Not so fast. Contrary to earlier reports, Drake apparently isn’t signed to Universal Motown. According to Drizzy’s managers, Cortez Bryant and Gee Roberson of Hip-Hop Since 1978, the Toronto rapper is close to signing on the dotted line with an undisclosed label. “Drake isn’t signed to Universal Motown,” Roberson told XXLMag.com. “He’s currently in the final negotiations of his deal.” [click here to read].
The Toronto rapper reached a deafening buzz in the last few months with the release of So Far Gone, his third mixtape featuring appearances from Lil Wayne, Bun B, Trey Songz and Lloyd, among others. The mixtape has also produced a few fan-favorites, including “Successful” and “Best I Ever Had,” which is presently gaining momentum at radio stations, including New York’s Hot 97. Still high off touring alongside mentor Lil Wayne on his I Am Music tour, Drake recently embarked on his own So Far Gone tour—hitting markets like Chicago, Westchester, NY and more recently Atlanta [click here to read].
The signing ironically comes months after the rapper allegedly addressed being passed over by Universal Motown on “Say What’s Real,” another standout track on which he spits over Kanye West’s “Say You Will” on So Far Gone.
“I’ve always been something that these labels can’t buy, especially if they try to take a piece of my soul/And Sylvia be tellin Tez, ‘Damn, Drake fly’/And he just be like, ’silly motherfucka, I know’/That was yo bad/How could you pass up on him/He just take them records and he gas up on em’/Wayne will probably put a million cash up on him/Surprised nobody ever put yo ass up on him,” Drake spat in referencing to a conversation between Cortez Bryant, Wayne’s manager and Sylvia Rhone, Universal Motown’s president.
The signing comes a few months after Kid CuDi inked a deal with Motown [click here to read]. At press time, Universal reps had no comments on the signing.
What do YOU think?! Are you excited for Drake and his newfound success?!
