Grammy-winning rapper Drake performed his long-postponed show at New York City’s famed Apollo Theater in January 2023. During the show, the Degrassi star-turned-rapper expressed his gratitude for his fans’ support over the years — and teased that he’s nowhere near being done yet, as he might have another album in the vault.
Drake performed at the Apollo Theater in January 2023 after postponing the show
Drake first announced a special one-night-only performance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in the fall of 2022. Fans of the “0 to 100” rapper had the opportunity to win tickets using a special QR code on the SiriusXM app while listening to Sound 42, the station of Drake’s record label, October’s Very Own.
In early November 2022, the death of Migos rapper Takeoff rocked the world of hip-hop, leading to an outpouring of love from artists including Drake himself. The Canadian rapper’s show at the Apollo was scheduled for the weekend of Takeoff’s funeral in Atlanta, and he decided to postpone the show out of respect for his late friend. “The Apollo show has been moved to allow us to pay respect to our dear friend this weekend,” Drake wrote on his Instagram Stories with an updated flyer. “We have added a second date for the fans.
The concert was originally set for two nights in December 2022, but Drake ended up pushing the two shows to January 21 and 22, 2023. “If you are going to play the world famous Apollo Theater, it has to be a world class production. We as a team have been working around the clock not just putting together a concert but an experience our fans deserve,” Drake, SiriusXM, and Sound 42 said in a joint statement, according to Variety. “With that said, we are up against some production delays that are just out of our control. … The Apollo has been so incredibly gracious throughout this process and we look forward to bringing a legendary show to this legendary stage.”
Drake’s Apollo shows ended up having plenty of memorable moments and special appearances from surprise guests, including 21 Savage and Lil Uzi Vert. Drake and 21 previously teamed up for the collaborative album Her Loss, released in November 2022, and Drizzy didn’t shy away from the prospect of taking Her Loss on the road with 21. “We’re gonna be out on the road this summer,” Drake teased between songs, according to Variety.
Drake went on to thank his supporters for never wavering, and told them that he might pop out with another new album in 2023. “I appreciate all of those people that stick by me. I know it’s like a cool thing … to be like, ‘F*** Drake’ … but I deeply appreciate everybody for continuing to support us,” he said. “I’ve thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time none of those things are stopping making music for you, so I’ll be here for you for a little bit at least. And I hope I can strike up more emotions for you, maybe this year. I might get bored and make another one, who knows!”
He released 2 albums in 2022
Drake’s Apollo performance comes after a massive year. In June 2022, Drake released his seventh studio album, Honestly, Nevermind, which followed his previous album Certified Lover Boy released the previous September. His collaboration with 21 Savage on the album, “Jimmy Cooks,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In November 2022, Drake and 21 teamed up for Her Loss, which contained hit songs such as “Rich Flex” and “On BS.” The album drew backlash upon its release for lines Drake rapped aimed at Megan Thee Stallion and Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian.
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