Source: ET Canada (2007)
Reporter: Rosey Edeh
Subject: Aubrey “Drake” Graham
In the summer of 2007, Drake was standing on a precipice. No longer just the actor behind Jimmy Brooks, but not yet a global superstar, he invited ET Canada into the studio for a rare glimpse at his transition from Degrassi: The Next Generation to full-time hip hop.
South of the Border
The segment, hosted by former Olympian and reporter Rosey Edeh, captures a 20-year-old Aubrey just months before the release of his breakout mixtape, Comeback Season. Fresh off the release of the “Replacement Girl” video—the first by an unsigned Canadian artist to hit BET—Drake discusses his plans to head “south of the border” to record and his upcoming summer tour with R&B star Ne-Yo.
“It’s hard, but there’s nothing I’d rather be doing,” he says of the grind, describing his new reality as “a whole other world that I’ve entered.”
The “Jeremy Brooks” Glitch
For archivists, the clip is famous for a hilarious broadcasting error. At the 0:13 mark, as the screen displays the iconic footage of Jimmy getting shot in the back—arguably the character’s most defining moment—Edeh’s voiceover confidently identifies the character as “Jeremy Brooks.”
It remains one of the most baffling research fails in the show’s media history, proving that even as he launched a rap career, the Canadian media was still figuring out exactly who Aubrey Graham was.
Mama’s Influence
The interview also touches on a promise Drake made to his mother regarding the content of his music. Long before his complex history with relationships played out in the tabloids, a young Aubrey insisted that his mother’s influence would keep his lyrics respectful.
“I would never directly disrespect and cheat on a woman or make her feel low, or make her feel inadequate. That’s just what my mother instilled in me.”
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