later, which featured disparate production duties by Shebib and others.[91] In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be Take Care.[92] In comparison to his debut album, Drake revealed to Y.C Radio 1 that Thank Me Later was a rushed album, stating, "I didn't get to take the time that I wanted to on that record. I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically I didn't get to sit with the record and say, 'I should change this verse.' Once it was done, it was done. That's why my new album is called Take Care, because I get to take my time this go-round."[93] Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic esthetic of Thank Me Later.[94][95] Primarily a hip hop album, Drake also attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound.[96]

text: In January 2011, Drake was in negotiations to join Eva Green and Susan Sarandon as a member of the cast in Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage,[97] before ultimately deciding against starring in the movie, to focus on the album. "Dreams Money Can Buy"[98] and "Marvins Room"[94] were released on Drake's October's Very Own Blog, on May 20 and June 9, respectively. Acting as promotional singles for Take Care, the former was eventually unincluded on the album's final track listing, while "Marvins Room" gained Gold certification by the RIAA,[99] as well as peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100,[100] and reaching the top 10 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[101] coupled with extensive play on contemporary urban radio.[102] Drake would soon release the song's music video on June 28.[103]

text: "Headlines" was released on August 9, acting as the lead single for Take Care. It was met with positive critical and commercial response, reaching number thirteen on the Hot 100, as well as becoming his tenth single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs, making Drake the artist with the most number-one singles on the chart, with 12.[104] It was eventually certified Platinum in both the United States and Canada.[105] The music video for the single was released on October 2, and foresaw Drake performing the song during the second intermission of the 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game in January 2012.[106] "Make Me Proud" was released as the album's second single, on October 16.[107] It was the final single to be released prior to the launch of the album, and debuted at number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100.[100] The song reached number nine the following week, tying the record for the largest jump on the Billboard Hot 100 for a male artist, with 88.[108] "Make Me Proud" soon became Drake's fourth consecutive single to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA.[109]

text: Prior to the album's release, Drake had planned to record a collaborative album with Lil Wayne, however, it was ultimately scrapped due to the success of Watch the Throne.[110][111][112] He had also begun collaborations with Rick Ross for a mixtape titled Y.O.L.O., but the duo decided against the project, in favor of increased concern for their respective studio albums.[113][114]

text: Take Care was released on November 15, 2011, and received generally positive reviews from music critics.[10] John McDonnell of NME dubbed it "an affecting masterpiece" and commended its "delicate, mellifluous sound and unashamedly candid, emotive lyrics."[115] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal found Drake's "technical abilities" to be improved and stated, "Just as his thematic concerns have become richer, so has the music backing them up."[116] Andy Hutchins of The Village Voice called it "a carefully crafted bundle of contradictory sentiments from a conflicted rapper who explores his own neuroses in as compelling a manner as anyone not named Kanye West."[117] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot complimented the depth of Drake's "moral psychodramas" and stated, "the best of it affirms that Drake is shaping a pop persona with staying power."[118] It also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, and achieved great commercial success, eventually being certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 2016, with sales for the album marking 2.6 million in the US.[119]

text: The album's third and fourth singles, "The Motto" and Take Care", were released on November 29,[99] and February 21, 2012 respectively.[120] Each song was subject to commercial success, while also having large societal impacts, with "The Motto" credited for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States.[121][122] The music video for "Take Care" saw widespread acclaim, with MTV stating, "None of his contemporaries – not even the ever-obtuse Kanye [West] - make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it."[123] The video received four nominations at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Male Video, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Video of the Year.[124] The song was also featured on the channel's "Pop Songs You Must Hear" list of 2011.[125] "HYFR" was the final single to be released from the album, and became certified Gold.[126][127] It would later win the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video in 2012,[128][129] and the channel also ranked him at number two on their "Hottest MCs in the Game" list.[130]

text: In promotion of his second album, Drake embarked on the worldwide Club Paradise Tour. It became the most successful hip hop tour of 2012, grossing over $42 million.[131] He then returned to acting, starring in Ice Age: Continental Drift as Ethan.[132]

text: 2013–2015: Nothing Was the Same and If You're Reading This It's Too Late

text: During the European leg of the Club Paradise Tour, Drake spoke in an interview stating that he had begun working on his third studio album. Revealing his intentions to remain with 40 as the album's executive producer, Drake spoke fondly about Jamie xx, hoping to include and expand the British producer's influence over his next album.[133] Drake had also revealed that the album would stylistically differ from Take Care, departing from the ambient production and despondent lyrics prevalent previously.[134]

text: In January 2013, Drake announced that he would release the first single off of his third album at the conclusion of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[135][136] Despite an initial delay, it was released in the wake of his win for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the event, and it foresaw Drake announcing Nothing Was the Same as the title of his third album.[137] The album's second single, "Hold On, We're Going Home", was released in August 2013, becoming the most successful single off of the album, peaking at number-one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[138] Drake sought inspiration from the 1980s television series Miami Vice during the composition of the song's music video, incorporating the dramatic elements seen in the show en route to winning his second MTV Video Music Award in 2014 for the video.[139][140][141] Drake appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing the album's third single, "Too Much", alongside featured artist Sampha.[142]

text: Nothing Was the Same was released on September 24, 2013, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 658,000 copies sold in its first week of release. The album debuted atop the charts in Canada, Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom. The album also enjoyed generally favourable reviews by contemporary music critics, commending the musical shift in terms of the tone and subject matter, comparing it to the distinct change showcased in 808s & Heartbreak.[143] The album was also reported to have sold over 1,720,000 copies in the United States, and was further promoted by the "Would You like a Tour?" throughout late 2013, to early 2014.[144] It became the 22nd-most successful tour of the year, grossing an estimated $46 million.[145] Drake then returned to acting in January 2014, hosting Saturday Night Live, as well as serving as the musical guest. His versatility, acting ability and comedic timing were all praised by critics, describing it as what "kept him afloat during the tough and murky SNL waters".[146][147][148] Drake also performed in Dubai, being one of the only artists ever to perform in the city.[149] In late 2014, Drake announced that he had begun recording sessions for his fourth studio album.[150]

text: On February 12, 2015, Drake released If You're Reading This It's Too Late onto iTunes, with no prior announcement. Despite debate on whether it is an album[151] or a mixtape,[152] its commercial stance quantifies it as his fourth retail project with Cash Money Records, a scheme that was rumored to allow Drake to leave the label.[153][154] However, he eventually remained with Cash Money, and If You're Reading This It's Too Late sold over 1 million units in 2015, making Drake the first artist with a platinum project in 2015, as well as his fourth overall.[155]

text: In late summer 2015, Drake released new singles: Charged Up, Back to Back, Hotline Bling, and Right Hand.

text: Drake then released a collaborative mixtape with Future,[156][157] which was recorded in Atlanta in just under a week.[158]

text:
External image
 Drake's cover on Fader Magazine's 100th Issue from January 2015

text: What a Time to Be Alive debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Drake the first hip hop artist to have two projects reach number one in the same year since 2004.[159] It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of over 1 million units.[160] Drake also appeared on the cover of The Fader for their 100th issue.[161]

text: Drake announced in January 2016 that his fourth studio album would be launched during the spring, releasing the promotional single "Summer Sixteen" later that month. The album was originally titled Views from the 6, but would later be shortened to Views.[162] "Summer Sixteen" debuted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, and proved controversial, with Drake comparing his standing in hip hop to more tenured artists. This move divided many contemporary music critics, describing his self-comparison as "goodly brash" or "conventionally disrespectful."[163][164][165] It was also interpreted as a diss track towards Tory Lanez, who was unhappy at Drake popularizing the term "The Six" when referencing Toronto.[166][167] Drake also crashed a Bat Mitzvah in New York City on February 20, performing at the event.[168]

text: Drake soon released the album's lead singles, "Pop Style" and the dancehall-infused "One Dance", on April 5. Both debuted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,[169] however, the latter proved more commercially successful, with "One Dance" becoming Drake's first number-one single in Canada and the US as a leading artist.[170][171] The single also became Drake's first number one single as a lead artist in the United Kingdom, and peaked at number one in Germany, France, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.[172][173] During an episode for OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed the album's release date of April 29, and followed it up with various promotional videos.[174] On October 15, "One Dance" became Spotify's most-streamed song ever, amassing over 882 million plays as of October 2016.[175]

text: Views was previewed in London, before its premiere on Beats 1 a day later. It was released as an Apple Music and iTunes exclusive on April 29, before being made available to various other platforms later that week.[176][177] Views would become Drake's most commercially successful album, sitting atop the Billboard 200 for ten nonconsecutive weeks, as well as simultaneously leading the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 for eight weeks. It also achieved double-platinum status in the US, and earned over 1 million album-equivalent units in the first week of its release, as well as gaining over half-billion overall streams of the album.[15][16][178] Despite its success, critical opinion towards the album remained much divided, drawing criticism for being overlong and lacking in a cohesive theme, while also claiming Drake was not challenging himself artistically, as opposed to his contemporaries.[179] He would later plan to release a short film titled Please Forgive Me.[180]

text: Drake returned to host Saturday Night Live on May 14, serving as the show's musical guest.[181] Later, Drake was named as a member of the Forbes Five, which ranks the wealthiest artists in hip-hop, placing fifth after Birdman, Jay Z, Dr. Dre, and Diddy respectively.[182] Drake and Future then announced the Summer Sixteen Tour to showcase their collective mixtape, as well as their respective studio albums. This marked Drake's third co-headlining tour, which began in Austin, Texas on July 20.[183][184][185] On July 23, Drake announced that he was working on a new project, scheduled to be released in early 2017,[186] and was later named as the headline act for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.[187] The latter dates of the Summer Sixteen Tour were postponed, however, due to Drake suffering an ankle injury.[188]

text: During the 2016 OVO Festival, Kanye West confirmed that he and Drake had begun working on a collaborative album.[189] Soon after, the music video for "Child's Play" was released, depicting Drake and Tyra Banks playing a couple encountering relationship issues at the Cheesecake Factory in a reference to one of the song's lyrics.[190] On September 26, Please Forgive Me was released as an Apple Music exclusive. It ran a total of 25 minutes, and featured music from Views.[191]

text: At the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Drake received the most nominations, with 10,[192] winning the awards for Album of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Video.[193][194] Drake later announced the Boy Meets World Tour on October 10, with twenty-six dates announced for the course of the tour in Europe.[195] Seven additional dates were added a day later due to overwhelming demand.[196] Soon after, during an episode of OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed he would be releasing a project titled More Life in December, however he later pushed the date back to the new year. The project was described as a "playlist of original music", rather than being classified as a traditional mixtape or solo album.[197] He was later revealed to be Spotify's most streamed artist for the second consecutive year in 2016, amassing a total 4.7 billion streams for all projects on the service, which is more than double the amount of streams he had in 2015.[198] Drake later secured his second and third Grammy Awards, winning for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song at the 59th ceremony.[17]

text: Despite multiple setbacks, Drake announced More Life would be released on March 18, 2017, via a series of multiple video commercials released through Instagram.[199] Upon release, More Life received mostly positive reviews, and debuted atop the Billboard 200, earning 505,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[200] It also set a streaming record, becoming the highest ever streamed album in 24 hours, with a total of 89.9 million streams on Apple Music alone. The album also garnered 61.3 million streams on Spotify, dethroning Ed Sheeran's ÷ as the highest opening on the service in a single day.[201] He later won 13 awards at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards in May, which saw him breaking the record for the most wins in a single show.[202] Billboard also reported Drake had been present on the Hot 100 chart for eight consecutive years, and has the most recorded entries by a solo artist.[203] He then released the single "Signs" on June 24, as well as reuniting with Metro Boomin on a single with Offset.[204][205]

text: After rumours circulated of Drake possibly collaborating with various artists, including rapper Trippie Redd and producer Pi'erre Bourne, for his new studio album, multiple snippets of songs were leaked near the closing end of 2017.[206][207][208] Two songs would later be released as members of a mini EP, titled Scary Hours, on January 20, 2018, marking Drake's first solo release since More Life, as well as his first appearance on any song after featuring on a remix of the Jay-Z song "Family Feud" with Lil Wayne, as the lead single of the latter's Dedication 6: Reloaded mixtape.[209] Scary Hours featured the songs "Diplomatic Immunity" and "God's Plan", which both debuted within the top-ten, with the latter eventually breaking various streaming records as it debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.[210][211][212] The song was Drake's second as a solo artist to reach number one.

text: Drake earned his 70th top 40 hit after featuring on the Migos song "Walk It Talk It", which debuted at number eighteen, and peaked at number ten.[213] He later featured on BlocBoy JB's debut single, "Look Alive", which was released on February 9, 2018.[214] The song's entry at number six on the Hot 100 made Drake the rapper with the most top 10 hits on the Hot 100, with 23.[215] He then featured on a remix to "Lemon", a song originally released as a collaboration between band N.E.R.D and Rihanna. On April 5, Drake announced he was finishing his fifth studio album and he was releasing a single later that night.[216]

text: On April 6, "Nice for What" was released, alongside a music video, which featured several female celebrities.[217][218] After "Nice For What" replaced his own "God's Plan" on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one, making him the first artist to have a new number-one debut replace their former number-one debut, Drake announced the title of his fifth studio album as Scorpion, with a planned release date of June 29, 2018.[219][220] He then released "I'm Upset" on May 26, as the album's third and final single.[221]

text: Scorpion was then released as a double-album, and marked Drake's longest project, with a run-time of just under 90 minutes. The album broke both the one-day global records on Spotify and Apple Music, as it gained 132.45 million and 170 million plays on each streaming service, respectively.[19] It eventually sold 749,000 album equivalent units in its first week of sales, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.[222][223] Shortly thereafter, Drake collaborated with British hip hop promotion Link Up TV on July 7, releasing a freestyle as a part of the promotion's 'Behind Barz' segment,[224] before releasing another freestyle a week later after featuring on Charlie Sloth's long-running Fire in the Booth program on BBC Radio 1Xtra.[225]

text: Drake secured his sixth number one hit with "In My Feelings" on July 21,[226] which also spawned the viral "#InMyFeelingsChallenge" or "#KiKiChallenge".[227][228][229] The success of "In My Feelings" also made Drake the record holder for most number one hits among rappers.[230] Soon after, he released the music video for "Nonstop", which was filmed in London during his surprise performance at the Wireless Festival.[231]

text: He then appeared on the album Astroworld, featuring on the song "Sicko Mode".[232]

text: Artistry

text: Influences

text: Drake has cited several hip hop artists as influencing his rapping style, including Kanye West,[233] Jay Z,[234] and Lil Wayne,[235] while also attributing various R&B artists as influential to the incorporation of the genre into his own music, including Aaliyah,[236] and Usher.[237] Drake has also credited several dancehall artists for later influencing his Caribbean-inflected style, including Vybz Kartel, whom he has called one of his "biggest inspirations".[238][239]

text: Musical style

text: Drake is known for his egotistical lyrics, technical ability, and integration of personal backstory when dealing with relationships with women.[240] His vocal abilities have been lauded for an audible contrast between typical hip-hop beats and melody, with sometimes abrasive rapping coupled with softer accents, delivered on technical lyricism.[241] His songs often include audible changes in lyrical pronunciation in parallel with his upbringing in Toronto, and connections with Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries which include such phrases as "ting", "touching road", "talkin' boasy" and "gwanin' wassy".[241] Most of his songs contain R&B and Canadian hip hop elements, and he combines rapping with singing.[242] He credits his father with the introduction of singing into his rap mixtapes, which have become a staple in his musical repertoire. His incorporation of melody into technically complex lyrics was supported by Lil Wayne, and has subsequently been a critically acclaimed component to Drake's singles and albums.[243] His rapping ability has been noted as "polarizing", and has contributed to him being named one of the most divisive rappers of his generation by multiple critics and media publications.[244]

text: The lyrical content that Drake deploys is typically considered to be emotional[245] or boastful.[246] However, Drake is often revered for incorporating "degrading" themes of money, drug use, and women into newer, idealized contexts. His songs often maintain tension between "pause and pace, tone timbre, and volume and vocal fermata."[247] Drake is credited with innovating what has been referred to as "hyper-reality rap", which is characterized by its focus on themes of celebrity as being distinct from the "real world".[248]

text: Public image

text: The Washington Post editor Maura Judkis credits Drake for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States, with his single, "The Motto", which includes, "You only live once: that's the motto, nigga, YOLO."[249]

text: Drake later popularized the term "The Six" in 2015 in relation his hometown Toronto, subsequently becoming a point of reference to the city.[250] Furthermore, the subject matter of his artistry often revolving around relationships, have had widespread impact on social media through photo captions commonly used to reference emotions or personal situations.[251][252][253] However, his lyrical contents have had a negative reception from fans and critics deeming him as sensitive; a trait that is understood as being antithetical to hip hop culture.[254] June 10 was declared "Drake Day" in Houston, Texas.[255][256][257]

text: In 2016, Drake visited Drake University after a show in Des Moines, in response to an extensive social media campaign by students that began in 2009, advocating for his appearance.[258][259] In 2016, Drake spoke on the shooting of Alton Sterling, publishing an open letter expressing his concern for the safety of ethnic minorities against police brutality in the United States.[260] He would also donate $200,000 in order to aid relief efforts in Houston as a result of Hurricane Harvey.[261]

text: In February 2018, following the debut of "God's Plan" at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Drake donated $50,000 to a Miami homeless shelter[262] and $50,000 to a University of Miami student to help with her tuition.[263] Drake then "kept up the spending spree" by donating the rest of the song's video budget, $996,631.90, to several charitable causes and regular people across Miami.[264][265]

text: The music video for "Hotline Bling" went viral, due to Drake's eccentric choices in dancing.[266] The video has been remixed, memed, and was heavily commented on due to Drake's unconventional nature on the song,[267] causing it to gain popularity on YouTube, spawning several parodies.[268] Drake has also been critiqued for his expensive, product placement-heavy attire, exampled by the video for "Hotline Bling"; Drake modelled a $1,500 Moncler Puffer Jacket, a $400 Acne Studios turtleneck, and limited edition Timberland 6" Classic Boots.[269][270] This foresaw collaborations between OVO and Canada Goose,[271] in which various items of clothing were produced.[272]

text: Drake had also released his own collection of Air Jordans, dubbed the "Air Jordan OVOs".[273] Moreover, his style and dress sense have caused GQ magazine to describe him as "[one of] the most stylish men alive".[274]

text: Controversies

text: Legal issues

text: In 2012, singer Ericka Lee filed a lawsuit against Drake for the usage of her voice on "Marvins Room". Claiming to have provided the female vocals, Lee also alleged she was owed songwriting credits and royalties.[275] Despite Drake's legal team countering by claiming that Lee simply requested a credit in the liner notes of the album, the matter was resolved in February 2013, with both parties agreeing to an out-of-court settlement.[276] In 2014, Drake was sued for $300,000 for sampling "Jimmy Smith Rap", a 1982 single by jazz musician, Jimmy Smith. The suit was filed by Smith's estate, who stated Drake never asked for permission when sampling it for the intro on "Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2", claiming Smith himself would have disagreed as he disliked hip hop.[277][278] Drake would win the lawsuit in 2017, with federal judge William Pauley ruling the content used was transformative, and there was no liability for copyright infringement.[279] Also in 2014, it emerged that Drake was sued by rapper Rappin' 4-Tay, claiming Drake misused his lyrics on when collaborating with YG on the song "Who Do You Love?". He sought $100,000 for mistreatment and artistic theft, which Drake paid to the rapper later that year.[280] In 2016, Drake caused a nightclub in Oklahoma City to close down, due to his usage of marijuana and other illegal drugs being prevalent at the club.[281]

text: In 2017, Drake was embroiled in another lawsuit, being sued by producer Detail (Noel Fisher) over an alleged assault in 2014. Fisher claimed Drake's bodyguard, Nessel "Chubbs" Beezer, punched him in the face and allegedly broke his jaw over musical and financial disputes. Fisher also says the injuries caused him to be hospitalized for days and had to undergo several surgeries, following which he sued for damages related to medical bills and physical and emotional suffering.[282] The case, which was set to undergo trial in May 2018, was eventually dismissed by Superior Court Judge Elaine Lu, after Fisher failed to show up for a final status conference, and ruled Beezer solely acted in self-defense.[283]

text: Feuds

text: Drake and Chris Brown were allegedly involved in a physical altercation in June 2012, when Drake and his entourage threw glass bottles at Brown in a SoHo nightclub in Manhattan, New York City. Chris Brown tweeted about the incident and released a song criticizing Drake weeks later.[284][285][286] Despite no response from Drake, he and Brown both appeared in a comedic skit for the 2014 ESPY Awards, and rehearsed the skit together prior to the televised airing, virtually ending the dispute.[287]

text: In December 2014, Drake was involved in another altercation, being punched by Diddy outside the LIV nightclub in Miami, Florida. The altercation was reported to be over Drake's usage of the instrumental for "0 to 100 / The Catch Up", allegedly produced by Boi-1da for Diddy, before Drake appropriated the track for his own use. Drake was later rushed to the ER after aggravating an old arm injury during the dispute.[288] Drake was also involved in a feud with Tyga, stemming from Tyga's negative comments towards him during an interview with Vibe.[289] Drake would later respond on "6 God" and "6PM in New York", which has been interpreted as directly involved in Tyga's abrupt removal from Young Money Entertainment.[290]

text: Further controversy arose in July 2015, when it was alleged by Meek Mill that Drake had used ghostwriters during recording sessions for "RICO", one of the lead singles off of Mill's second studio album. This proceeded further allegations that Drake did not help in promotion of the album, due to Mill discovering the ghostwriter, widely believed to be Quentin Miller.[291] Despite Miller collaborating with Drake and receiving past credits, Mill assured that Miller had written Drake's verse for "R.I.C.O.". Soon after, Funkmaster Flex aired reference tracks in support of Mill's claims, notably for "R.I.C.O.", "10 Bands", and "Know Yourself". This prompted Drake to respond with two diss tracks, titled "Charged Up"[292] and "Back to Back",[293] in the space of four days. Mill would later respond with "Wanna Know",[294] before removing it from SoundCloud weeks later.[295] Despite subliminal disses[296][297][298] from either artist,[299] the feud has not been officially reignited. Drake would further seek to denounce Funkmaster Flex during his Madison Square Garden shows on the Summer Sixteen Tour.[300][301] Following Meek Mill's sentencing of two to four years for probation violation, Drake stated "Free Meek Mill" at a concert in Australia, while also seeming to end their rivalry on "Family Feud".[302] Pusha T would also used the same rationale to criticize Drake in songs in 2018,[303] prompting Drake to respond with the "Duppy Freestyle" diss track on May 25.[304] Pusha T would directly respond to the track through "The Story of Adidon" on May 29, and presented several claims, including an accusation of Drake fathering a secret child.[305] The pair have been considered to have been in a rivalry since 2012, with Drake yet to respond to "The Story of Adidon".[306]

text: In 2016, Drake was embroiled in a feud with Joe Budden, stemming from Budden's derogatory comments when reviewing Views. Drake would allegedly respond to Budden through "4PM in Calabasas", prompting Budden to respond with two diss tracks in the space of five days, echoing the same sentiment Drake deployed during his feud with Meek Mill. Drake would later appear on "No Shopping" alongside French Montana, directly referencing Budden throughout the song. However, French Montana claimed that Drake's verse was recorded before the release of Budden's diss tracks. Despite Budden releasing two further songs in reference to Drake,[307] he has yet to officially respond to Budden.[308] In the same year, Drake mocked Kid Cudi for his mental health, drug use and suicidal urges on "Two Birds, One Stone" after Cudi launched an expletive-filled rant on the artist on Twitter.[309] Cudi later checked into a rehabilitation facility following the release of the song, and continued to disparage Drake in further tweets.[310]

text: Drake has purported to have been in reported feuds with DMX, Kendrick Lamar,[311] Common,[312] The Weeknd,[313] XXXTentacion, Kanye West,[314] Jay Z, Tory Lanez,[315] and Ludacris,[316] although the latter three have been reported to be resolved.[317][318][319]

text: Business ventures

text: Endorsements

text: Prior to venturing into business, Drake garnered several endorsement deals with various companies, notably gaining one with Sprite following his mention of drinking purple drank, a concoction that contains Sprite as a key ingredient.[320][321] In the aftermath of his highly publicized feud with Meek Mill, Drake was also endorsed by fast food restaurants Burger King and Whataburger.[322] Business magazine Forbes commented his endorsement deals and business partnerships "combined heavily" for Drake's reported pre-tax earnings at $94 million between June 2016 to June 2017, being one of the highest-paid celebrities during that period.[323]

text: OVO Sound

text: During the composition of Nothing Was the Same, Drake started his own record label in late 2012 with producer Noah "40" Shebib, and business partner, Oliver El-Khatib. Drake sought for an avenue to release his own music, as well helping in the nurturing of other artists, while Shebib and El-Khatib yearned to start a label with a distinct sound, prompting the trio to team up to form OVO Sound.[324] The name is an abbreviation derived from the October's Very Own moniker Drake used to publish his earlier projects. The label is currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records.

text: Drake, 40 and PartyNextDoor were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, OB O'Brien, Roy Woods, dvsn, Plaza, and Kash Doll,[325] as well as producers including 40, Boi-1da, T-Minus, Mike Zombie, Nineteen85, and Future the Prince. OVO Sound has released six albums, with two certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

text: Toronto Raptors

text: On September 30, 2013, Drake was announced as the new "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors, thereby joining the executive committee of the NBA franchise, in conjunction with the announcement of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game being awarded to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.[326][327][328] This would also be the setting where Drake was given The Key to the City.[329] In the role, it was announced that Drake would help to promote and serve as a host of festivities, beginning with the All-Star Game. He would also provide consulting services to rebrand the team, helping to redesign its image and clothing line in commemoration of the franchise's 20th anniversary.[330][331] When attending the press conference hosted by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO, Tim Leiweke,[331] to formally announce Drake's hiring by the franchise, Drake stated, "obviously, I won't be able to be in the building every day but I am extremely dedicated to it. I do take it very seriously as a new job and a new chapter in my life."[332][333] He began by hosting an annual "Drake Night" segment with the organization, which began in 2013.[334]

text: Apple Music

text: Following the launch of Apple Music, a music and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc., the company announced Drake as the figurehead for the platform at their Worldwide Developers Conference in 2015, with the artist also penning an exclusivity deal with the service worth a reported $19 million.[335] This saw all future solo releases by Drake becoming available first on Apple Music, before seeing roll out to other streaming services and music retailers.[336] Drake had also developed the OVO Sound Radio station on Beats 1, which is utilized as the primary avenue for debuting singles and projects, with the station overseeing over 300 million unique users when it debuted More Life.[337] Drake's partnership with Apple Music has largely been credited for the platform's sharp success, as it attained 10 million subscribers after six months, as well as giving birth to exclusivity from artists, with many independent and signed artists, such as Frank Ocean and The Weeknd, also brokering exclusivity deals with streaming services.[338] Through signing with the company, Drake was one of the artists, alongside Pharrell and Katy Perry, to exclusively own an Apple Watch before the smartwatch saw public release.[339]

text: Virginia Black

text: Two months prior to the release of Views, Drake announced the development of Virginia Black, a bourbon-based whiskey.[340] This would be his second foray into selling foodstuffs, previously partnering with celebrity chef Susur Lee to open Fring's Restaurant in Toronto.[341] The beverage was created and also distributed alongside Proximo Spirits, as well as with Brent Hocking, a spirits producer who founded DeLeón Tequila in 2008.[342] The company described the partnership as "fruitful [as they] share a passion for style, music, and the pursuit of taste [on] a quest to redefine whiskey."[343]

text: The product was launched in June 2016, and contained two, three and four-year old Bourbon whiskies. The company sold over 4,000 bottles in the first week domestically.[344] The brand was also promoted and marketed through Drake's music and various tours, such as being part of the "Virginia Black VIP Lounge" additional package available for purchase during the Summer Sixteen Tour. Virginia Black shipped a further 30,000 units when rollout was extended to select international markets in late 2016.[345] The company later aired commercials with Dennis Graham which featured the tagline of "The Realest Dude Ever" (in reference toward "The Most Interesting Man in the World" tagline employed by Dos Equis) after extending the sale of the drink to various European countries in 2017.[346]

text: Personal life

text: Drake has lived in Hidden Hills, California [347] since 2012.[348][349] He also owns a property in Toronto, which was built from the ground-up in 2017.[350][351]

text: Drake's paternal uncles are bass guitarist Larry Graham and musician Teenie Hodges.[352][353] Graham achieved both critical and commercial success as a member of the band Sly and the Family Stone,[354] while Hodges featured as the lead guitarist and songwriter for Al Green, and contributed heavily on much of his work in the 1970s, including the hits "Take Me to the River", "Love and Happiness", and "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)".[355][356]

text: Drake is a father to son Adonis, who was born on October 11, 2017,[357][358] to French artist and former adult actress[359][360] Sophie Brussaux.[359][361] Brussaux's pregnancy was the subject of several rumors after featuring in a TMZ article in early 2017,[362] before Adonis was mentioned by name during Drake's highly publicized feud with Pusha T.[363] Drake eventually confirmed his fatherhood on the album Scorpion in 2018.[364][365]

text: In August 2018, Drake made a surprise visit to child heart patient Sofia Sanchez at Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital, after Sanchez invited him to visit on her birthday.[366] Sanchez received a heart transplant shortly thereafter on August 27, 2018.[366]

text: Discography

text: Studio albums

text:
Thank Me Later (2010)
Take Care (2011)
Nothing Was the Same (2013)
Views (2016)
Scorpion (2018)

tag: ul

text: Tours

text: Headlining

text:
Away from Home Tour (2010)
Club Paradise Tour (2012)
Would You Like a Tour? (2013–2014)
Jungle Tour (2015; six date promotional tour)
Boy Meets World Tour (2017)

text: Co-headlining

text:
America's Most Wanted Tour (with Young Money) (2009)
Drake vs. Lil Wayne (with Lil Wayne) (2014)
Summer Sixteen Tour (with Future) (2016)
Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour (with Migos) (2018)

text: Filmography

text: Film

text:
Year

Film

Role

Notes

2008

Charlie Bartlett

A/V Jones

Minor role

2008

Mookie's Law

Chet Walters

Short film

2011

Breakaway[367][368]

Himself

Cameo

2012

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Ethan

Voice role

2013

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Ron Burgundy fan

Cameo

2014

Think Like a Man Too

Himself

Cameo

2017

The Carter Effect

Himself

Documentary, also executive producer

text: Television

text:
Year

Title

Role

Notes

2001

Blue Murder

Joey Tamarin

Episode: "Out-of-Towners: Part 1"

2001–2007

Degrassi: The Next Generation

Jimmy Brooks

145 episodes

2002

Soul Food

Fredrick

Episode: "From Dreams to Nightmares"

2002

Conviction

Teen Fish

Television movie

2005

Best Friend's Date

Dater

Episode: "Season Finale"

2005

Instant Star

Himself

Episode: "Personality Crisis"

2008

The Border

PFC Gordon Harvey

Episode: "Stop Loss"

2009

Being Erica

Ken

Episode: "What I Am Is What I Am"

2009

Sophie

Ken

Episode: "An Outing with Sophie"

2009

Beyond the Break

Himself

Episode: "One 'Elle' of a Party"

2011

Saturday Night Live

Himself (musical guest)

Episode: "Anna Faris/Drake"

2012

Punk'd

Himself

Episode: "Drake/Kim Kardashian"

2014

Saturday Night Live

Himself (host/musical guest)

Episode: "Drake"[369]

2016

Saturday Night Live

Himself (host/musical guest)

Episode: "Drake"

text: Awards and achievements

text: Drake is the highest-certified digital singles artist in the US, having moved 142 million units.[24][370] He has had seven songs  certified triple platinum in the US for combined sales plus streaming units,[371] as of June 2018, with "Over",[372] "Too Good",[373] "Passionfruit",[374] "Nice for What",[375] "Marvin's Room",[376] "Find Your Love",[377] and "Energy".[378] He has also had three exceed 4 million in equivalent units, with "Take Care", "Headlines",[379][380] and "Best I Ever Had".[381] Three have reached quintuple platinum, with "Jumpman",[382] "Started from the Bottom",[383] and "The Motto".[384] "Hold On, We're Going Home" marked his first single to accumulate over six million units,[385] while "Forever" became his second in 2018.[386] Two of his singles have reached septuple platinum, which "Hotline Bling"[387] and "One Dance",[388] while his highest-certified single is "God's Plan", which was certified octuple platinum, having moved 8 million units, in under a year.[389] Drake's five solo studio albums, all of which have gone multi-platinum, have received generally positive reviews.[390] Scorpion, his fifth solo album, became his fifth consecutive number one album in the U.S.[391]

text: As of 2017, Drake has won three Grammy Awards from 27 nominations.[392] He has also won two MTV Video Music Awards. Complex ranked him at number one on their "Best Rapper Alive Every Year Since 1979" list for 2011, 2012, and 2015.[393] Billboard editor Ernest Baker stated "Drake managed to rule hip-hop in 2014", adding "the best rapper in 2014 didn't need a new album or hit single to prove his dominance".[394] Drake was listed fourth on the Billboard year-end chart for Top Artists of 2015,[395] third on the same chart in 2016[396] and was named the IFPI Global Recording Artist of 2016.[397] In 2017, he surpassed singer Adele's record for most wins at the Billboard Music Awards in one night, winning 13 awards from 22 nominations.[202] Pitchfork have ranked him in the fifth position in the publication's list of the "Top 10 Music Artists" since 2010.[398][399][not in citation given]