Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986), known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited with popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop artists. Gaining recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08), he pursued a recording career in 2006, releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement in February of that year. He followed up with the mixtapes Comeback S…