Like Jay Z once said, "a rapper ain't a businessman, he's a business, man." Many might argue that Drake is not a true entrepreneur but more of a musical artist. However, by definition of entrepreneurship, an approach to any problem or need that is creative, innovative, original, or that eludes traditional ways, Drake is very clearly an entrepreneur. From starting a record label to creating a bourbon brand, continuing his ventures and starting a highly successful clothing brand, there's nothing stopping him. Born October 24, 986 in Toronto, Aubrey Drake Graham, also known as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor and entrepreneur. He started writing songs when he was just ten years old. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Drake originally began his fame with a Canadian television series called Degrassi. But in 2008, the producers of the show decided to eliminate Drake's character. He has not given up on his dreams of making it big in the entertainment industry, as he has remained determined and consistently dedicated to releasing music on the music streaming site. Later in 2008, Drake received an unexpected phone call from fellow rapper Lil Wayne, founder of Young Money Entertainment, who asked him to be part of his Carter III tour (Rathore, 2018). In 2009, Drake signed a contract with Young Money Entertainment, marking his first steps towards commercial fame. Around this time he released his EP "So Far Gone" and reached number 6 in the US charts. In 2010, he releases his debut album "Thank me Later", featuring such familiar artists as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj and many others. This album really showcased the talent he had curated over the past few years and gave audiences an outline of what to expect from subsequent albums. In 2011, he made another album called “Take Care,” and to this day it is still a globally loved album containing some of his best work. Also, this year, he decided to make an impact on pop culture and popularized the word YOLO. In 2013 he won his first Grammy for best rap album with 'Take Care'. He subsequently won two more Grammys, 15 Billboard Music Awards, three Junos, two Mobos, two VMAs, and numerous other smaller awards (Embly, 2018). OVO Sound was a record label founded by Drake and 40 in 2012 following the success of his album "Nothing Was the Same". OVO clothing was launched in 2011 during its second OVO Fest. The apparel was originally only seen on family and friends, he teamed up with the roots and released tour varsity jackets that retailed for $500 USD and was available exclusively to select retailers, garnering a following of fans and collectors who increasingly wanted more of his goods. This later led him to open a flagship store in Toronto and then the United States. Now almost everything on his online site is always sold out, no matter what time of year, and the prices of his goods are far from cheap. Drake's business plan was not to use cheap quality fabrics and sell them at Macy's to make millions, but to represent a clothing brand with high values and standards as it is still a brand he represents (Babcock, 2015). Virginia Black Whiskey was Drake's first spirits venture. A bourbon created by Brent Hocking with Drake having some shares in the company, this was his way of making even more money as his goal is to be recognized in Forbes magazine. Throughout his career to date.
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