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Drake ‘Good Morning America’ Concert Falls Through

Cast of Broadway’s ‘American Idiot’ will perform July 16 instead. By Mawuse Ziegbe Drake Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Another Drake show in New York has been nixed before the rapper even got a chance to take the stage. Drizzy was in talks to play a free outdoor show July 16 as part of ABC’s “Good Morning America” summer concert series. However, the Drake show has been squashed and the cast of Broadway’s “American Idiot” will fill the upcoming slot instead. A spokesperson for ABC confirmed that a potential Drake show was in the works. “We were interested in having Drake perform, but he was never officially booked,” an ABC rep told MTV News. In addition, a spokesperson for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation told MTV News that concert organizers had simply decided to go with another act. “There was an open date on the calendar for July 16, but they decided to feature the cast of the Broadway show ‘American Idiot,’ ” a rep said. A rep for Drizzy also told the New York Daily News that there was a “booking in place” but did not offer any additional details. Reports have surfaced indicating that safety might have been a factor in passing on Drizzy for a “GMA” appearance. According to the Daily News, the New York City Police Department pulled the plug on the planned show after the city’s parks department failed to provide the security that the NYPD deemed necessary for such an event. The parks department spokesperson did not confirm whether security issues were a factor in not moving forward with the Drake show. The news comes in the wake of a Drake concert in NYC that was canceled June 15 when thousands of fans unexpectedly showed up. Drizzy was expected to perform a free show at New York’s South Street Seaport (pop group Hanson were also on the bill ), but the NYPD put the kibosh on the concert after roughly 10,000 fans swarmed the event. Days later, Jay-Z also ran into issues mounting a concert on top of the marquee of New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater for an appearance on the “Late Show With David Letterman.” City officials axed the surprise concert once fans got wind of the show beforehand. However, Jigga — joined by Eminem — ultimately finagled an outdoor appearance and performed on the building’s roof . The MCs didn’t need a permit to rock out on the roof since it is private property. Are you bummed that Drake won’t be on “Good Morning America”? Let us know in the comments. Related Videos ‘Drake: Better Than Good Enough’ Related Photos Drake’s Style: From A To Drizzy Related Artists Drake

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Drake ‘Good Morning America’ Concert Falls Through

Virgin America’s ‘Air Drake’ Takes Flight

Plane named after the rapper flies from Los Angeles to Toronto with Drake, Arnold Schwarzenegger and more onboard.Josh Wigler By Josh Wigler Drake poses in front of “Air Drake” at Toronto Pearson International Airport Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images Drake has not only established himself as a rising star in the music industry; he’s also become a rising star in a very literal sense. On Tuesday, Virgin America marked its first international destination from Los Angeles to Toronto with a party aboard Air Drake, an Airbus A320 named after the Canadian rapper. According to Billboard.com , Drake attended the aerial party alongside Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The flight made a stop in San Francisco to pick up more passengers, including dancer Cheryl Burke and actors Gregory Smith and Gilles Marini. On landing in Toronto, Drake and his fellow passengers celebrated with a red-carpet party on the airport tarmac. “Flying on ‘Air Drake’ is truly humbling,” the recording artist and actor said of the experience. “I’m truly honored to have a plane named after me.” The first flight of Air Drake comes less than a month after his debut, Thank Me Later, dropped on June 15, selling more than 400,000 records in its first week and reaching #1 on the Billboard albums chart. In late June, Drake was the subject of an MTV documentary titled “Drake: Better Than Good Enough,” in which the up-and-coming rapper pulled the curtain back to reveal key details about his personal life. “I have always been hesitant to share the details of my life with the world, but for the first time, I am comfortable and confident that you will love this story,” Drake said of the documentary in June. If you had a plane named after you, where would you fly? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos ‘Drake: Better Than Good Enough’ Related Photos Drake’s Style: From A To Drizzy Related Artists Drake

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Virgin America’s ‘Air Drake’ Takes Flight

Drake Visits Grandmother In Exclusive ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Outtake

Photographer Jonathan Mannion recalls Drake telling grandmother that he had become a millionaire. By Jayson Rodriguez Drake Photo: MTV News After Drake inked his record deal with the Universal Motown family (in partnership with Lil Wayne’s Young Money label), the Toronto lyricist visited his grandmother shortly after to share the good news. Photographer Jonathan Mannion was present, shooting images of the pair, and recalled the moment Drake and his grandmother had, which he explains in this exclusive outtake from the MTV documentary “Drake: Better Than Good Enough.” “We went to visit his grandmother in a nursing home,” Mannion says. “It was really a conversation between them and they were talking about how they used to do crossword puzzles and learn words together. That kind of stuff. And she was like, ‘It’s really paying off now.’ ” Mannion described his favorite shot from the visit, which depicts an exchange of affection between the two; he said the image hit home for him how rooted in family the So Far Gone star really was. According to Mannion, Drake notified his grandmother that he signed his record deal and now had millions of dollars in his account. He asked her what she wanted, telling her that since he finally made it he could now buy her anything in the world she desired “You have a million dollars!,” she said, Mannion recalled. The rapper corrected her, responded that he has millions in the bank now and she could have anything she wants. “How about a hug and kiss?,” she told him. “He just leaned over and kissed her on the forehead,” Mannion says, as he shows the image on his computer. “It was the sweetest moment. That, I think, is a real reference to how grounded [Drake] is.” MTV followed Drake in the weeks leading up to the release of his new LP, Thank Me Later. The “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary will re-air on MTV Saturday at 12 p.m. and 9 p.m., Sunday at 9 a.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. on MTV2. Related Videos ‘Drake: Better Than Good Enough’ Related Artists Drake

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Drake Visits Grandmother In Exclusive ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Outtake

Drake Says Original ‘Light It Up’ Verse Was ‘Way Harder’

In MTV’s ‘Better Than Good Enough’ documentary, Drizzy is seen recording new rhymes for Jay-Z-assisted track. By Jayson Rodriguez, with additional reporting by Shaheem Reid Drake Photo: MTV During MTV’s “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary, the Toronto MC is shown making last-minute adjustments to two songs the day before his debut album, Thank Me Later, is set to be mixed and mastered. One of those tracks, the Jay-Z-assisted “Light Up,” features Drake’s last-minute rhymes. “I like these bars better than the other bars,” he tells his road manager after laying down the new verse and listening to a playback. ” ‘Cause the other bars are so, like, ‘Oh, it’s kiddish.’ This is, like, I really think I’m the sh–, and then Jay comes and puts me in my place.” In an interview with MTV2’s “Sucker Free,” Drake revealed that his original verse was more aggressive and that he used it on a collaboration with a certain Kanye West prot

Drake Opens Up About Family, Fears In ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Documentary

MTV special follows rapper/singer through the release of his debut, Thank Me Later. By Jayson Rodriguez Drake in “Better Than Good Enough” Photo: MTV News & Docs Drake is an open book. After the release of his breakthrough mixtape, So Far Gone ; his debut album, Thank Me Later ; and now the premiere of the documentary “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” on Wednesday night (June 23), the 23-year-old rapper and crooner has truly opened up his life for all to see — from the lows of keeping his life balanced to the joys of completing songs featuring Jay-Z. The MTV special was another chapter in his evolving career. “I have always been hesitant to share the details of my life with the world, but for the first time, I am comfortable and confident that you will love this story,” Drake said of “Better Than Good Enough.” In the film, cameras follow Drake on his Away From Home Tour and on his bus, where he recorded large portions of Thank Me Later. Drake and his producer, Noah “40” Shebib, frantically work late into the night after each tour stop, trying to complete the rapper’s album in time to make its June 15 release date. During the mastering session, 40 was shown still making tweaks to material while the engineer awaited the producer’s late arrival. In the same scene, Drake laments his close friend’s health, revealing 40’s battle with multiple sclerosis, which he was diagnosed with at the age of 22. “I really don’t know if I could keep making music without 40,” Drake confessed. “I really don’t know. That’s one of the biggest fears I have, is losing 40.” Throughout the documentary, Drake often attempts to balance a tightrope between his greater ambitions and the responsibilities he has to his loved ones. His mother, who raised the actor-turned-musician, is the subject of one particularly touching scene, during which Drake addresses her illness. “My mom is sick,” he said. “So that scares me a lot. She’s been the most supportive person I’ve ever had in my life — the only person that loves me unconditionally, really. I know a lot of people love me and I love a lot of people. But to love somebody unconditionally is different.” The up-to-the-minute project also followed Drake on the day of his album release . There was his album signing at Best Buy in Manhattan and his canceled South Street Seaport gig . Interviewed immediately after the chaotic scene, Drake reveals he had scheduled Birdman and J. Cole as guests to appear during his set. “I had great things planned,” he lamented. The documentary ends with Drake visiting his father in Memphis then his mother in Toronto, before jetting overseas to open a Manchester, England, show headlined by Jay-Z. He calmly told the cameras that it’s just another show for him, opening for the legendary MC. The night before, Drake performed for more than 50,000 fans at New York radio station Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert . Later, the two rappers exchange pleasantries, as the Brooklyn rapper greets Drake’s mother and the two walk down a long hallway before parting ways. “They’re sharing the torch with him right now,” Sway said in the documentary, referring to Jay-Z and the array of superstars who have co-signed the upstart act. “They’re not passing it; Kanye is by no means passing it, Jay is by no means passing it, Wayne is by no means passing it. They’re sharing the torch with him. What are you gonna do with it?” What did you think about “Drake: Better Than Good Enough”? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos ‘Drake: Better Than Good Enough’

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Drake Opens Up About Family, Fears In ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Documentary

Drake’s Appeal Is Willingness To Tell His ‘Truth,’ Sway Says

‘This documentary accomplishes that for Drake,’ the MTV News correspondent says of ‘Better Than Good Enough.’ By MTV News staff Drake in “Better Than Good Enough” Photo: MTV News & Docs He’s borne witness to the rise of hip-hop greats, from the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur to Eminem and 50 Cent. And now, MTV News correspondent Sway says Drake shares something in common with the aforementioned MCs: an affinity for the truth. In “Drake: Better Than Good Enough,” the documentary airing Wednesday night (June 23), the “World Famous Wake Up Show” host said fans will get an even clearer view of the Toronto rapper’s life. “Just like 50 Cent has a certain authenticity to the truth, and the way his life was, that led him to become the person he was, Drake — on the flip side of the spectrum — has the same truth about what his life was like growing up that made him the person he was,” Sway said, comparing the seemingly opposed hip-hop stars. “Except, [Drake’s life] lacks the violence that 50 had. It’s a different kind of struggle than what 50 had, but the fact that both those artists were transparent in their truth is what makes them appealing. This documentary accomplishes that for Drake,” he added of the MTV News/ @Radical Media project. The documentary chronicles Drake’s life in the months leading up to the release of his successful debut, Thank Me Later. From performances to downtime to late-night studio sessions, Drake allowed cameras to trail him and was candid about his feelings on fame, his struggle to reconcile personal ambition with responsibility and establishing his eventual place in music history. “I just want people to walk away … just feeling a little bit more confident about Drake,” the rapper says in the documentary. “In no way do I want people to be like, ‘He’s the best. He’s the man.’ ‘Cause I really do have a desire to grow and get better. I do want people to walk away and be like, ‘OK. OK. Don’t miss the “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary , airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Artists Drake

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Drake’s Appeal Is Willingness To Tell His ‘Truth,’ Sway Says

Drake Easily Notches #1 Debut With Thank Me Later

Early estimates show the album had the third-best first week sales of the year. By Gil Kaufman Drake Photo: Getty Images The Game may have been off by a bit when he predicted Drake would sell 650,000 in his first week, but according to preliminary figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, Thank Me Later will debut very strongly on the Billboard charts. The Canadian rapper and Lil Wayne prot

Drake Talks Michael Jackson, Dead Prez ‘Over’ Homages

‘Just to honor him was great,’ Drizzy tells Mixtape Daily of MJ. By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Kelly Marino Drake Photo: MTV News Celebrity Favorites: Drake DP still keep it crunk up! “Drake borrowed the style — they took it right back. They did their thing,” DJ Drama told Mixtape Daily on Monday. He was explaining why Dead Prez wanted to freestyle on the 23-year-old’s “Over” on their new tape Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz. “The guys go in on a lot of records,” Drama said. “The hits, as well as some obscure joints. They had to go in on ‘Over.’ ” The mixtape came out Tuesday and borrows from the title of their 2004 LP, Revolutionary but Gangsta A few months back, while on the set of his “Over” video, Drake told MTV News he was a fan of M1 and Stic.Man. “I also do this thing in the song [‘Over’] where I flip Dead Prez,” he said of his tip of the hat to the duo’s “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop” from their classic 2000 debut, Let’s Get Free. “They say, ‘One thing about music when it hits you feel no pain/ White folks say it controls your brain/ I know better than that/ It’s just game.’ I love that flow,” Drake explained. “So I took that flow and flipped it in the second verse.” But Drake doesn’t just nod to DP on the track; the Toronto MC pays tribute to the greatest artist ever, Michael Jackson. Since this week marks the one-year anniversary of his death, it’s only right we let Drizzy chime in on his stellar MJ reference: ” ‘Bout to go ‘Thriller’ Mike Jackson on these n—as/ All I need is a f—ing red jacket with some zippers.” “That was sort of my reference point; that phenomenon of Michael,” he said. “He was young and had the world excited and anticipating his every move. That was my homage to him and the impact that he had on the world that I live in. It’s also … great for people to say. Especially, unfortunately what happened to him, just to honor him was great.” “Over” is currently the #1 hip-hop song in the country, topping the Billboard rap songs chart. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc .

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Drake Talks Michael Jackson, Dead Prez ‘Over’ Homages

Drake Says ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Documentary Captures ‘The Most Important Time Of My Life’

Documentary airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. on MTV. By Mawuse Ziegbe Drake in “Better Than Good Enough” Photo: MTV He’s won over critics with his introspective style, he caused a riot when he tried to play a free show and fans camped out overnight last week for his hotly-anticipated debut, Thank Me Later . There’s no question that Drake is one of the most high-profile artists in the game right now, but he’s opening up to his fans even more in the upcoming documentary Drake: Better Than Good Enough which airs on MTV Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. “I shot a documentary — it was the two months leading up to my album. It was like the most important time of my life — ever,” Drake told MTV’s “Sucker Free” about the doc, which goes behind the scenes as he finishes and prepares to drop his highly-anticipated debut. Drizzy said he wanted to give his audience deeper insight about himself in the documentary. “I documented [the months before Thank Me Later dropped] for you to see, so we can get to know each other a little better,” Drake said. The documentary gives fans little-known tidbits about Drizzy and takes viewers along as he straps in for on his meteoric rise. The cameras follow Drake from the kick-off of his “Away From Home” tour and captures the moments as he and his crew wrap up Thank Me Later . Along the way, he opens up about everything from his mother’s failing health to his training sessions with his vocal coach. “I just want people to walk away … just feeling a little bit more confident about Drake,” Drizzy says in the documentary . “In no way do I want people to be like, ‘He’s the best. He’s the man.’ ‘Cause I really do have a desire to grow and get better. I do want people to walk away and be like, ‘OK. OK.’ ” Don’t miss the “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary , airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Preview: Drake’s MTV Special ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Related Photos Drake Takes Manhattan! Drake’s Style: From A To Drizzy

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Drake Says ‘Better Than Good Enough’ Documentary Captures ‘The Most Important Time Of My Life’

Eminem Says He Felt Like ‘Bugs Bunny’ In Rehab

‘I couldn’t concentrate on my problem,’ he says of getting attention from fellow patients. By Mawuse Ziegbe Eminem Photo: Getty Images Before Eminem even dropped Relapse last year, he announced plans release a follow-up called Relapse 2 — and then he totally changed his mind . Instead, come June 21, fans will be able to pick up Em’s new album Recovery (which was moved up a day after it leaked online ). Eminem recently explained the meaning behind the album title in an interview with The New York Times, revealing that it is a direct reference to managing his ongoing battle with prescription drugs. “Vicodin, Valium and Ambien and, toward the end, which caused my overdose, methadone,” Eminem told the Times when asked what he was recovering from. “I didn’t know it was methadone. I used to get pills wherever I could. I was just taking anything that anybody was giving to me.” The hip-hop superstar also opened up about his stint in rehab. “The first time I went, it was in Brighton, Michigan,” he said “The second time, I didn’t go to rehab; I just went to a regular hospital. I detoxed in the hospital, and then I came home.” Coping with addiction is a demanding process, but due to his celebrity, Em had to deal with a unique set of challenges. The always candid MC said that he later chose to detox in a hospital because his outsize stardom affected the way his fellow addicts in rehab interacted with Em. “I couldn’t go back to rehab. I felt like I was Bugs Bunny in rehab,” Eminem said. “When Bugs Bunny walks into rehab, people are going to turn and look. People at rehab were stealing my hats and pens and notebooks and asking for autographs. I couldn’t concentrate on my problem.” Did you prefer the Relapse 2 album title, or are you happy Em opted for Recovery instead? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Eminem Related Artists Eminem

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Eminem Says He Felt Like ‘Bugs Bunny’ In Rehab