Last name Ever. First name Greatest.

Oh Drake. He of dreamy smile and Canadian passport, how I love you. I’ve been totally  into Drake for a while now, the Toronto raised rapper is part of Lil Wayne’s Young Money crew and I’m all kinds of obsessed with Lil Wayne, as is, rather disturbingly, my Mother who has been known to sing along enthusiastically to ‘Mrs. Officer’ (a song about Weezy seducing a female cop, natch) and the creatively named ‘Prostitute 2’. So Drake, he used to be on a Canadian show here called Degrassi, where he played Jimmy, a character who eventually became wheelchair bound after being shot in the school hallway. Yes, really.  Now however he is pretty much an international superstar and BOY do the girls like him. He also references Flight of the Conchords in a song, which basically makes him the coolest rapper ever.

When I heard that Drizzy was coming to Ottawa Bluesfest, there was no doubt that I was going. Just like last year when Matisyahu came and two years before that when Kanye played. Not going was not an option. So Pippa (my sis) and I got our tickets and last Friday the 16th, headed Downtown for the show. Bluesfest is basically a big outdoor music festival and unlike it’s name may suggest, has very little to do with the Blues. There’s always big name acts mixed in with cult faves and local talent. It’s awesome and every year there’s always a couple of must see acts. This year it was all about Drake and we, along with seemingly the entire under 30 population of Ottawa arrived at the venue just before Drake was meant to go on. 

And here he was. Wearing all black (swoon) he hit the audience with a barrage of hits, including guest verses from super-hits like ‘Forever’. He also talked...a lot. Hey I’m not complaining, I could listen to him talk all night and the content was completely and totally aimed at his adoring female fans. You know ‘I always said I would marry a Canadian girl, well maybe I’ll find an Ottawa girl’ (cue screaming)...that sort of thing. At one point he dragged a girl on stage and proceeded to slow dance, caress and practically make out with the hysterical teen (not before suddenly leaping away from her, asking the audience to turn off their cameras and checking her age), once it was ascertained that she was indeed 18, the seducing could continue. You could almost hear the sneers of ‘Lucky bitch’ coursing through the crowd. In fact, the show was SO aimed at the ladies that if I’d been a guy there, I might have felt a little left out. Didn’t seem to bother the guy in front of me, who  danced like no one was watchin’ the entire show, much to our delight. An hour and fifteen minutes later, pretty standard for Bluesfest, Drake left the stage. The set was great, with crowd favourites such as ‘Over’ and ‘Best I ever had’ proving particularly good live. Drake was charming and every girl, including myself, left more in love with him than she arrived. 

Sophie’s Top Five Drake songs you must download like, right now, in no particular order.

1. Bitch is Crazy...within about a week of being in my iTunes, this had made it’s way into the top 25 most played songs. It’s just that catchy.

2. Unstoppable - this samples another song from one of my faves, Santogold and features a fab guest verse from Weezy. 

3. November 18th - Just a super hot song. Have fun singing along with the deep voice sound effect, Pippa and I sing this in the car. Hilarity ensues. 

4. Show me a good time - I’m pretty sure this was Kanye produced. ‘Nuff said.

5. Successful - Minimalist and self explanatory. He wants money, cars, clothes and hos. Simples. 

Let me know if you love/hate Drake, your fave songs and who else I should listen to!

Speak soon, 

Love Sophie xx