In the face of a crumbling business, it makes sense to go after as wide an audience as you can. It’s part of Drake’s master plan to not only engage his hardcore hip-hop fan base with his natural rap skills, but also to pull in new fans who are now, thanks to shows like Bamboozle, paying attention.
While Drake’s getting co-signs from the likes of Jay-Z, sharing verses with Eminem and being romantically linked to Rihanna, it’s his wholesome, unassuming and almost average depiction of life through music that already has him touted as the next big thing; even before releasing an official album, he’d garnered two Grammy Award nominations and two Juno Awards. Drake is often mentioned in the same category as the company he now keeps.
The accolades flatter Drake, but he still feels he isn’t quite there-yet. “That’s the most flattering thing in the world but at the same time, real, legendary status can’t be dictated by the people who are still here witnessing it,” he says. “Legendary status is when the next generation comes up. The kids that are 15 right now and will be going to college in five or six years-if they say, ‘Yo, I remember when Drake came to this school. That’s one of the most legendary shows ever,’ that’s when you’re a legend. I’m young. I’m 23. This is too soon. I really want to grow and be that guy.”
While Drake has scores of supporters, he also has nonbelievers-naysayers who question his talent and criticize everything from his singing to his videos-especially the West-directed “Best I Ever Had” clip. But Drake isn’t phased by them. “When people really listen to the album, I think they’ll say, ‘There’s some really interesting songs on here, really interesting lyrics, really interesting layers,’ ” he says. “It’s very reflective, very personal, but at the same time, it’s fun. It’s about my induction into the rap game, into Hollywood, having famous people who are friends with me. It’s all very overwhelming.”
