The reason Lil Wayne saw potential in “ultimate artist” Drake
As the founder of Young Money (YMCMB), Lil Wayne helped several artists launch their careers. From Nicki Minaj to Tyga, many former Young Money MCs have gone on to achieve an unfathomable amount of success. However, Drake has become the most renowned.
Drake was an actor before becoming a rapper. As an actor, he played the role of Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi and was on an upward trajectory. However, choosing to focus on music full-time, Drake released his mixtape Room for Improvement in 2006. He quickly followed up with Comeback Season in 2007 and So Far Gone in 2009. With so much buzz surrounding him after his 2007 project, he got signed by Lil Wayne to Young Money.
However, Lil Wayne only signed him because he saw a fantastic amount of potential in the Scorpion creator and during a 2022 appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast, the Louisiana legend explained the exact moment he saw a star-in-the-making.
While speaking with the hosts Brandon Marshall, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, PacMan Jones and Omar Kelly, Wayne explained that he had seen him on the Ambush DVD but didn’t take him seriously until one of his close associates actually presented him with Drake’s music.
Recalling the first time he listened to the Toronto native properly, Wayne explained, “That’s when I saw way more than just potential. When Drake’s music was brought to me from the homie Jas, it was about rap. I was like, ‘This dude sound different.’ What I loved about him, he was sounding just as dope as we were.”
He then recalled giving Drake some advice before he actually went ahead with signing him, recounting, “I told him, ‘You could make working in the cubicle — you know how to make that the dopest thing in the world. Don’t stop.’”
However, what truly stopped Wayne in his tracks was when he found out Drake could sing. Akin to many fans, he had never heard a fusion of hip-hop and R&B delivered so effortlessly. Remembering the moment he heard Drake harmonising on a track, Wayne continued, “Then one day I heard, ‘[singing voice].’ Like, ‘What the f*ck was that?’ I remember asking Mack [Maine] who that is [singing] on the hook?”
Lil Wayne expressed that when he brought Drake on the Young Money tour, even before fame, he was packing out venues, telling the hosts, “You gotta be the ultimate artist. My homie could do two nights when he hits your city.”
After the success of ‘Bedrock’, Drake was introduced to the world. However, it wouldn’t be until he released his debut album, Thank Me Later, that people would be exposed to the incredible talent of the 6ix God.