Drake Could Destroy the Music Industry and Earn $10 Million a Week With One Move

Drake is a Canadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be one of the most popular artists of the decade and has collaborated with many other major talents, from Nicki Minaj to Rihanna. From his humble beginnings as a child actor to a chart-topping singer, Drake has seemingly done it all and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. There’s no doubt that Drake is a power player in the music industry — and recently, an industry insider opened up about what could happen to record labels if the rapper does ever decide to go independent. 

How did Drake become famous?

Drake was born Aubrey Drake Graham in 1986. Raised in Toronto, Ontario, he spent the majority of his childhood with his mother, after his parents divorced when he was only five. As a child, he found himself drawn to the arts, and realized that acting and music allowed himself to express his innermost thoughts. When he was a teenager, Drake was introduced to a talent agent, who figured out quickly that the young man possessed real talent.

In 2001, Drake began appearing on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, according to IMDb. Over the next seven years, he acted on the series, portraying an eventually disabled basketball star. Still, the actor wanted to get started in music, and in 2006, he released his debut mixtape. After he finished out his contract on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Drake jumped headfirst into the music business, releasing hit singles and earning critical acclaim. In 2010, Drake released his debut studio album, Thank Me Later. The album was an immediate success and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. 

What is his net worth?

For the past 10 years, Drake has remained a power player in the entertainment industry. He is now considered to be one of the world’s highest-selling and most successful artists and has won numerous awards, including four Grammys, six American Music Awards, and three Juno Awards. He has collaborated with many other top performers, and his longtime association with Rihanna has made headlines many times over.

Drake is very wealthy and has an estimated net worth of around $180 million, reports Celebrity Net Worth. Unlike many other artists, he makes the majority of his income through his music alone, and rarely endorses products or services. Drake isn’t averse to enjoying the fruits of his labor, either. He is a notorious big spender and loves luxurious items. He even has a custom private jet, that he flies all over the world. 

Could Drake could ‘destroy’ the music industry if he went independent?

Drake has been the subject of controversy several times during the course of his career. He has been embroiled in several major feuds and doesn’t hesitate when it comes to calling out other artists. Still, he remains as popular as ever, and his income hasn’t suffered as a result of his controversies. Recently, music industry veteran Steve Stoute opened up about Drake and the future of the music industry, reported by Variety.

Stoute revealed that, in his opinion, if Drake ever decided to break away from his record label, Republic Records, the music industry would suffer: “You think that if Drake right now, completely independent … if Drake posts a picture on the ‘Gram of his new album, link in bio — “new album out” — and he was fully independent, Drake will make $10 million a week for 60 weeks.” Stoute went on to state that “if Drake goes independent, the music business is over. If Drake goes independent, the music business is done,” according to PageSix. There is no indication that Drake is looking to go independent at this time — however, he is certainly influential enough to make his own way in the business, with or without a record label contract.