My dad’s prison cellmate inspired me to rap – Drake
Were you always into music? Drake: As far as music goes, it’s always been a major part of my life. My uncle is Larry Graham played bass for Prince, my father, Dennis Graham, wrote for Al Green. [He helped] write Let’s Stay Together and Love & Happiness. My dad drummed for Jerry Lee Lewis. I’ve […]
Were you always into music?
Drake: As far as music goes, it’s always been a major part of my life. My uncle is Larry Graham played bass for Prince, my father, Dennis Graham, wrote for Al Green. [He helped] write Let’s Stay Together and Love & Happiness. My dad drummed for Jerry Lee Lewis. I’ve always been around great music. How I got into rapping was, my dad was in jail for two years and he shared a cell with this dude who didn’t really have anyone to speak to. So, he used to share his phone time with this dude and at the time I was probably 16 or 17, this dude was like 20-22, and he would always rap to me over the phone. After while I started to get into it and I started to write my own shit down. And after a while, he would call me and we would just rap to each other. And after my dad got out I kept in touch with the dude and kept writing my shit down and eventually I learned from meeting people who were into music, too, the art of making a song and I accepted the fact that I wanted to be in music.
Not too many people know about the rap scene out in Canada. How’s the atmosphere out there? Is everyone cool and supportive of each other?
Drake: I’m cool with everyone out here. One thing I’ll say is, as of late, with everything that’s been happening, we’ve really started to support each other, which is just great. A lot of people have reached out to me and said they’re proud of what I’m doing, and I’m proud of what a lot of these guys are doing. I think we do have talent up here.
Listening to your earlier mixtapes, as well as So Far Gone, a constant theme seems to be the notion that “All That Glitters Ain’t Gold.” It seems like you try to be honest and downplay the rapper lifestyle, like when you talk about buying a Phantom but regretting it.
Drake: Yeah, well, to be even more honest, I leased a Phantom instead of buying one, ’cause I didn’t have enough money to buy a Phantom, I leased a Phantom because that’s what I thought I needed to do. And I’ve done a lot of things to just enjoy my nights a little more and to feed my ego.
How’d exactly did you wind up meeting Weezy?
Drake: My friend Jazz Prince’J Prince of Rap-a-Lot’s son’he played Wayne a couple of my songs and Wayne called me when I was in the barber chair getting a haircut, and he was like, “Dude, I just heard two songs from you and you got a whole CD here, I don’t even need to hear anymore, I just need you here right now, can you get to Houston?” So I came out the next night. That was my first time in Houston and the culture and the city was so overwhelming. I felt like I hit Houston and got my swag back. I was single, I was with Wayne and it was Houston, I was going nuts, it was fun to me.
There was also a rumor going around that you ghost-write for Wayne.
Drake: [Laughs] You know, we’re all great artists, great minds, and we all just contribute to each other, there’s been times when Wayne has helped me out, and I’m sure, I hope, I’ve influenced him to do or say things on tracks.
What gadgets can’t you live without?
Drake: Blackberry is one that I cannot be without. Anything that has to do with Mac, I’m a Mac head. That’s it, my Blackberry and my computer. Navigation in a car is a big one. I’m not really a gadget person.
Complex.com