Last week, Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter Aubrey “Drake” Graham announced the release of his first written publication, a poetry book ironically named Titles Ruin Everything. As an influential figure in contemporary pop music, Drake has been credited with popularizing the new wave of hip-hop. By combining flavors of R&B with his versatile voice, singing in both the tenor and baritone ranges, Drake’s music singles, mixtapes, and albums became sensations among modern rappers. Today, the now 36-year-old is among one of the world’s best-selling music artists, selling over 170 million records. But will he be just as successful as he crosses over to the literary sphere? Let’s take a closer look at his brand-new book of poetry!
Drake, Rapper Turned Poet
Aubrey Drake Graham, also known as Drake, Champagne Papi, Drizzy, 6 God, and OVO, was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Canada. When he was just a small child, Drake’s parents divorced. Although primarily raised by his mother, Drake spent the summer months with his father, a Memphis-based drummer who occasionally played with Jerry Lee Lewis. During this time, Drake dreamt about his own future fame. But he couldn’t see himself behind a microphone or playing an instrument on a stage, under the lights; instead, Drake wanted to see his face on television screens as an actor.
At the age of 15, Drake’s wishes came true. In 2001, he was cast as Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star, in Degrassi, a Canadian television drama about the joys and agonies of high school. While Drake began to check his childhood dreams off his bucket list, he also began to experiment with music and rapping. As a 20-year-old, Drake self-published his first mixtape, Room for Improvement. Later, in 2007, he released Comeback Season with the single “Replacement Girl,” featuring Trey Songz. As Drake’s fame and exposure grew in the music world, he decided to pour all of his focus into rapping. After season seven of Degrassi, which premiered in 2008, Drake left the show and began to work on music full-time.
Drake’s musical breakthrough came in 2009 with the release of his mixtape So Far Gone and its hit single “Best I Ever Had.” Soon after, large music labels began a bidding war for rights to Drake’s music. Ultimately, he made the decision to sign with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment. Later that year, Drake’s new label put out the mixtape as an EP. It won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year, and Drake was named New Rap Artist of the Year.
Since the release of his first EP, Drake has put out internationally-acclaimed albums, including Thank Me Later (2010), Take Care (2011), Nothing Was the Same (2013), If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (2015), Views (2016), and more. From these albums, Drake won five Grammy Awards from 51 nominations. He also won a record 29 awards from 81 nominations at the Billboard Music Awards, including Artist of the Decade.
Titles Ruin Everything: A Stream of Consciousness by Aubrey Graham and Kenza Samir
Even with his mountain of accomplishments, Drake refuses to stop looking toward the future. Over a year ago, he teased the publication of a potential poetry book on his radio show, Table for One, for the first time. But now, as of Saturday, June 24, Champagne Papi can also add the title “Poet” to his resume. Drake released the news on his Instagram the day before. Under the image of his royal blue book, the title written in large, block letters, Drake expressed his pride. “I don’t know if I have ever wanted people to buy or support something more in my life,” he captioned the post.
Drake co-wrote Titles Ruin Everything with Kenza Samir, his longtime friend and songwriting collaborator. According to the publisher’s website, Phairdon, the 168-page book is filled with one-liners and never-before-seen poems about love and fame. The book is also available on Drake’s official website for $19.95.
If you’re more interested in Drake’s music than his lyrical and poetic expertise, don’t be disappointed. While promoting Titles Ruin Everything in newspaper ads, Drake included a secret QR code. After scanning, Drake fans arrive at a website with the following message: “I made an album to go with the book. They say they miss the old Drake girl don’t tempt me. FOR ALL THE DOGS.” A release date has yet to be mentioned.
Here at Bookstr, where pop culture meets the love for books, we love learning about influencers brave enough to break the boundaries between art forms. So, congratulations, Drake! We hope to see Titles Ruin Everything on our bookshelves soon!
Do you classify yourself as both a bibliophile and a music connoisseur? If so, click here to explore books with music playlists recommended by their authors!