Drake Will Produce New Aaliyah Album!

      

Aubrey Graham, known as Drake is a Canadian born rapper/singer and actor who signed to Cash Money Records under Lil' Wayne's sub label Young Money Entertainment. He along with Kevin Rudolf, Nicki Minaj and Tyga rolled out in 2009 as the rebirth of the once struggling label. 

He was born in Toronto, Ontario, to American father and Canadian Jewish mother. When his parent's divorce, Drake moved with his mother to Forest Hill, Toronto. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, but also began to rise to stardom with the release of multiple mixtapes that began to generate hype for his future career as a rapper.

Cash Money Records is based out of New Orleans was home to then multi-platinum rapper Juvenile, street rapper B.G., and the youngest rappers Lil' Wayne and Turk. They formed the Hot Boys. Co-founder Bryan "Baby (aka Birdman)" Williams and in-house producer Mannie Fresh formed the group The Big Tymers. They all released albums during their rise in 1998 to 2005. Mannie Fresh went on produce most of their solo albums at the time.

Aaliyah was killed August 25, 2001 in a tragic plane crash in The Bahamas.

According to Wikipedia, Cash Money's big break came in 1998 when the Hot Boys, B.G. and Juvenile in particular, caught the attention of Universal Records executives. In 1998, Cash Money signed a $30 million pressing and distribution with $3 million advance contract with Universal, entitling the label to 85% of its royalties, 50% of its publishing revenues and ownership of all masters.

Nowadays, Cash Money Records is mostly focused on the rising career of Lil' Wayne and his own record label Young Money. With the signing of Drake, the rap label went through a major overhaul from the bounce catchy Southern beats, to a sophisticated style of music that appeals to a more pop friendly audience.

Drake surpassed Jay-Z as the rapper with the most number one hits on the Billboard 200 hot singles list.

Drake declared his love for the late singer Aaliyah. Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas after filming a music video. Her death in August 2001, came at the peak of the R & B singer's rising movie career.

                       
Aaliyah Dana Houghton broke into the music scene in 1994 as a protege of R. Kelly. Her album Age Ain't Nothing But A Number went on to sell over 3 million copies. After a bitter fallout with R. Kelly, the singer team up with up-and-coming producer Tim Mosley (aka Timbaland) and rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot to work on her albums. One In A Million, went on to be one of the singer's most critically acclaimed albums. Her final album Aaliyah was released in July 2001. Her smash single "Rock The Boat" and "We Need A Resolution" became instant hits.

It's been over a decade since Aaliyah's death. The singer's legacy continues to influence a new generation of singers and entertainers. Drake was one who felt her influence in the industry inspired him. He declared that his interest in working on a posthumous album.

Drake tattooed the late singer Aaliyah on his back and his start up label OVOXO. 

In an interview with SoulCulture TV, the rapper stated that R&B singer Aaliyah has had the biggest influence on his career:

Aaliyah has had probably the most impact on my career because when I made a choice to start singing it was because of something that my father had told me which was, ‘There’s no rapper out there that sings and raps and does both things well… and in order to be successful you’re gonna need something other than just what everyone else is doing.

I was rapping already at the time so I had an identity in rap, but when I started singing I needed something to reference. I needed someone to be like, ‘I wanna be like that’. I didn’t want it ever to be a male because then I would sound like that person, so I just found comfort in all of Aaliyah’s music and her melody choices and the things that she talks about – and how she always conveyed these amazing emotions but never got too sappy, she always kept it G. That had the biggest influence on my music because – as much as my music may be geared towards women – I try not to make it so that only women can sing it.

The first single released is "Enough Said", and it's produced by Drake's long time producer Noah 40 Shebib.



The release of this single comes after Blackground Records founders Berry and Jomo Henderson allowed access to unreleased demos and outtakes. Drake, Missy Elliot and Timbaland are slated to work on this album and it's planned release in late 2012.

Drake appears under the banter of Universal-Republic Records under Cash Money Records.