Drake is a Canadian rapper and singer who started as an actor in the series Degrassi: The Next Generation, then released his first mixtapes in 2006 and his first album, Thank Me Later, on June 15, 2010. He co-founded the label OVO Sound and has 15 number one albums on the Billboard 200, according to Billboard (chart dated May 30, 2026). His most recent project is the trio of albums Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour, released on May 15, 2026.
At a glance
- Beginnings: Jimmy Brooks in Degrassi: The Next Generation (season 1 aired from October 14, 2001), then mixtapes in 2006, 2007 and on February 13, 2009 (So Far Gone).
- First album: Thank Me Later, on June 15, 2010. Most recent: Iceman, on May 15, 2026.
- Joint projects: Future (2015), 21 Savage (Her Loss, November 4, 2022), PARTYNEXTDOOR (Some Sexy Songs 4 U, February 14, 2025).
- Label: OVO Sound, co-founded with Noah “40” Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib.
- Records (Billboard, chart dated May 30, 2026): 15 number one albums on the Billboard 200, 14 number one songs on the Hot 100.
- Legal case: lawsuit against UMG dismissed on October 9, 2025; appeal hearing scheduled for December 4, 2026.
Drake in 10 dates
From television to the first mixtapes
Drake plays Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation, whose first season aired from October 14, 2001. According to Wikipedia, he is part of the main cast for seasons 1 to 7 and returns as a guest in season 8; Vice places his time on the show between 2001 and 2009.
Music then takes over. He self-releases the mixtape Room for Improvement in 2006, then Comeback Season in 2007, before putting So Far Gone online on February 13, 2009. That same year he signs with Young Money Entertainment, Lil Wayne’s label. His first studio album, Thank Me Later, comes out on June 15, 2010 and enters at the top of the Billboard 200.
Drake discography: albums, mixtapes and playlists
The main projects, in release order. The “Billboard 200” column gives the best position in the United States; a dash means the position is not used here. Dates are those of the North American release.
| Title | Release | Type | Billboard 200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room for Improvement | 2006 | Mixtape | - |
| Comeback Season | 2007 | Mixtape | - |
| So Far Gone | February 13, 2009 | Mixtape | - |
| Thank Me Later | June 15, 2010 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Take Care | November 15, 2011 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Nothing Was the Same | September 24, 2013 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late | February 12, 2015 | Mixtape | No. 1 |
| What a Time to Be Alive (with Future) | September 20, 2015 | Collaborative mixtape | No. 1 |
| Views | April 29, 2016 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| More Life | March 18, 2017 | Playlist | No. 1 |
| Scorpion | June 29, 2018 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Care Package | August 2, 2019 | Compilation | No. 1 |
| Dark Lane Demo Tapes | May 1, 2020 | Mixtape | No. 2 |
| Certified Lover Boy | September 3, 2021 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Honestly, Nevermind | June 17, 2022 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Her Loss (with 21 Savage) | November 4, 2022 | Collaborative album | No. 1 |
| For All the Dogs | October 6, 2023 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Some Sexy Songs 4 U (with PARTYNEXTDOOR) | February 14, 2025 | Collaborative album | No. 1 |
| Iceman | May 15, 2026 | Studio album | No. 1 |
| Habibti | May 15, 2026 | Studio album | No. 2 |
| Maid of Honour | May 15, 2026 | Studio album | No. 3 |
On May 15, 2026, three albums came out on the same day and hold the top three spots on the Billboard 200 dated May 30, 2026: Iceman (463,000 album-equivalent units), Habibti (114,000) and Maid of Honour (110,000). Habibti received an expanded edition, Habibti (FOMO), on October 2, 2026, with four additional tracks.
Drake’s records: charts, source and measurement date
| Record | Measured | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 number one albums on the Billboard 200, tied with Taylor Swift among solo artists | Chart dated May 30, 2026 | Billboard |
| First artist to hold the top three spots on the Billboard 200 | May 30, 2026 | Billboard |
| 20 top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, more than any other rap act (Future: 18) | May 30, 2026 | Billboard |
| 14 number one songs on the Hot 100, a record for a solo male artist (the 14th is “Janice STFU”) | Hot 100 dated May 30, 2026 | Billboard |
| 402 songs in total on the Hot 100, including 42 in the same week (previous record: 37, Morgan Wallen, chart of May 31, 2025), and 90 top 10 songs | May 30, 2026 | Billboard |
| 7 number one albums in the United Kingdom; first artist to place three studio albums in the top 10 at once | Chart published May 22, 2026 | Official Charts Company |
| 16 number one albums on the Canadian albums chart, the most in its history | May 30, 2026 | Billboard Canada |
| 244 million certified digital single units in the United States, the highest total for an artist | April 17, 2024 | Guinness World Records (RIAA data) |
These figures change every week: only the measurement date counts. The RIAA total dates from April 2024.
OVO Sound and NOCTA: the label and the fashion line
OVO Sound was co-founded by Drake, the producer Noah “40” Shebib and the manager Oliver El-Khatib. A distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records was signed in 2012, the year the label was created according to XXL (Wikipedia gives 2009 for the founding of OVO). Drake’s recent albums come out on OVO Sound and Republic Records; OVO has also released PARTYNEXTDOOR.
On January 23, 2024, Santa Anna Label Group, a joint venture of Sony Music and Todd Moscowitz, announced an investment and a partnership with OVO Sound, which stays an independent label distributed by Santa Anna.
On the fashion side, Drake leads the OVO clothing label and the NOCTA collaboration with Nike, announced on December 3, 2020. See also our article NOCTA x L’Art de L’Automobile.
Drake’s tours: the main dates
| Tour | First date | With | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Sixteen Tour | July 20, 2016, Austin | Future | Announced in April 2016 with 32 dates (Pollstar); schedule extended afterwards. |
| 2018 tour | August 12, 2018, Kansas City | Migos | Opening night reported by The Fader on August 13, 2018. |
| It’s All a Blur Tour | July 5, 2023, Chicago | 21 Savage | Announced on March 13, 2023; dates changed afterwards (Pollstar). |
| Big as the What? (continuation of the It’s All a Blur Tour) | February 2, 2024, Tampa | J. Cole | Announced on November 13, 2023; start planned for January 18, 2024 in Denver, then postponed. |
| Anita Max Win Tour | Early February 2025, Perth | - | 12 shows in Australia (Wikipedia). The 4 remaining dates were postponed on February 26, 2025, then cancelled on July 29, 2025 (Billboard). |
According to NOW Toronto, no tour had been announced on September 1, 2026, after the release of Iceman.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar in 2024: songs and release dates
Public facts, in release order and without judging the content of the songs. Dates are US East Coast dates: some European outlets date certain songs one day later.
| Date | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| March 22, 2024 | “Like That”, from We Don’t Trust You | Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar |
| April 19, 2024 | “Push Ups” | Drake |
| April 30, 2024 | “Euphoria” | Kendrick Lamar |
| May 3, 2024 | “Family Matters” | Drake |
| May 3, 2024 | “Meet the Grahams” | Kendrick Lamar |
| May 4, 2024 | “Not Like Us” | Kendrick Lamar |
| May 5, 2024 | “The Heart Part 6” | Drake |
| July 4, 2024 | “Not Like Us” music video | Kendrick Lamar |
“Not Like Us” debuted at the top of the Hot 100 dated May 18, 2024. The song won five Grammys on February 2, 2025, including record of the year and song of the year. The songs are covered in the articles listed at the end of the page.
Legal case: where does the lawsuit against UMG stand?
What follows is limited to public documents and the specialist press, as of October 22, 2026. Each party’s arguments are presented as such.
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| January 14, 2025 | A Drake company withdraws the pre-action petition filed in New York in November 2024 against UMG and Spotify (Billboard). |
| January 15, 2025 | Drake sues UMG Recordings for defamation and harassment in a New York federal court. Kendrick Lamar is not a party to the case. Drake argues that UMG promoted “Not Like Us” knowing that some statements were false; UMG replies that the lawsuit threatens artists’ creative freedom. |
| October 9, 2025 | Judge Jeannette Vargas dismisses the lawsuit: the contested statements are opinion, not verifiable facts, in the context of a rap battle (ABC News). |
| October 29, 2025 | Drake files a notice of appeal (Music Business Worldwide). |
| January to April 2026 | Briefs are exchanged before the federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (docket no. 25-2758). Drake argues the rule set is too broad; UMG replies that a diss track signals opinion. |
| December 4, 2026 | Hearing scheduled before three judges (clerk’s notice of September 18, 2026, reported by Music Business Worldwide). |
No appeal decision was known on October 22, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
How did Drake start his career?
As an actor, playing Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation, which aired from October 14, 2001. He then released mixtapes in 2006, in 2007 and on February 13, 2009.
What is Drake’s first album?
Thank Me Later, released on June 15, 2010 and entering at the top of the Billboard 200.
How many number one albums does Drake have?
He has 15 on the Billboard 200, according to Billboard (chart dated May 30, 2026), tied with Taylor Swift among solo artists. The most recent is Iceman.
Which projects did Drake make with other artists?
What a Time to Be Alive with Future (September 20, 2015), Her Loss with 21 Savage (November 4, 2022) and Some Sexy Songs 4 U with PARTYNEXTDOOR (February 14, 2025).
What is OVO Sound?
The label co-founded by Drake, Noah “40” Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib. It signed a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2012 and partnered with Santa Anna Label Group (Sony Music) on January 23, 2024.
What are the dates of the songs traded with Kendrick Lamar in 2024?
“Like That” (March 22), “Push Ups” (April 19), “Euphoria” (April 30), “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams” (May 3), “Not Like Us” (May 4) and “The Heart Part 6” (May 5).
Where does Drake’s legal case against UMG stand?
The January 15, 2025 lawsuit was dismissed on October 9, 2025. Drake appealed and the appeal hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2026.
Read next
- Analysis of Kendrick Lamar’s diss tracks aimed at Drake
- Drake answers Kendrick Lamar with “THE HEART PART 6”
- Kendrick Lamar releases the “Not Like Us” video
- The NOCTA x Nike Tech Fleece 2023 collaboration
Sources
- Billboard Canada, Iceman, Habibti et Maid of Honour aux n° 1, 2 et 3 du Billboard 200 (classement du 30 mai 2026)
- Billboard Canada, Drake premier artiste à 400 titres au Hot 100 (classement du 30 mai 2026)
- Billboard Canada, Drake dépasse Michael Jackson au Hot 100 avec « Janice STFU »
- The Source, « Janice STFU » n° 1 du Hot 100 (27 mai 2026)
- Billboard Canada, records de Drake aux classements canadiens (mai 2026)
- Billboard Canada, Some Sexy Songs 4 U n° 1 du Billboard 200 (classement du 1er mars 2025)
- Billboard Canada, For All the Dogs n° 1 du Billboard 200 (classement du 21 octobre 2023)
- Official Charts Company, Drake place trois albums studio dans le top 10 (22 mai 2026)
- Official Charts Company, page artiste Drake
- Guinness World Records, artiste de singles numériques le plus vendu aux États-Unis (17 avril 2024)
- Wikipédia, Drake
- Wikipédia, discographie de Drake (albums)
- Wikipédia, Iceman
- Wikipédia, Habibti
- Wikipédia, Some Sexy Songs 4 U
- Wikipédia, Jimmy Brooks (Degrassi: The Next Generation)
- Wikipédia, Degrassi: The Next Generation
- Vice, Drake et le documentaire sur Degrassi (2025)
- uDiscover Music, Drake
- Wikipédia, OVO Sound
- XXL, OVO Sound et Warner Bros. élargissent leur partenariat (3 mai 2017)
- Music Business Worldwide, OVO Sound et Santa Anna (23 janvier 2024)
- NSS Magazine, la collection NOCTA de Drake et Nike (3 décembre 2020)
- Pollstar, Summer Sixteen Tour annoncée (25 avril 2016)
- The Fader, première date de la tournée avec Migos (13 août 2018)
- Pollstar, tournée It’s All a Blur annoncée (13 mars 2023)
- Variety (via Yahoo), ouverture de l’It’s All a Blur Tour (6 juillet 2023)
- Wikipédia, It’s All a Blur Tour
- The Fader, tournée Big as the What? annoncée (13 novembre 2023)
- Consequence, report du début de la tournée 2024 (16 janvier 2024)
- Wikipédia, Anita Max Win Tour
- Billboard Canada, Drake annule les dates reportées en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande (juillet 2025)
- NOW Toronto, aucune tournée annoncée (1er septembre 2026)
- Wikipédia, Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud
- Wikipédia, Not Like Us
- Wikipédia, Euphoria (Kendrick Lamar)
- Fox 11 Los Angeles, « Euphoria » (30 avril 2024)
- NME, « The Heart Part 6 » (6 mai 2024, heure britannique)
- Complex, « Not Like Us » n° 1 du Hot 100 (13 mai 2024)
- XXL, « Not Like Us » remporte cinq Grammys (2 février 2025)
- Billboard Canada, Drake retire sa requête new-yorkaise contre UMG et Spotify (janvier 2025)
- Billboard Canada, Drake poursuit UMG pour diffamation (15 janvier 2025)
- ABC News, la plainte de Drake contre UMG rejetée (10 octobre 2025)
- Music Business Worldwide, Drake dépose un appel (29 octobre 2025)
- Music Business Worldwide, audience d’appel fixée au 4 décembre
- DancehallMag, appel de Drake, audience en décembre (12 octobre 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026. Charts: Billboard (chart dated May 30, 2026) and Official Charts (May 22, 2026). Legal case: status known as of October 22, 2026.
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