Drake
Mixtape Daily: Jay Electronica, Yelawolf, Drake, More
by on Feb.26, 2010, under Drake
Leave a Comment more...
Mixtape Daily: Yelawolf, Drake, LeBron James, More
by on Feb.25, 2010, under Drake
Photo: Ghet-O-Vision Ent.
Related Artists
Mixtape Daily: Drake, LeBron James, Lil Wayne, More
by on Feb.24, 2010, under Drake
Leave a Comment more...Drake Is ‘Great For Music,’ LeBron James And Magic Johnson Say
by on Feb.24, 2010, under Drake
‘Drake is bringing a lot to the table,’ Johnson tells Mixtape Daily.
By Shaheem Reid
Drake and LeBron James
Photo: canvascleveland.com
Celebrity Favorites
Drake coached a basketball team in his “Best I Ever Had” music video, and he recently had a chance to call plays with NBA legend Magic Johnson during the NBA All-Star Game festivities in Dallas.
Drake and Magic’s team beat the squad coached by Alonzo Mourning and assistant coach Mario Lopez. Common, Chris Tucker and Pitbull were among the celebs who played with athletes such as Rick Fox, Chris Mullin and Terrell Owens.
Magic, an NBA Hall of Famer, said working with Drake earned him cool points at home.
“Drake is bringing a lot to the table, man, with a young audience,” Magic said in Dallas. “He’s from Toronto. I think he’s bringing it hard and heavy, you know? My daughter said I was cool because I was coaching with him instead of him coaching with me. All right, thank you!”
Meanwhile, LeBron James is like all of us, waiting on Drizzy’s Thank Me Later debut. Put aside the fact that they both endorse Sprite or that Drake’s “Forever” was the highlight of James’ “More Than a Game” film soundtrack — #23 said the Toronto MC is just gifted.
“Unbelievable recording artist,” LeBron said of Drake. “Unbelievable talent. I’m looking forward [to] his first LP. I think we all got So Far Gone and all the mixtapes he’s come out with. But he’s an unbelievable talent. He’s great for everybody, great for music.”
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Related Videos
Related Artists
Drake Says Thank Me Later Influenced By Nas, Andre 3000
by on Feb.23, 2010, under Drake
‘I went back and really studied Nas and Andre 3000 and then came back with this album,’ rapper said about forthcomuing debut.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Drake
Photo: Tyrone Kerr/ FilmMagic
Drake has plenty of people onboard to give him advice on the process of recording his major-label debut album, Thank Me Later. There’s Lil Wayne, of course, his lyrical mentor. And Kanye West, who the Toronto MC said has been his biggest musical influence. Jay-Z, in interviews, has even gone on record relaying some tips to the upstart rapper.
According to Drake, though, the former “Degrassi” actor sought out the audio work of Nas and OutKast’s Andre 3000 to help inspire the work on his project. “I went back and I really studied Nas,” Drake explained in a video recorded over the weekend and posted online on Monday (February 22) . “Nas was somebody that I used to listen to his raps and never understood how he did it. I always wanted to understand how he painted those pictures and his [rhyming] bar structure. I went back and really studied Nas and Andre 3000 and then came back with this album.”
Thank Me Later is due later this year on Young Money/Universal Records. In the spring, the rapper will kick off a headlining, eco-friendly tour to promote the album.
The album will be Drake’s first solo project since 2009’s So Far Gone, the dark mixtape that featured the breakout hit “Best I Ever Had.”
While the Young Money cohort has been mum about his plans for the follow-up, he did reveal his debut would be more upbeat in comparison to his mixtape. “It’s gonna be bigger, it’s gonna sound happier,” he said. “More victorious, ’cause that’s where I’m at in my life.”
Related Artists
Drake: Next Kanye West Album Will Be ‘One Of The Best Of Last 10 Years’
by on Feb.19, 2010, under Drake
‘Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,’ the young MC says of working with the superstar producer/rapper.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Drake in <i>GQ</i> magazine
Photo: Paola Kudacki/GQ
Drake is hard at work on his forthcoming major-label debut and has tallied some time in the studio with Kanye West, so far, among others.
The So Far Gone rapper revealed to GQ that he’d spent some time in Hawaii recently with West working on his album as well as the Chicago superstar’s next effort.
The Lil Wayne protégé may be hip-hop’s next big thing, but he told the magazine — which featured the Toronto native in a dress-shirt selection photo spread — when it comes to dividing ‘Ye’s attention between both projects, it’s not exactly a 50/50-type thing.
“More like we work on his album until he gets tired,” Drake joked about the process. “His album is going to be one of the best hip-hop albums of the last 10 years.”
The 808s & Heartbreak rapper has had a huge influence on Drake’s career, even before they collaborated on the shoot for “Best I Ever Had” — last year Drake spoke to MTV News about West’s work, which he credited with shaping his own career.
“Before I ever got the chance to meet him, Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,” Drake said. “We always, always, always took the time to listen to Kanye’s music and appreciate it beyond. We searched the samples and we find out where his inspiration came from, because he has one of the best ears in music, period. He knows how to recognize great music that’s not his. He knows how to utilize great sounds and great music. So before I met him, I had the utmost respect for Kanye West. I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most influential person, as far as a musician, that I’d ever had in my life.”
West has kept a low profile in recent months following his stunt involving Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. And although his behavior has been admonished, West remains popular among his fans, ranging from kids to adults. The range in West’s fanbase is something Drake has also been praised for, which the younger MC credited to the combination of his foul mouth and clean image.
“I say ‘bitch’ and sh— like that, but I’m parent-approved,” he said, poking fun at himself. “Parents are like, ‘That’s an intelligent young man, that Drake.’ ”
Do you think Kanye West’s next album will be one of the best ever in hip-hop history? Who do you think will have the better album: Drake or Kanye? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com!
Related Artists
Justin Bieber Bowls With Drake, Ludacris In ‘Baby’ Video
by on Feb.19, 2010, under Drake
New clip features the 15-year-old showing off his skills to win back a girl.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber on the set of his video for “Baby”
Photo: MTV News
There’s probably no better way to win back your first love than by showing off your bowling skills, your celebrity pals and your dance moves. At least that’s what Justin Bieber attempts to do in his just-released “Baby” video, which premiered online on Friday (February 19).
With a cameo by fellow Canadian Drake and Ludacris, who also raps on the track, the video is a sugary-sweet story of the 15-year-old Bieber trying to win back a girl who is clearly reluctant to give him another chance. What did he do wrong? Perhaps we’ll never know, but during the clip we see him doing everything he possibly can to win her back.
MTV News was on set with Bieber earlier this month, and the young superstar explained the story. “It starts off, I really like this girl, but we didn’t [get] along; we couldn’t be together,” he said. “Basically I want her back and [I'm] kind of going through the whole thing. I’m chasing her around, trying to get her, and she’s kind of playing hard to get, but I’m persistent. I keep going.”
Does he bowl a good game? Check. Does he dance for her? Check. Does he goof around with both Drake and Luda? Double check. Ludacris told MTV News that the video is meant to be a 2010 version of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and the choreography does use a few of Jackson’s less-suggestive moves.
Although most of the video takes place in the bowling alley, there are also scenes of Bieber in other settings, hanging out with Luda, doing the moonwalk, messing with his hair and mugging for the camera. Regardless of his lady’s apparent frustration with him, Bieber eventually wins her over. The video concludes with the pair walking off into the night holding hands.
What do you think of Justin Bieber’s new video? Tell us in the comments below?
Related Artists
Sade On Drake Collabo: Thanks But No Thanks
by on Feb.17, 2010, under Drake
‘I’ve never collaborated because I’ve always avoided working outside my safety zone,’ she says.
By Hillary Crosley, with additional reporting by MTV News staff
Drake
Photo: MTV News
Grammy-nominated rapper Drake has not only become a well-known star without releasing an actual album, he’s also already worked with music vets Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem.
But one collaborator still eludes him. Drake named British singer Sade as one of the artists he hoped to work with on his forthcoming debut, Thank Me Later.
“Sade not only embodies a lot of class, her brand is so strong and she’s such an amazing woman, but the melody she chooses to use and her voice has that dark, sexy feel that a lot of So Far Gone has,” Drake told MTV News last month. ” ‘Lust for Life,’ the ‘Houstatlantavegas,’ ‘The Calm’ — those all remind me of ‘Sade moments.’ I’ll call them ‘Sade moments,’ where you hear it, it hits you, and you feel something. When Sade’s ‘King of Sorrow’ comes on, you feel it, consistently. So I just want to try to experiment and see if there’s a way to bring her into the hip-hop world. I’m kinda scared. I don’t want it to be that moment that everybody’s like, ‘Whoa, that shouldn’t have happened.’ So it’s really got to be calculated for the right moment. … Hopefully there will be a great Drake and Sade record for people to listen to, and hopefully it’ll be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Sade, however, who recently released her 10th album, Soldier of Love, after a decade-long haitus, isn’t planning to take Drake up on his offer anytime soon.
“I don’t think they have contacted me,” Sade, 51, told Canada’s National Post. “I’ve never collaborated because I’ve always avoided working outside my safety zone — I can be exactly who I am and can fail or succeed within the moment. I feel safe working like I do. I wouldn’t want to work in a situation where I am expected to deliver, because I think I wouldn’t deliver.”
Drake’s Thank Me Later is now tentatively slated for a March release with appearances in the works from Andre 3000, Eminem and Jay-Z, among others. The Young Money MC will also headline 25 cities on his Away From Home Tour, beginning April 6, where he will be implementing an eco-friendly policy throughout the run. The tour will stop at 15 college campuses along the way, including Penn State, Michigan State and University of Central Florida.
Related Artists
Will Drake Make The Cut For XXL ‘Freshmen 10′ Issue?
by on Feb.13, 2010, under Drake
Editor in Chief Vanessa Satten talks about the upcoming issue, which highlights hip-hop’s next big stars.
By Shaheem Reid
Drake
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Last month, 10 up-and-coming MCs started getting fresh like it was their first day of school. They had to be camera-ready to shoot the annual “Freshmen 10″ issue of XXL magazine. The special edition of the publication has become a hip-hop tradition, as they give the nod to 10 mic masters they feel will be the next big stars.
In 2008, names like Saigon, Lil Boosie and Plies made the cut, while last year, B.o.B, Charles Hamilton, Wale and Asher Roth graced the cover. Other members of the ‘09 class were Kid Cudi, Ace Hood, Curren$y, Blu, Mickey Factz and Cory Gunz.
XXL Editor in Chief Vanessa Satten said the editorial staff started deciding the 2010 class two months ago. Besides their own research, they also took recommendations from the magazine’s editors at large and freelance writers.
“It’s always interesting to assemble the guys, because you don’t know what kind of vibe you’re gonna get,” Satten said about the photo shoot. “The first [class in 2008], they were kinda brooding. They were kind of boring on the actual shoot. The second one, they were exciting. This year, we didn’t know what to expect from them, because the first two [classes] were so opposite of each other. You never know what you can expect when you get those 10 rappers together. It could be pretty much anything.
“You’re not dealing with divas like you normally do with a bigger cover,” she added. “But at the same time, you’re dealing with people who’ve got these insecurities, who are not used to the situation and not as recognizable. You gotta get them to be a bit more animated and be a little bit more interesting so the photos could be spectacular. It’s a little different when you put a bigger star on the cover.”
Satten played it close to the vest when asked who some of the names were, but she did say the new set is different from ‘09.
“Last year, in general, the class was more Internet-driven,” she said. “It was kind of a different class. The office would make fun — it was more of a nerdy class. The rappers involved might get offended by that, but it was definitely to the direction of the Internet audience, the Internet rappers. This [new] class is a mix of that and a little bit more street. And more of hodgepodge.”
A question Satten said she hears a lot is whether Drake will be on this year’s cover. Some fans where shocked that was omitted from the ‘09 class. But as Satten pointed out, his So Far Gone mixtape came out just about the same time as the issue hit newsstands.
“As of right now, he doesn’t have an album,” Satten said of Drake. “But he is technically a freshmen to us. He might not think so or think he’s beyond that now.”
The “Freshmen 10″ issues lands on stands in March. Satten said there will be a DJ Whoo Kid mixtape to promote the issue sometime in the near future, as well as a party and a tour with some of the artists.
Related Artists
Will Drake Make The Cut For XXL ‘Freshman 10′ Issue?
by on Feb.12, 2010, under Drake
Editor in Chief Vanessa Satten talks about the upcoming issue, which highlights hip-hop’s next big stars.
By Shaheem Reid
Drake
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Last month, 10 up-and-coming MCs started getting fresh like it was their first day of school. They had to be camera-ready to shoot the annual “Freshman 10″ issue of XXL magazine. The special edition of the publication has become a hip-hop tradition, as they give the nod to 10 mic masters they feel will be the next big stars.
In 2008, names like Saigon, Lil Boosie and Plies made the cut, while last year, B.o.B, Charles Hamilton, Wale and Asher Roth graced the cover. Other members of the ‘09 class were Kid Cudi, Ace Hood, Curren$y, Blu, Mickey Factz and Cory Gunz.
XXL Editor in Chief Vanessa Satten said the editorial staff started deciding the 2010 class two months ago. Besides their own research, they also took recommendations from the magazine’s editors at large and freelance writers.
“It’s always interesting to assemble the guys, because you don’t know what kind of vibe you’re gonna get,” Satten said about the photo shoot. “The first [class in 2008], they were kinda brooding. They were kind of boring on the actual shoot. The second one, they were exciting. This year, we didn’t know what to expect from them, because the first two [classes] were so opposite of each other. You never know what you can expect when you get those 10 rappers together. It could be pretty much anything.
“You’re not dealing with divas like you normally do with a bigger cover,” she added. “But at the same time, you’re dealing with people who’ve got these insecurities, who are not used to the situation and not as recognizable. You gotta get them to be a bit more animated and be a little bit more interesting so the photos could be spectacular. It’s a little different when you put a bigger star on the cover.”
Satten played it close to the vest when asked who some of the names were, but she did say the new set is different from ‘09.
“Last year, in general, the class was more Internet-driven,” she said. “It was kind of a different class. The office would make fun — it was more of a nerdy class. The rappers involved might get offended by that, but it was definitely to the direction of the Internet audience, the Internet rappers. This [new] class is a mix of that and a little bit more street. And more of hodgepodge.”
A question Satten said she hears a lot is whether Drake will be on this year’s cover. Some fans where shocked that was omitted from the ‘09 class. But as Satten pointed out, his So Far Gone mixtape came out just about the same time as the issue hit newsstands.
“As of right now, he doesn’t have an album,” Satten said of Drake. “But he is technically a freshman to us. He might not think so or think he’s beyond that now.”
The “Freshman 10″ issues lands on stands in March. Satten said there will be a DJ Whoo Kid mixtape to promote the issue sometime in the near future, as well as a party and a tour with some of the artists.
Related Artists
