Since its initial release in 2011, the UK-based crime drama Top Boy has been integral to Black-British media. Set in London, the show featured many rappers in acting roles, including the likes of Kano and Asher D. However, Drake had the biggest impact on the show.
The intense drama was exciting and had terrific plot twists. However, the show’s subject matters and storylines were not relatable to vast swathes of the UK population, and, as such, after only two series, the broadcaster Channel 4 decided not to commission another series, effectively ending the programme.
Fans were disappointed that it wouldn’t return, but no one predicted that one of those fans would be the Grammy-award-winning rapper Drake. With his massive platform and enormous celebrity profile, the musician (real name Aubrey Graham) began spreading awareness about the show via Instagram. Before long, new fans overseas asked Channel 4 why they had cancelled such a great drama.
Drake’s endorsement of Top Boy, turned many oblivious individuals into avid fans of the show, and with its popularity growing as a result, various networks were looking to pick it back up.
Top Boy eventually found a home at Netflix, with Drake serving as its executive producer. However, many who worked on the show said Graham’s involvement was minimal but were extremely grateful for his dedication to getting the series back on screens.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, renowned young actor Micheal Ward explained, “[Drake] supports us in terms of promoting the show and letting people know about it because his reach, as well as Netflix’s reach, is just global. It really helps to allow audiences that we’ve never really been in tap with before to have access to this.”
By Drake spreading awareness of the show on Instagram, the ‘God’s Plan’ rapper created a worldwide demand for the show that would not have existed without him. Although figures such as Ashley Walters and others were fighting to get it recommissioned following its cancellation, Drake brought Top Boy back from the brink.
You can hear Drake speaking about the series’ revival in the video below.
