Drake

Hip-hop’s newest young star Drake is gaining popularity and momentum faster than anyone could have expected. Just a year ago, the Toronto native traveled around the country hoping someone would hear his music. Now, the 22-year old rapper/singer is signed to Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money – Universal Record label. With the success of his mixtape So Far Gone, Drake has emerged as an artist with a unique sound and is set to release his first studio album titled Thank Me Later in early 2010.

Drake is a young icon at the forefront of the newest generation of hip-hop music and culture. But what may be most interesting about this young artist is his cultural background. Aubrey Graham was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, is an African-American from Memphis, Tennessee who was a drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis in the 1960’s. He is the nephew of Larry Graham, a bass player in the psychedelic funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and Teenie Hodges, the lead guitarist for Al Greene in the 1970’s. Drake clearly comes from a rich musical background. His parents divorced when he was young and he grew up primarily with his mother, a white Jewish Canadian, in the suburbs of Toronto.

Growing up around a predominantly Jewish subculture may not directly translate into an ear for hip-hop music, but that didn’t stop Drake from gaining the exposure he needed. In an interview with HipHopCanada.com, Drake said that he credits much of his appreciation for music to his summer trips in Memphis when he would spend time with his father and soak up the Tennessee culture. “We have a very deep musical background. My grandmother, who passed away in Memphis, used to baby-sit Louis Armstrong. [My dad] ran in that circle of great musicians, and [he] has many stories,” Drake commented in the interview.

Through his interviews, it is clear that Drake considers himself just as African-American as he is Jewish-Canadian. In an interview with Peter Rosenberg, Drake talks about how he grew up in a Jewish community and had a Bar Mitzvah, but he readily identifies with both cultures. “You’re doing something I could never do: You’re being Black and Jewish,” Rosenberg laughs in his interview with the rapper. Although meant to be comical, Peter Rosenberg’s comment about Drake is genuine. Drake is able transcend cultural boundaries and generate a large fan-base. He has been able to bring hip-hop culture to Toronto, while sharing his unique background with hip-hop culture.

Drake’s Interview with Peter Rosenberg

Drake doesn’t exemplify the stereotypical black rapper by using excessive profanity and vulgar themes. However, he is very different than Matisyahu, a popular Hasidic Jewish reggae musician. Drake shows how the blending both cultures can surpass boundaries and generate popular music. “I don’t want to limit my music to people based on their race and/or age. That’s why I don’t really put a lot of swearing in my music. I want everybody to be able to enjoy it. Being bi-racial and being young along with being American and Canadian [allows me to] try and cover all the bases and expand my fan base to a level that has yet to be seen. I think with the right person and the right music, people from all walks of life can come together. I know that’s what my life was about. I’ve seen it all, so that’s what I want to bring to the table.”

Jared Barchus

In December 2008, XXL Magazine released an issue titled “The 10 Freshman: Hip Hop’s Class of ’09 Attacks”. This issue highlighted ten up-and-coming artists who were bringing a unique sound and swagger to hip-hop culture. Although many of these artists are not signed to major record labels, they have spread their musical talent through mixtapes via the Internet. Some of these artists include Kid Cudi, Charles Hamilton, Wiz Khalifa, and Drake.

“The Freshman 10” XXL Magazine Cover

Kid Cudi – “Up, Up, and Away”

So what makes the “Hip-Hop Class of ‘09” so unique? What distinguishes artists like Kid Cudi and Charles Hamilton from other hip-hop artists, such as Kanye West or Ludacris, is their willingness to incorporate new and rich styles of music into their songs. Many of these artists break conventional rules of rap music and incorporate influences from R&B, Jazz, and Rock styles of music. Many of these artists sample sounds from popular Rock groups or R&B singles and add their own twist to the music. Many of these artists emphasize harmony throughout many of their tracks, bringing somewhat of an Alternative element to compliment their lyrical content. Even techno music has found its way into hip-hop culture. Wiz Khalifa, a 22-year Pittsburgh native, generated a great deal of Billboard attention in 2008 with his techno-inspired singles “Say Yeah” and “Make it Hot”.

Wiz Khalifa – “Say Yeah” Music Video

Many listeners tend to enjoy music by these artists because they feel that they can relate to these artists and the themes in their lyrics, such as college life, spending time with friends, or being in love with someone else. Essentially, many of these artists are typical young adults who wear the same clothing, watch the same television shows, and experience the same lifestyles as most other young hip-hops fans. Just a few years ago, Scott Mescudi, who goes by the stage name Kid Cudi, was a struggling high school dropout from Cleveland, Ohio who moved to New York City to pursue a hip-hop career. Several years and a few mixtapes later, Kid Cudi burst onto this hip-hop scene through his collaborations with Kanye West and Common. Aubrey Graham, better known as Drake, has been able to gain the attention of the hip-hop universe by using his Myspace page and personal blog as a way to spread his sound. Drake, a Toronto-born singer/rapper, caught his first buzz in 2006 when he released a mixtape on his Myspace page and blog. He gained the attention of Lil’ Wayne and recently signed a record deal with the rap superstar over the summer. The 22-year old has gained a large fan-base in such a short period of time that he has been labeled one of the brightest up-and-coming stars.

Drake – “Fear”

Many of these artists do not create songs that emphasize lifestyles filled with cars and women or perpetuate violence because most of them do not represent that culture. However, many of these young artists do have the tendency to accentuate their affinity for marijuana. It is not uncommon to see these artists performing shows on college campuses, malls, parks, nightclubs, or any other readily accessible location for young adults.

The hip-hop music of the “Class of ‘09” will continue to grow as more people become aware of their talent and potential. The future of hip-hop culture is filled with optimism.

Jared Barchus