By Jessica Wheeler, AliveTampaBay Columnist
AliveTampaBay looks back to an article first published on Aug. 25, 2016 just before his Aug. 2016 appearance in Tampa.
Drake is one of music’s biggest stars, and he’s coming to Tampa’s Amalie Arena Saturday. In honor of this can’t-miss show, here are five things to know about everyone’s favorite Canadian rapper.
1. He saw major success with his very first album.
After releasing three highly praised mixtapes, Drake became the subject of a record label bidding war, before signing with Young Money Entertainment. After several delays, he released his debut album, Thank Me Later, in 2010. It debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and featured several hit singles.
2. He got his start on Degrassi: The Next Generation.
In 2001, Drake was cast on the beloved teen drama in the role of Jimmy Brooks. He played the character until 2007. On the show, Jimmy Brooks is a star athlete who is shot by a classmate, landing him in a wheelchair.
https://youtu.be/bV-K9CTQHhY
3. He’s (kind of) responsible for YOLO.
While he didn’t invent the phrase, YOLO (You Only Live Once) was popularized in the United States largely through Drake’s song “The Motto.” He later apologized for the now-ubiquitous acronym during the opening monologue of Saturday Night Live.
4. He holds many music industry records.
With the release of his fourth solo album, Views, Drake held the top single and top album spot simultaneously for eight weeks, besting the previous record of seven weeks held by Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. He also has more number ones on the Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts than any other artist.
5. He’s pretty well-known for his dance moves.
When he released the video for his single “Hotline Bling” in 2015, it drew immediate attention for Drake’s unconventional dance moves. The video (and Drake’s moves) were parodied on SNL, in internet memes, by Drake himself in a Super Bowl ad, and most recently by Seth Rogen during a Lip Sync Battle segment on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.