Arthur House

Drake’s progress

For a man with the world at his feet the rapper found an impressive number of things to complain about

issue 11 February 2017

Those poor Canadian rappers. Hailing from a country with a functioning benefits system, sensible firearms restrictions and relatively harmonious race relations, it must be a job convincing people of their authenticity. Aubrey Drake Graham, however, has risen above this cruel accident of birth — in Toronto, to a white Jewish mother — to become not only one of the world’s most respected rappers, but its biggest pop star too.

For a man with the world at his feet, Drake manages to find an impressive number of things to complain about in his lyrics, from fickle friends to the administrative headache of paying two mortgages. But if the approval of others is all he really needs, he certainly got it at a sold-out O2.

Drake was a magnetic stage presence from the off, running and jumping his way through openers ‘Trophies’ and ‘Started from the Bottom’.

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