Source: eTalk (2007)
Host: Ben Mulroney
Subject: Aubrey “Drake” Graham
Before he was a global icon, he was just Aubrey from Toronto, trying to make his first music video look cool. In this exclusive set visit from March 2007, eTalk host Ben Mulroney introduces a look behind the scenes of the “Replacement Girl” video shoot.
Acting vs. Rapping
Despite six seasons playing Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Drake admits to the cameras that being a music artist requires a different set of skills.
“My first video… I’m feeling a lot of emotions. I was nervous at the beginning. It’s different because I’ve been acting, so getting on camera and trying to look cool is a whole different story.”
The Denzel Washington Audition
Perhaps the most interesting nugget in this archive footage is Drake’s revelation about his acting career outside of Degrassi. He reveals to eTalk that he has a “big audition” the following day for a Denzel Washington movie produced by Oprah Winfrey.
History tells us this film was likely The Great Debaters (2007). While Drake playfully pleads with Denzel through the camera (“I need the part, okay?”), he ultimately did not land the role, pushing him further toward his destiny in music.