Here’s Everything That’s Happened in Drake’s Life Since ‘More Life’ Dropped
"My life is centered 'round competition and currency/Takin' summer off, 'cause they tell me I need recovery/Maybe gettin' back to my regular life will humble me/I'll be back in 2018 to give you the summary/More Life" —Drake
In the final lines of "Do Not Disturb," the pensive closing track to Drake's 2017 playlist More Life, Drizzy reflects on his hectic rap star existence and insinuates a break might be on the horizon in order to enjoy his vitality. And while Drake hasn't quite gone hermit in the past 365 days, the Toronto rapper has definitely been enjoying some much-deserved "me time."
Since March 18, the release date of his platinum playlist, the 6ix God has maintained a presence in the news cycle. He's extinguished beef and sparked dating rumors. He's rubbed elbows, bumped shoulders, filled venues to capacity and literally celebrated more life. It's been quite the eventful past 12 months for the rap star, which also saw him release his Scary Hours EP in January, featuring the mega hit "God's Plan."
In March, Aubrey announced he was back working on a new album for Toronto. Implying we could be getting more views from the 6 soon, he told fans at a Toronto Raptors game, "I love each and every one of you, I'm happy to be home. I'm working on this new album for the city. Yeah, that's right."
Instead of waiting for Drake to give us his promised rundown of what's been going on since More Life, XXL compiled a list of most of the things Drizzy has gotten into since he put out his most recent playlist. One year later, how is he the man still?
Gets New Tattoo That References Old Twitter Handle (March 20, 2017)
Two days after More Life is released, Drizzy got a new tattoo of a bottle of Drakkar Noir cologne in reference to his former Twitter handle @Drakkardnoir.
Meets R&B Legend Sade (March 20, 2017)
Drake posted a photo on Instagram of himself with his mother and singer Sade Adu, captioning the pic, "Two very important ladies in my life."
Gets Sade Tattoo on Ribs (March 22, 2017)
Inspired by his meeting with Sade a couple days prior, Drizzy got a tattoo of the singer on his ribs.
Cancels Amsterdam Show of Boy Meets World Tour (March 27, 2017)
Drake cancelled the Amsterdam shop on his Boy Meets World tour after getting food poisoning. Fans were a little upset.
Gets Called a Bitch by XXXTentacion (March 30, 2017)
Aubrey felt the wrath of XXXTentacion after the Florida rapper called him a bitch, claiming Drake stole his flow from the track "Look at Me."
Links Up Wizkid on New Song “Come Closer” (March 31, 2017)
Drake joined "One Dance" collaborator WizKid on his new track "Come Closer."
Opens OVO Store in London (March 31, 2017)
Drizzy expanded his OVO brand overseas, adding to his locations in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto by opening a store in London.
Announces Role in London-Based TV Series ‘Top Boy’ (April 3, 2017)
Drake is announced as having a starring role in the London-based TV series Top Boy, to which he purchased the rights in 2016.
Buys $120,000 OVO Owl Chain (April 4, 2017)
The OVO head honcho purchased a $120,000 OVO owl chain from celebrity jeweler Ben Baller. The piece features a mix of 40 carat blue, canary and white VVS diamonds and some pink sapphires.
Shows Up at a Kid’s Birthday (April 10, 2017)
Former couple Drake and Rihanna ended up at the same kid's birthday party and things looked a bit... awkward.
Accuses Country Club of Racial Profiling (April 17, 2017)
Following Coachella 2017, Drake accused The Madison Club of racial profiling, calling the resort, "The most offensive place I have ever stayed."
Gives Kendrick Lamar Props on ‘Damn’ Album Sales (April 29, 2017)
Aubrey reached out to rival Kendrick Lamar via social media and gives him props on his Damn album doing numbers.
Squashes Beef With Rick Ross (May 2, 2017)
Rick Ross announced his beef with Drizzy is dead after the two met up and settled their differences in a meeting set up by J. Prince.
Bows to Canadian Rocker Gord Downie (May 5, 2017)
While sitting courtside at a Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game, Drake bowed to Canadian rock legend Gord Downie when they saw each other during a break in the action.
Visits Cousin for Prom (May 14, 2017)
Drizzy surprised his cousin Jalaah in Memphis by showing up to help send her off to prom.
Stars in T-Goon Scrap DVD Skit (May 15, 2017)
Drake made a cameo as a fictionalized version of himself in the T-Dot Goon Scrap DVD 2. In the sketch, things go south for the rapper after he gives the Toronto-based comedians' DVD a bad review.
Squashes Beef With Tory Lanez (May 19, 2017)
After long-standing feud, Aubrey and Tory Lanez finally deaded their beef, announcing the big news on Instagram with a photo of the two rappers posing together.
Performs “Crew Love” With The Weeknd for the First Time in Years (May 27, 2017)
The Weeknd brought out Drake at the Toronto stop of his Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour, and fans were treated to something they haven't seen in years: Aubrey and Abel performing their duet "Crew Love" live.
Wins “Pound Cake” Sample Lawsuit (May 30, 2017)
Drake scored a legal win after a judge ruled in his favor in a sample lawsuit over the Nothing Was the Same cut "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2." The rapper's lawyers were able to convince the judge he fairly used the 1982 spoken-word track, "Jimmy Smith Rap."
Drops “To the Max” Track With DJ Khaled (June 5, 2017)
Drake appeared on the DJ Khaled single "To the Max," off the We The Best CEO's Grateful album.
Gets Another Sade Tattoo (June 12, 2017)
Since one is never enough, Drizzy went back to the ink man for yet another tattoo of Sade.
Debuts New Song “Signs” at Louis Vuitton Fashion Show (June 22, 2017)
Drake released a new song called "Signs" during Louis Vuitton's Paris Fashion Week show for the brand's Spring/Summer 2018 collection. Young Thug is credited as a writer on the loosie.
Remixes PartyNextDoor's “Freak in You” (June 23, 2017)
The 6ix God blessed fans with a remix of the PartyNextDoor track "Freak in You" from PND's Colours 2 EP.
Pokes Fun at Stephen Curry in ‘Get Out’ Parody Skit (June 26, 2017)
Drizzy teamed up with NBA on TNT to spoof the Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry in a hilarious parody of the hit film Get Out.
Sings Happy Birthday to Chinx’s Son (June 28, 2017)
The OVO rapper attended the birthday party of late rapper Chinx's son Nugget and helps wish the young man a happy born day.
Signs Baka to OVO Sound (June 28, 2017)
Bossman Drizzy inked his longtime friend Baka to a recording contract with his OVO Sound imprint at an event attended by French Montana and others.
Stars in Virginia Black Ad With Dad (July 14, 2017)
Drake kicked off the ad campaign for his Virginia Black whiskey line, taking subtle shots at Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man in the World.
Retires Jerseys of Houston Strippers During H.A.W. (July 22, 2017)
Drake's 2017 Houston Appreciation Weekend festivities included a faux retirement party for popular H-Town exotic dancers Lira Galore, Miracle Watts and Maliah Michel, complete with a jersey retirement ceremony.
Seems to Respond to Jay-Z’s Money Phone Line From ‘4:44’ (July 23, 2017)
Jay-Z's "money phone" line on "The Story of O.J." had a lot of rappers in their feelings. Drake appeared to respond via a video that shows him turning up with big stacks at the club.
Gets Lil Wayne Tattoo (July 25, 2017)
More life, more ink! This time Drake got his big homie Lil Wayne's face tatted on his arm.
Stars in Two New Virginia Black Ads (July 29, 2017)
Drake kept the Virginia Black push going with two new hilarious ads featuring himself and his father.
Announces He’s Working on New Album (Aug. 7, 2017)
At the 2017 OVO Festival, Aubrey announced he's about to be back cooking up a new album. "I'm about to go back to making this new album in Toronto just for you," he told the crowd.
Tells The Weeknd OVOXO Project Has to Happen (Aug. 7, 2017)
After their "Crew Love" reunion month's prior, Aubrey tells Abel at the 2017 OVO Festival that their joint-project is definitely on his to-do list.
Donates $200,000 to J.J Watt’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fundraiser (Aug. 31, 2017)
Champagne Papi pitched in with the relief efforts of Hurricane Harvey by donating $200,000 to NFL player J.J. Watt's fund to help victims.
Heads Back to Studio (Sept. 10, 2017)
Drake let fans know he's back in the booth, showing off a photo of himself laying down a track on Instagram.
Gives Speech at ‘Hand in Hand’ Hurricane Harvey Relief Telethon (Sept. 12, 2017)
Continuing his hurricane relief efforts, Drake delivered a speech for the Hand in Hand hurricane relief telethon, organized by Bun B and Scooter Braun.
Confirms Death of Longtime Friend Fif (Sept. 14, 2017)
Drake delivered the bad news of the death of his longtime friend Fif, who was gunned down in Toronto.
Gets Denzel Washington and Fif Tattoos (Sep. 16, 2017)
Drizzy got even more ink. This time, he paid homage to Fif with a portrait of his late pal and also added another celebrity tat of Denzel Washington.
Sparks Dating Rumors With Bella Hadid (Oct. 9, 2017)
Heartbreak Drake sparked dating rumors with supermodel Bella Hadid after he allegedly threw her lavish 21st birthday party at New York City's Socialista lounge.
Visits Odell Beckham Jr. in the Hospital (Oct. 10, 2017)
The 6ix God popped in to see his homie Odell Beckham Jr. in the hospital, after the New York Giants' wide receiver suffered a serious ankle fracture that required surgery.
Mourns Death of Gord Downie (Oct. 18, 2017)
Drake paid homage to Gord Downie after the rocker died of brain cancer.
Celebrates 31st Birthday (Oct. 23, 2017)
A day before his actual born day, Drake celebrated turning 31 with a star-studded, Andy Warhol-themed party that included Jamie Foxx, G-Eazy, Swae Lee, apl.de.ap, Diddy's son Justin Combs, NBA star Jordan Clarkson, former NBA star Lamar Odom, actors Leo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and Drake's dad, Dennis Graham.
Declines to Submit 'More Life' For Grammy Consideration (October 26, 2017)
Drake made a statement by keeping his More Life playlist out of Grammy contention. The Academy never gets it right anyway.
Takes Part in One and Done Challenge (Oct. 30, 2017)
Drake showed off his hoop skills on Instagram for rapper/b-ball skills coach Dribble2Much's #OneAndDoneChallenge.
Goes Off on Guy for Touching Women in the Club (Nov. 14, 2017)
The "God's Plan" rapper threatened a guy with the fade in the middle of his performances after noticing the dude being a perv. "If you don't stop touching girls, I'm gonna come out there and fuck you up," Drake stated to the man in the crowd.
Says “Free Meek Mill” at Tour Stop in Australia (Nov. 18, 2017)
The Toronto rapper proved his issues with Meek Mill are a thing of the past by shouting out the incarcerated rapper during a show in Melbourne, Australia.
Gets Finessed by Dad in Virginia Black Ad (Nov. 20, 2017)
Aubrey and Dennis rolled out another Virginia Black ad. This one features Nicole Murphy and shows Drizzy getting finessed by his pops.
Teams Up With Trouble on New Song “Bring It Back” (Dec. 7, 2017)
The 6 God teamed with Atlanta rapper Trouble on the new track "Bring It Back," produced by Mike Will Made It.
Jokes About Getting Stood Up by Angelina Jolie (Dec. 13, 2017)
Mr. Graham jokingly accused actress Angelina Jolie of standing him in an Instagram post.
Celebrates With Nicole Murphy for Her 50th Birthday Party (Jan. 7, 2018)
The What a Time to Be Alive rapper partied with model Nicole Murphy for her 50th birthday celebration.
Launches Pick 6ix Restaurant in Toronto (Jan. 10, 2018)
Drizzy and his longtime OVO affiliate Chubbs made money moves by opening a restaurant in Toronto named Pick 6ix.
Drops ‘Scary Hours’ EP (Jan. 19, 2018)
Drake surprised the world with a new EP titled Scary Hours, which features the singles "God's Plan" and "Diplomatic Immunity." While the former broke Spotify's single-day streaming record, there was some controversy around the release, too. Texas producer Rabit accused Drake's artwork of biting one of his own tour posters.
Hits the Studio With Bad Bunny (Jan. 25, 2018)
October's Very Own was spotted posted up in the studio working on an upcoming collaboration with Latin trap artist Bad Bunny.
Pays University of Miami Student’s Tuition (Feb. 5, 2018)
The Toronto rapper donated $50,000 to University of Miami student Destiny Paris to help pay her tuition.
Donates $50,000 to Miami Women’s Shelter (Feb. 6, 2018)
Continuing his philanthropic efforts in Miami, Drake donated $50,000 to Lotus House, a Miami homeless shelter for women and children, and another $50,000 for customers at a local supermarket.
Hops on BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” Track (Feb. 8, 2018)
After teasing the collab, Drake and BlocBoy JB joined forces on the new track "Look Alive."
Drops “God’s Plan” Video (Feb. 16, 2018)
Graham delivered his touching—and turnt—"God's Plan" video, revealing the totality of his Miami spending spree in the heartfelt visual. He said the video is the most important thing he's done in his career.
Goes Roller Skating for Floyd Mayweather’s Birthday (Feb. 26, 2018)
Drizzy straped on the skates and hit the rink for Floyd Mayweather Jr's birthday celebration at World of Wheels in Los Angeles.
Announces He’s Working on New Album Dedicated to Toronto (March 9, 2018)
Aubrey confirmed he's working on a new album for Toronto during a Raptors game.
Helps Breaks Record Playing ‘Fortnite’ With Travis Scott and Ninja (March 15, 2018)
Drake and Travis Scott played Fortnite with popular gamer Ninja. The celebrity-fueled game helps the popular Twitch streamer break a viewer record.
Works on Music With Kanye West in Wyoming (March 17, 2018)
Drake linked up with Kanye West in 'Ye's newfound happy place in Jackson Hole, Wyo. to reportedly work on new music.
Unveils Remix to N.E.R.D. and Rihanna's "Lemon" (March 17, 2018)
Before N.E.R.D.'s 2017 hit went sour, Drake hopped on the remix to "Lemon," unveiling the track on OVO Sound Radio.
Cuts a Rug With Migos For "Walk It Talk It" Video (March 18, 2018)
Drake and Migos paid homage to Soul Train in the fun video for "Walk It Talk It," their Culture II collaboration.