0 MTV Presents: Drake: "Better Than Good Enough" (Documentary)

MTV and Radical Media (The same folks who brought you Jay-Z's "Fade To Black" DVD) chronicle the last 4 months of pandemonium leading up to Drake's "Thank Me Later", from the actual making of the album, to its first week sales. Parts 2 & 3 After The Jump

Part 2

Part 3

Props MWP

0 Drake's "Thank Me Later" Moves 463K Units It's First Week

According to Hits Daily Double, Drake's debut album was able to sell 462,989 copies it's first week, placing him just beneath "gold" status here in the U.S. However, "Thank Me Later" has already been certified "Platinum" in Canada! Congrats to Drake!!

"Just remember where I live, 50,000's goin' gold" - Drake

0 The Making of Drake's "Thank Me Later"

The good folks at Complex Magazine reached out to the A&R's, producers and artists involved in the making of Drake's "Thank Me Later". The article offers the unique stories behind each track featured on one of 2010's most anticipated albums.

"The Resistance"

Produced by: Noah "40" Shebib
Noah "40" Shebib: “1da did some programming for me on that. I probably did that beat maybe a little bit before February/March. I really only make beats for Drake. I worked with Alicia [Keys], but I really only worked with Alicia because me and Drake wanted to work with her. I work with Wayne, but because obviously that’s family. And that was a circumstance where Drake loved [’I’m Single’] and he sent it to him and then Wayne was like, ’Yo, I’m stealin’ this. I’m takin’ this.’ So I’ve worked with a few other people indirectly via Drake, but at the end of the day, he’s really the only person I work with as far as being a producer. Obviously, I have ambitions to work with other people, but at the same time, that’s like my bother as well as a person I’m responsible for with my career so my main focus is his projects and his work. And, we’re probably going to start working on his next album, like, ASAP.

“We sat on ’Resistance’ for a while. There were a couple other beats as well where he was like, ’Maybe I’ll use this one instead, but I gotta rap. I have so much to say...’ Once I’d gotten it back from 1da, getting the hook to knock right with the drum programming and the chorus, then I was like, ’OK, cool. It works. I’m happy with it. Time to record.’

“[Drake sat on the beat] for about a month. As far as him having the beat and loving it and wanting to use it, but not being 100% on the production of it. And, also me just sort of working with it and tweaking it a little bit here and there. If that shit doesn’t sound perfect, there’s no point in him even going to the booth. He’ll leave for a half an hour for me to fix it. He’ll record a chorus and be like, ’Mix it and I’ll record my verses.’ Normally, I’ll mix it and it’ll sound like a million dollars and he goes, ’All right, perfect! That’s how it’s supposed to sound.’ And then he raps. He doesn’t waste very much of his energy. We really only have a couple records that we didn’t put on the album.“

"Show Me A Good Time"

Produced by: Kanye West
Co-produced by: No ID & Jeff Bhasker
Noah "40" Shebib: "’Show me a Good Time’ was the last record we put on the album. It was like the top of May. We got that beat from [Kanye] when we were in Hawaii before Christmas. We were sitting on it. He knew he was going to use it. He just didn’t cut it because he waited until the very end of his process to do some of the 'happier,' if you will, songs. He wanted more of the emotional material out of the way first. Then, he went to that place after. He wanted to do the ’Resistance’ and ’Fireworks’ first. Then he wanted to do ’Miss Me’ and 'Light Up.’ Then, he wanted to do ’Show me a Good Time’ and ’Up All Night.’ He cut it on the bus in New York. My assistant Noel Cadastre cut the record and sent me the files when I was in Atlanta mixing at Tree Sound Studios. Then I went back to New York for mastering, mixed it at Blast Off studios, and sent it back to ’Ye for approval."

"Fancy" f/ T.I. & Swizz Beatz

Produced by: Swizz Beatz
Co-produced by: Noah "40" Shebib
Noah "40" Shebib: "’Fancy’ was done in February. I think [Swizz and Drake] were going back and forth with some records. Then, Drake got on the phone with him like, 'Yo, I need something like this.' And Swizz starts playin’ some records for him over the phone. He was like, 'Oh, yeah. That’s the one. Perfect.' Then he hit me like, 'Yo, Swizzy played me this shit over the phone.' And, he sent it, and we were like, 'All right. Let’s do this!' Then Swizzy sent the session and said, 'Yo, tell 40 to add anything if he wants to add anything.' So I ended up doing the whole other B section on the record, which is some wild Drake shit. I have a feeling the first few minutes will play on radio, but the last few will be for the album. So I did the whole second half of the record. The third verse is when it becomes my production. We put T.I. on it later. Drake has a great relationship with Tip and really wanted him involved."

T.I.: "I met Drake when his manager and my potna Gee Roberson brought him to my hotel room in L.A. like a week before I was finna go [to jail]. It might have been a month earlier. We just chopped it up for a few hours. He was asking my advice on how to effectively remain relevant. Not really remain relevant, but how to do this shit and not lose passion for it. So, I gave the best advice I could. I just see him as someone who has a good idea of who they are and is not trying to pretend to be something they aren’t and you have to respect someone for that. ['Fancy'] was done recently. I just did it like three or four weeks ago. Drake sent it to his manager, and me and his manager speak a lot. It’s about girls who take pride in their upkeep."

Click Here For The Full Story

0 Industry Insiders Examine Whether "Thank Me Later" Will Sell A Million Copies It's First Week (Video)

The Good folks over at MTV gathered representatives from Vibe, XXL, The New York Times and more, to offer their thoughts & predictions on how many units Drake's "Thank Me Later" will move in the first week.

1 New Music: Drake Feat. Alicia Keys - "Fireworks" [Full/CDQ]

Another leak off "Thank Me Later", dropping June 15th!!! If you didn't catch it, in the 2nd verse, Drake speaks on his brief time dating Rihanna.

"Who could of predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me?"

Drake Feat. Alicia Keys - "Fireworks" [Full/CDQ]

0 New Music: Drake Feat. Young Jeezy - "Unforgettable" [CDQ]

DJ Self recently premiered this joint on the radio and thus we have a "radio rip". This record samples the late "Aaliyah's" "Let Me Know" and is Produced by Drake's right hand man, Noah "40" Shebib. This is on "Thank Me Later". Here is The CD Quality Version. "I just really hope [you think of me]... cause I'm trying to be... unforgettable"

Drake Feat. Young Jeezy - "Unforgettable" [CDQ]

1 Drake - "9 Am in Dallas" (Freestyle) x "Thank Me Later" Tracklist

Well lookey here! Drake woke up this morning & decided to hit us with a new track. This is NOT on Thank Me Later, but you can view the albums official track list below:

Drake – ‘9 Am In Dallas’ Freestyle (Prod. Boi-1da)

1. Fireworks (Feat. Alicia Keys) (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib)
2. Karaoke (Produced by Francis & The Lights)
3. The Resistance (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib)
4. Over (Produced by Boi-1da)
5. Show Me A Good Time (Produced by Kanye West)
6. Up All Night (Feat. Nicki Minaj) (Produced by Boi-1da)
7. Fancy (Feat. TI and Swizz Beatz) (Produced by Swizz Beatz)
8. Shut It Down (Feat. The Dream) (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib and Omen)
9. Unforgettable (Feat. Young Jeezy) (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib and Boi-1da)
10. Light Up (Feat. Jay-Z) (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib and Tone Mason)
11. Miss Me (Feat. Lil Wayne) (Produced by Boi-1da and Noah “40″ Shebib)
12. Cece’s Interlude (Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib)
13. Find Your Love (Produced by Kanye West)
14. Thank Me Now (Produced by Timbaland)

Props ATF

0 Drake Performs "You know, You Know" Verse

Continuing his "Away From Home" tour in San Francisco, Drake spit his verse to a song called "You Know, You Know" which was originally produced by Kanye West for "Thank Me Later", but didn't make the cut. Here Drake performs the verse over "Closer to My Dreams", with the help of Goapele.

"Half a million dollars later and my taxes paid, and I'm still spending money from my acting days" - Drake

Props ATF

0 Drake - "Find Your Love" (Music Video)

The official video for the 2nd single off "Thank Me Later", co-starring Maliah Michel and directed by Anthony Mandler.

0 "Thank Me Later" Album Artwork

Here is the official artwork for Drake's debut album. Once again, he recruits designer Darkie who also designed the artwork for "So far Gone" and yes, the cover is going to be in 3D. The album's official track-listing should be released soon.

Props ATF

0 New Music: Drake - "Find Your Love" (Prod. By Kanye West)

Kanye West comes through with the assist for the 2nd single off "Thank Me Later". Video should be dropping soon. "Thank Me Later" drops June 15th

Drake - "Find Your Love" (Prod. By Kanye West)

0 Drake Performs the 2nd Verse off "Fireworks"

Up until now, Drake had only performed the 1st verse off "Fireworks", which is the intro to his album "Thank me Later".

Previously | Drake - "Miss Me" (prod. Boi-1da) | Drake Perfoms "Fireworks"

Props ATF

0 New Music: Drake - "Miss Me" (prod. Boi-1da) [Tags]

According to Drake's camp, this is a rough and unfinished song off of "Thank Me Later". The finished version features Lil Wayne and you can watch a clip of Drake in the studio making the song by by clicking here. On a side note: Drake was recently in Jamaica shooting his second single "Find your Love" Produced By Kanye West.

Drake - "Miss Me" (prod. Boi-1da) [Tags]

Props Nahright

0 Drake - "Over" (Music Video)

The wait is "Over", here is the first visual for Drake's debut album.... Thank him later, Thank ME now. .....

0 Drake Perfoms "Fireworks" (Video)

While in Slippery Rock kicking off his "Away from home tour", Drake debuted a new song called "Fireworks", which happens to be the intro off of "Thank Me Later"(Which has been pushed back to June 15th). You can view alternate footage by Clicking Here.

"Money just changed everything, I wonder how life without it would go/ from the concrete who knew a flower would grow?/ looking down from the top & it's crowded below, my 15 minutes started an hour ago" - Drake

0 Drake Speaks On Finishing "Thank Me Later" + Gives Props To J. Cole

It appears Drake has finally wrapped up the recording process for "Thank Me Later" and so he took the time via his blog, to let fans know whats good and offer kudos to J. Cole, who I hear killed his show @ S.O.B's Last Night:

The sun just came out. I mean I haven't seen it yet cause I am in the studio but I know it did. So good morning. I am working on the last song for Thank Me Later. What a different journey it's been this go round. I wish I could share so much more with you but there are just too many new people involved who have dedicated their time to "the reveal". Should I just post the entire thing up now and say no the methods and yes to the mayhem???? Ha. I'd love too, but this is something special that I feel needs to be delivered to you in the way you deserve it to be. Remember the days of well thought out visuals, album thank you's, funk flex rants, all the things that came with the release of a new album, the things we'd look forward too...well I hope I can make you remember. I've worked hard on this body of work and I feel like every artist involved has given me their absolute best. I cannot wait till it's yours. The relief I will experience on release day will be euphoric. I look in peoples eyes and see not so much the doubt, but the uncertainty, the question that looms...and whatever the answer is I think we're both ready for it. These overwhelming moments are to be cherished. On that note fond readers, I will see u soon somewhere along the way. Mr. Walters pull the car around front...its time to go home.

"History will be kind to me...for I intend to write it"


- Winston Churchill

(I heard J Cole was incredible at SOB's tonight...mazel tov and enjoy the high my good man! )

OVO

0 Drake Ft. The-Dream – "Shut It Down" (Prod. By Omen & 40)

Off Drake's highly anticipated "Thank Me Later", looks like this one caters to the ladies....

Drake Ft. The-Dream – "Shut It Down"
(Prod. By Omen & 40)

Shouts To Shake

**I designed the cover art, it's unofficial as hell ....

0 Drakes Addresses "Thank Me Later" Rumors, Working with Jay-Z & Lil Wayne's Incarceration (Video)

Soooo basically what he is saying is that THIS is false, smh.

0 7 Facts About Drake's "Thank Me Later"

Canadian journalist, Ace Burpee was lucky enough to attend a listening session for Drake's debut album; "Thank Me Later". Here's is what he had to say:

"In Toronto this afternoon a few of us got an invite from Universal Music to meet Drake and listen to some new tracks from his soon–to–be–released album. It sounds like a monster to me. It was really good stuff. And Drake is a nice kid. Here’s what I can tell you...

1) There’s a song on the disc called "Fireworks" that has the greatest beat ever. Drake has this sidekick producer called 40, and he’s talented. I met him as well this afternoon and he’s also a good kid. He’s about to be very, very busy. "Fireworks" has a hook on it courtesy of Kings of Leon. It’s catchy.

2) There is a Kanye West–produced track on the album that comes with a story. The track was made by Kanye for Beyonce, but Drake really wanted it so he wrote her a handwritten letter asking if he could use it. She read it and thought it was sweet and e–mailed him to give her permission. It’s a great track.

3) There’s a Jay–Z/Drake track that he played for us – minus Jay’s verse. Jay–Z doesn’t let anyone hear his stuff before it comes out. Drake claims it is the greatest verse Jay’s ever done.

4) I think the final track on the album is called "Thank Me Now" or something. He played us a recorded verse then did another one live and it was one of the best. Really cool.

5) He sings on a bunch of tracks on the album.

6) This Saturday Drake will be in L.A. doing a track with Dr. Dre and Eminem.

7) Yes, there is a Timbaland beat on the album.

It is highly possible that the biggest album of 2010 will be from a Canadian, and his name will be Drake".

1 Drake - Over (Produced by Boi-1da) [CDQ]

First Single Off "Thank Me Later"....Fire!!

Drake - Over (Produced by Boi-1da &)[CDQ]