Drake was a special guest today on the MTV talk show to talk his new deal, Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, and even a pre-ceaser cut clip from Degrassi : The Next Generation. Jump to 3:23 to take a sneak peak at the clip for the Yeezy directed, “Best I Ever Had.”

Thanks to Rap Radar

Born Aubrey Graham, Drake recently told Billboard that his label choice would have to be an extension of his personal brand, saying, "Just know that whatever label we sign to it'll be because they'll add to what we've created on our own…The most important thing for me is being around my team — they are stronger than any label."

Drake is currently putting the finishing touches on his debut album, Thank Me Later. The record is expected out before the end of the year, and might feature contributions from Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z.

Source: Exclaim News

Source: October’s Very Own

Unrelated to Drake Michael Jackson, the self-anointed “King of Pop” who revolutionized music but whose legacy was marred by allegations of child molestation and bizarre behavior, died after suffering cardiac arrest Thursday. He was 50 years old.
The Los Angeles Fire Department was called to Jackson’s residence at 12:26 p.m. P.T., according to the Los Angeles Times. Paramedics performed CPR on Jackson, who was not breathing when they arrived at his home. He was rushed to LA Medical Center, just six miles from his home.

“For a long time he was unquestionably the most famous person on the planet,” Jed Hilly, the executive director of the Americana Music Assocation, told ABCNews.com.

Chris Connelly, an ABC News contributor, was one of the last people to interview Jackson, and said today that the pop star was “determined to convey that he had greater things ahead of him.”

“The word he spoke with the greatest emphasis was the ‘More!’ that he exclaimed when I asked if he could still do all his famous moves and hit all those notes at the age of 50,” said Connelly of his August 2008 phone interview with Jackson.

Connelly asked Jackson if he had received his AARP membership, a question that garnered a laugh from the star.

“In an all-too-short life that in so many ways was filled with enigmatic emotions, or troubling ones, his laugh sounded fresh, clear and altogether genuine,” said Connelly. “If only there had been more of those.”

RIP

“No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow,” Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend sent to his telephone. “It’s like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died.”

Watch video here

Souce: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

In just the past two weeks:

June 6: Drake’s managers say they plan to sue Canadian Money Entertainment for selling an unauthorized album, The Girls Love Drake, which features selections from So Far Gone.

June 7: His unscheduled cameo at Hot 97 FM’s annual summer concert at Giants Stadium is thunderously received. It’s considered an anointing by the Big Apple’s hip-hop cognoscenti.

June 10: At the Black Eyed Peas’ CD release party in NYC, Drake is photographed with singer Rihanna, fuelling rumours that they’re an item. He has said they are friends, collaborating on her next album.

June 14: Kanye West directs the video for Drake’s “Best I Ever Had.” Jay-Z and Common are spotted on the New York set.

June 15: It’s announced that Drake is going back on tour with Lil Wayne (the pair hit the Molson Amphitheatre Aug. 4), and will appear on the lead single for Jay-Z’s forthcoming album. The same day, he performs on The Tonight Show alongside Jamie Foxx.

June 16: Complex magazine nominates So Far Gone the third best album so far of 2009.

June 18: Drake is named as an MMVA presenter.

Read the rest of the article here

Aubrey “Drake” Graham arrives at the MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday night in Toronto, Canada. The rapper/actor is a native of Canada and is expected to drop his debut album later on this year.

Some people are starting to say his music is a little bit over-exposed and that he is already falling into the industry hype. I guess time will tell.

Source: DirtyWood

As we previously reported, there have been rumors and even people saying they have confirmed that up-and-coming rapper Drake will be featured on the first single from Jay-Z and his “Blueprint 3″ album. Well now the Canadian rapper has come forward to say that he’s not sure if his collab with Jigga will be a single. “The Jay thing, I don’t now how official that is. I just read that on the Internet. But it’s cool. I’m glad the work I’m doing is something that people are even considering putting out as a single. ‘Cause singles, you have to be confident in those songs when you’re talking about singles. It’s great. I’m glad that I’m delivering for people.”

Drake also went on to talk about his recent collaboration with Mary J Blige. “The Mary thing was set up as a single,” Drake said on the set of the “Best I Ever Had” video in Brooklyn a few days ago.
Drake Talks Mary J Blige & Jay-Z Collabs

“Drake is the new movement, man. You gotta think about what this kid has done, man. To have records on a mixtape, and then the next thing you know he’s on top of the charts. And every time you mention him, people go crazy,” Foxx told MTV News. “I’ve had the chance to meet Drake and listen to his music. The volumes of music he’s producing makes him a strong force that’ll be around for a very long time. Because usually, when you see an artist of today, they do one thing — maybe they perform a song or do a great hook — but you seldom see a guy who can walk a song, all from the R&B end, and then to be on a track with Bun B … and Bun B, he doesn’t get on tracks with people unless it’s really legit … so I’m actually honored to have him on a track called ‘Digital Girl,’ and we will be working with each other in the future.”

( source )

Best I Ever Had is now available on iTunes.

A recently released unauthorized album featuring Canadian rapper Drake will be the focus of a new lawsuit the entertainer plans to file.

Drake is planning a lawsuit against Canadian Money Entertainment over the release, titled The Girls Love Drake.

The unauthorized album, which was released May 28 by Canadian Money, includes songs from Drake’s mixtape, So Far Gone, as well as other tracks.

It was distributed by the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon.

According to Drake’s manager, Al Branch, Drake or his affiliated label Young Money is associated with the album.

Currently, the rapper is at the center of a major bidding war between three major record labels.

At the heart of the suit are uncleared samples for So Far Gone and two other mixtapes.

Drake’s camp has gone on record saying it did not authorize The Girls Love Drake.

A chief concern for Branch involves Young Money or October’s Own, Drake’s label, potentially being sued because the mixtape samples have not been legally cleared for use.

Artists sampled for the mixtapes include rapper David Banner as well as singers Goapele and Colin Munroe.

Source: All Hip Hop

DJ Skee took to Twitter to say that the first official single from Blueprint 3 will be “On That,” featuring Drake. Jay wasn’t asked and didn’t speak on that song, but he did talk a little bit about the album’s feel.

“The vibe I’m on is, stripping it down and bringing it back classic,” Jay said. “I hear people, I gotta get back in my square and really let people know what time it is really quick.”

Source: MTV

He is arguably the most talked about up-and-coming artist since Kanye West and 50 Cent and he is focused on making the best music with the best people. “Everybody is looking for this one joint with me and Jay, so that needs to happen,” Drake says.

Although Drake continues to build his rep, he says the one person he seeks advice from is Lil Wayne, the head of his Young Money crew.

“Wayne is another one that — rap-wise, verse-wise — was my favorite,” he said. “And to be under his wing, to be able to interact with him on a daily basis and talk to him and get information from him — I’m in a blessed position. I have the greatest mentors, the greatest teachers in the world. They all have gradually started to embrace me more and more, so it’s a great feeling.”

In related news, Drake is rumored to be in the middle of big bidding war as he is currently not signed to a major label. Although its believed that Drake will probably sign with Universal due to their relationship with his Young Money crew, sources have told news outlets that three majors are in possibly “one of the biggest bidding wars ever.” It is rumored that an undisclosed company has offered Drake $2 million to join their ranks.

Source: Rap Basement