Tag Archives: So Far Gone

Drake Helps 40 Celebrate 30th B’day During 2 Chainz Studio Session

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By Nermene Fakhr

Thursday (March 28) was Drake’s producer and engineer Noah “40” Shebib’s  30th birthday and the rapper surprised his right-hand man with a pair of birthday cakes at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, where 40 was in a session with 2 Chainz.

With Drake’s father, Dennis Graham, singing “Happy Birthday,” and the YMCMB rapper’s latest song, “5AM In Toronto” playing in the background, 40 was all smiles, thanking Drake for the surprise, the love and the appreciation. With Drake and his crew there saying a few words for Shebib, 3 Little Digs was in the studio to catch the surprise birthday cake session.

40, who is also a Toronto native like Drizzy, helped to cook up the rappers breakout tape So Far Gone in 2009 and also his 2011 album Take Care. Drake went back to basics when choosing 40 to produce and co-produce 15 out of the 20 tracks on the album. Take Care, debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart, and has gone platinum ever since all thanks to 40, who as Drake says “is the whole reason I’m standing here right, he helped us out a lot so I just wanted to surprise him.”

Drake’s VMA ‘Take Care’ Vid Claws Its Way To Top: Zookeepers Weigh In

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LOS ANGELES — Love is powerful: It’s a message Drake has sent through his music since his 2009 breakout tape, So Far Gone, and one he continues to hammer home in his 2012 Video of the Year-nominated clip “Take Care” with Rihanna.

Not only does the Yoann Lemoine-directed vid feature rich camera shots and graceful choreography — it also has some amazing animal imagery. So before the VOTY winner is announced live at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards tomorrow night, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT, MTV News reached out to Rick Schwartz, the ambassador for the San Diego Zoo, for a little background on the bull, blue jay and Siamese fighting fish that star alongside pop’s two big icons in “Take Care.”

According to Schwartz, each of the three animals depicts power, especially the bull. “The cinematography of the video focuses initially on the horns, and I think in general bulls have always represented strength and power,” he said.

The second animal to appear in the video is a blue jay, an iconic bird that Drake is definitely familiar with, seeing as how his native Toronto has adopted the animal for its Major League Baseball team.

“It’s not just a baseball team; the species is also indigenous [to Toronto],” Schwartz said, laughing and noting that the feathered beauty is extremely territorial. “It’s definitely a bird he’d be familiar with, and anybody who’s had one of those birds in their backyard or interacts with animals knows they can be very aggressive.”

The betta or Siamese fighting fish is the third animal to star, and just like their name suggests, they can be a handful. In the wild, the betta are known to spar, but in “Take Care,” Schwartz said they do more of a dance that is closely intertwined with the rest of the video’s choreography.

“You really look at what [Drake's] saying in that song, his message to [Rihanna], how she responds, if you will. I think the messaging in the music and the song reflects with those animals,” Schwartz pointed out. “I think they did a really great job with it; they chose some really great animals to bring that message across.”

But is it enough for Drake to beat out Katy Perry (“Wide Awake”), Gotye (“Somebody That I Used to Know”), Rihanna (“We Found Love”) and M.I.A. (“Bad Girls”)? You’ll have to tune in to see.

The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards are set to go live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. But before it all goes down, don’t miss our “Jersey Shore” special “Gym, Tan, Look Back” at 6 p.m. and our pre-show with Demi Lovato at 7 p.m.! And head over to VMA.MTV.com to vote on Best New Artist and Most Share-Worthy Video!

Akon Passed On Signing Drake, Kardinal Offishall Says

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Akon sure has an ear for top-notch talent; just ask T-Pain and Lady Gaga. Still, even the best music execs miss out from time to time, and on Wednesday’s “RapFix Live,” Kon’s buddy Kardinal Offishall revealed the “Locked Up” singer’s most notable miss.

“The biggest one that he passed on, I told him about Drake early,” Kardi revealed. “I said, ‘Kon, this kid is a T.V. star… and this kid is crazy.’ “

Kardinal, like Drizzy, hails from Toronto, but was able to establish himself as a notable rap talent years before Drake broke out with 2009′s So Far Gone.“I had met him years before he started with his first mixtape,” Offishall said. “The thing that’s dope about Drake is that I remember, like he was just hungry because he wanted to make that transition from the acting to the rapping.”

Kardi recalled a specific meeting where the OVO spitter played him an early mixtape, which he was instantly impressed with. The two even collaborated on “The Last Hope,” a song off of Drake’s 2007 mixtape Comeback Season. It would take a number of years, but by the time Drake officially arrived with So Far Gone, there was little doubt that he was going to be huge. “After he blew, I went back and said, ‘See Kon, I told you,’ ” Kardinal said. “But it’s one of those things that worked out beautifully for Drake with YMCMB. He’s got a good camp.”

Where do you think Drake’s career would be today if he had signed with Akon? Let us know in the comments!

Drake And 2 Chainz Perform ‘No Lie’ On Club Paradise Tour

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Drake touched down in Houston last night for the opening of his Club Paradise tour, and he pulled out all the stops. Rick Ross dropped in as the surprise performer of the night to perform “Stay Schemin,” but Meek Mill, French Montana and 2 Chainz were also on hand to perform. Watch 2 Chainz perform his new single “No Lie” with Drake above.

“Like I say in the song, ‘Me and Chainz go way back,’ that’s no lie,” Drake recently told MTV News from 2 Chainz’s video shoot in Los Angeles. “I spent a lot of my early days with Young Money on the road with 2 Chainz. We definitely built a rapport. It’s great to see him at the top of his game right now. The world loves him and it’s well deserved. He’s a hardworking guy.”

Back then, 2 Chainz was known as Tity Boi, one-half of the Atlanta duo Playaz Circle, and he was riding high off of the group’s stand-out Lil Wayne-assisted single “Duffle Bag Boy.” Drake, on the other hand, hadn’t yet broken through; he spent significant time with the YMCMB team before dropping his 2009 classic So Far Gone.

“This record is just the first time that we’ve got to work, and within the first few days the feedback has been incredible,” Drizzy said of “No Lie,” which was released on May 1.

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Drake Explains Early Friendship With 2 Chainz

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By Rob Markman

2 Chainz and Drake have a great working relationship at this point–2 Chainz is currently joining Drake on his Club Paradise tour, while Drake is featured on “No Lie,”  the first single from 2 Chainz’s Def Jam debut Based on a T.R.U. Story–but their friendship actually dates back a few years.

“Like I say in the song, ‘Me and Chainz go way back,’ that’s no lie,” Drake recently told MTV News from 2 Chainz’s video shoot in Los Angeles. “I spent a lot of my early days with Young Money on the road with 2 Chainz. We definitely built a rapport. It’s great to see him at the top of his game right now. The world loves him and it’s well deserved. He’s a hardworking guy.”

Back then, 2 Chainz was known as Tity Boi, one-half of the Atlanta duo Playaz Circle, and he was riding high off of the group’s stand-out Lil Wayne-assisted single “Duffle Bag Boy.” Drake, on the other hand, hadn’t yet broken through; he spent significant time with the YMCMB team before dropping his 2009 classic So Far Gone.

“This record is just the first time that we’ve got to work, and within the first few days the feedback has been incredible,” Drizzy said of “No Lie,” which was released on May 1.

“I’m excited about the record — I feel like it’s another anthem,” 2 Chainz said of his debut’s official first single, before putting it in context with his previous mixtape singles. “It’s like a ‘to be continued’ of what I did with ‘Spend It‘ and ‘Riot’ and just bring that energy back to the scene.”

The two wasted no time preparing the video, shooting it only two days after the song was dropped to the public. “Director X is shooting the video and it’s great, a lot of beautiful women,” Drake said of the temperature on set. “It’s definitely a performance video. X took more of an artistic approach. Everybody’s looking good — it’s gonna be great.”

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Drake Breaks Down His ‘Rapport’ With 2 Chainz

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2
Chainz and Drake have developed quite the camaraderie. Not only are the two currently touring together on Drizzy’s Club Paradise run, the Toronto MC also provides the hook on Deuce’s new single, “No Lie,” off his upcoming debut album, Based on a T.R.U. Story. But their relationship dates further back than fans may actually know.

“Like I say in the song, ‘Me and Chainz go way back,’ that’s no lie,”
Drake recently told MTV News from 2 Chainz’s video shoot in Los Angeles. “I spent a lot of my early days with Young Money on the road with 2 Chainz. We definitely built a rapport. It’s great to see him at the top of his game right now. The world loves him and it’s well deserved. He’s a hardworking guy.”

Back then, 2 Chainz was known as Tity Boi, one-half of the Atlanta duo Playaz Circle, and he was riding high off of the group’s stand-out Lil Wayne-assisted single “Duffle Bag Boy.” Drake, on the other hand, hadn’t yet broken through; he spent significant time with the YMCMB team before dropping his 2009 classic So Far Gone.

“This record is just the first time that we’ve got to work, and within the first few days the feedback has been incredible,” Drizzy said of “No Lie,” which was released on May 1.

“I’m excited about the record — I feel like it’s another anthem,” 2 Chainz said of his debut’s official first single, before putting it in context with his previous mixtape singles. “It’s like a ‘to be continued’ of what I did with ‘Spend It‘ and ‘Riot’ and just bring that energy back to the scene.”

The two wasted no time preparing the video, shooting it only two days after the song was dropped to the public. “Director X is shooting the video and it’s great, a lot of beautiful women,” Drake said of the temperature on set. “It’s definitely a performance video. X took more of an artistic approach. Everybody’s looking good — it’s gonna be great.”

Are you excited to see 2 Chainz and Drake together in the “No Lie”
video? Tell us in the comments!

Drake Kicks Off New Club Paradise Dates,Teases OVO Fest Lineup

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By Rob Markman

Drake kicked off the latest leg of his Club Paradise Tour in Concord, LA this week with Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, Waka Flocka Flame and French Montana. ”I tried to put together a tour that consisted of … everybody that you hear in your spare time,” Drake told MTV News from the set of 2 Chainz’s “No Lie” video in L.A. before the tour. “These are the guys that are currently on the top of the game, so I tried to bring ‘em all out [for] one night. And that’s why the tour’s called Club Paradise, because I want it to feel like you’re gonna hear every song that you wait to hear in the club.”

The Young Money star had a number of surprises. For starters, he brought out his buddy the Weeknd to perform their collabo “Crew Love,” and then he made way for his mentor, Lil Wayne. Together they rocked their Bay-inspired jam “The Motto” — twice.

The current leg of the Club Paradise Tour will run through June and will take Drake to some of his favorite cities, including Houston, Atlanta and Las Vegas (or “Houstatlantavegas” as he so affectionately referred to the trio of party towns on his 2009 breakout So Far Gone mixtape). Those stops are special for him although, Drizzy told us he doesn’t get to spend as much time visiting them as he’d like to.

“It’s sad because I love those places, so I wanted to bring something real special and I’ve got all these guys looking amazing onstage and set changes for everybody,” Drake said. “It’s gonna be really great.”

As focused as he is on the task at hand, however, the Toronto rapper can’t help but look forward to his upcoming third his annual OVO Fest. Last July, Drake brought Stevie Wonder, Weezy, Rick Ross and Nas to perform at yearly hometown concert in Toronto; the year before that he welcomed Jay-Z and Eminem. He isn’t ready to announce the 2012 lineup just yet, but the “Headlines” MC promises a well-rounded mix of musical guests.

“The lineup this year is kinda a mash-up of everybody,” Drake said, hinting that some of his Club Paradise collaborators will be in attendance, as well as the Weeknd. “That’s the most important show of the year to me, OVO Fest, so I’m hoping that we really make it special this year.

“The premise of OVO Fest is you never know who you gonna see,” he teased.

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Drake Teases Musical ‘Mash-Up’ At Next OVO Fest

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The Bay got quite the treat on Monday night when Drake rolled into Concord, California’s Sleep Train Pavilion for the latest leg of his Club Paradise Tour. It was a memorable kickoff for not only Drizzy, but his some of his tourmates, too, as 2 Chainz, Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill and French Montana joined him.

“I tried to put together a tour that consisted of … everybody that you hear in your spare time,” Drake told MTV News while on the set of 2 Chainz’s “No Lie” video in L.A. just before the tour. “These are the guys that are currently on the top of the game, so I tried to bring ‘em all out [for] one night. And that’s why the tour’s called Club Paradise, because I want it to feel like you’re gonna hear every song that you wait to hear in the club.”

The Young Money star had a number of surprises. For starters, he brought out his buddy the Weeknd to perform their collabo “Crew Love,” and then he made way for his mentor, Lil Wayne. Together they rocked their Bay-inspired jam “The Motto” — twice.

The current leg of the Club Paradise Tour will run through June and will take Drake to some of his favorite cities, including Houston, Atlanta and Las Vegas (or “Houstatlantavegas” as he so affectionately referred to the trio of party towns on his 2009 breakout So Far Gone mixtape). Those stops are special for him although, Drizzy told us he doesn’t get to spend as much time visiting them as he’d like to.

“It’s sad because I love those places, so I wanted to bring something real special and I’ve got all these guys looking amazing onstage and set changes for everybody,” Drake said. “It’s gonna be really great.”

As focused as he is on the task at hand, however, the Toronto rapper can’t help but look forward to his upcoming third his annual OVO Fest. Last July, Drake brought Stevie Wonder, Weezy, Rick Ross and Nas to perform at yearly hometown concert in Toronto; the year before that he welcomed Jay-Z and Eminem. He isn’t ready to announce the 2012 lineup just yet, but the “Headlines” MC promises a well-rounded mix of musical guests.

“The lineup this year is kinda a mash-up of everybody,” Drake said, hinting that some of his Club Paradise collaborators will be in attendance, as well as the Weeknd. “That’s the most important show of the year to me, OVO Fest, so I’m hoping that we really make it special this year.

“The premise of OVO Fest is you never know who you gonna see,” he teased.

Will you catch Drake on the Club Paradise Tour? Let us know in the comments!

d3866 spotted Drake Teases Musical Mash Up At Next OVO Fest

Justin Bieber, Drake ‘Going On The Same Journey’

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Justin Bieber and Drake started bubbling to the top of the music-industry surface around the same time. While Drake had already had a career on the small screen on “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” it was his rap game that would solidify him as an international star. Just as Drizzy was trying to carve out his path in the world of hip-hop several years ago, Bieber began posting videos on YouTube under the moniker KidRauhl.

Somewhere along the way, the two got famous and became besties. And now, as Bieber nears the June 19 release of his new album, Believe, he explained what it’s like to traverse the sometimes murky waters of celebrity with his friend by his side.

“I mean, it’s crazy because we both are kind of going on the same journey on different sides of the world,” the pop star told MTV News. “I think it’s so cool because we kind of both get what each other go through and he’s able to give me different pieces of advice and I’m able to tell him how to treat a lady. I’m just kidding.”

While both have gained tons of fame and fortune, back in 2009 the hype around these two Canadians was at a fevered pitch. Bieber was readying the release of his buzzy debut, My World, and Drake was dropping his star-making EP, So Far Gone.

While some have come and gone in the years since, the excitement hasn’t quieted down around Bieber and Drake. In fact, as both performers gain more and more momentum in their careers, it seems their friendship has only grown stronger. For Bieber’s next album, the pals decided to take their friendship to the next level with a collaboration.

“We talk about everything,” Bieber said of their recording session. “He’s a great guy and super-talented, and his melodies are crazy. When we go into the studio, he’ll go in the booth and he’ll do some melodies and we’ll write. If I’m in the studio there’s not really any time to mess around. It’s always different, but always [there to] get the work done.”

Bieber confirmed that the Drake collaboration definitely made the cut and that he’s still working on getting already-recorded collaborations with romantic rival Kanye West, Usher and Taylor Swift on the album as well.

Drake’s Third Album Will Be Influenced By Move To Los Angeles

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By Rob Markman

By the time Drake drops his third album, fans should expect that his musical content will have evolved far from what he put out on his breakout 2009 mixtape So Far Gone. His sophomore LP Take Care certainly showed growth from 2010′s Thank Me Later, and so the pattern will continue on his next project, Drake says.

“I think that my mood will be reflected in the tempos that I choose for the music,” Drake said of his next LP during a press conference call Tuesday. “A lot of Take Care, it’s down, a lot of it’s down and I think a lot of that had to do with being back home in Toronto and getting reacquainted with the life I had before and the difficulties of that, but at the same time trying to express excitement and trying to express joy.”

Though he still keeps a place in his native Toronto, Drake has recently moved to L.A. The relocation has already sparked musical ideas for the Young Money star. “There’s just so much going on for me in the U.S. that I recently made the move to L.A.,” he said. “It’s a new atmosphere, getting to know new people. It’s going to be a very interesting album.”

Drake told MTV News that with Take Care, he was telling a story inspired by his 2009 track “Houstatlantavegas.” On the song, Drake created a fictional world, describing a love affair with an ambitious stripper who can’t quite get out of the life. “It was a world that was very much real to me, but I created it in my mind. It was a world that, being a kid from Toronto, I used to look at from the outside and I used to be like, ‘Man that looks crazy,’ ” he told us. “All those strip clubs and all those nightclubs and the drinks and the girls and the fame.”

Things have evolved in the months since he released Take Care. ”Now I’m kind of in a very, very, very, very different place than I’ve ever been,” Drake said. “I think it will be conceptually one of the best projects that I’ve ever worked on because there’s so many new things going on in my life. Everybody knows when it’s new, that’s when I thrive.”

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