Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Drake: Lil Wayne Is 'The Icon'

'It's rare you get people like that,' he says in interview with CBS News' Katie Couric.
By James Dinh


Drake talks to Katie Couric on Tuesday
Photo: UStream/CBS News

Before the 2009 Grammy Awards, Lil Wayne sat down for a blunt conversation with CBS News' Katie Couric. And on Tuesday (October 5), Weezy's Young Money protégé Drake sat down for an interview with the anchor that was broadcast on UStream. Drake opened up about why Lil Wayne is so important to the music industry, hip-hop's attitudes toward women and how he'd like to collaborate with Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake.

Drake told Couric that he's not the only person who looks up to his mentor. "I think Wayne is the closest thing to have to an iconic figure in my generation," he said. Comparing Weezy to the likes of Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix, Drake continued, "To me, he is the rock star, he is the icon, he is the messiah that people look up to and say, 'This guy really controls the market.' It's not just his music. It's his life ... it's rare you get people like that.

Drizzy shared the most important piece of wisdom that Weezy has given him. "It's less [a piece of] of advice and more of a constant reminder, which, I love him so much for saying this to me, is ... 'Just please be yourself," said the 23-year-old.

When asked how he feels about hip-hop undervaluing women Drake replied, "I feel like there's a fine line between demeaning and fun and wit. I feel a lot of the music like me and Wayne make, for example, is fun and witty. We have a song like 'I Just Want to F--- Every Girl in the World.' That's one of our biggest songs together. Is it to be taken literal and dissecting? No, it's more just fun, witty moments. Hip-hop has elements of comedy in it. That makes for the best quotes. Punchlines are made up of clever wit. That's where we strive."

Drake is notable for switching it up between singing and rapping, and he revealed that he has much love for both of his talents. "The feeling of finishing a great rap verse is the ultimate euphoric feeling for me. I love to finish a great rap verse. It's very satisfying," he explained. "But to get my feelings out, sometimes it can't be rap. Sometimes I really have to sing. Sometimes the emotion is too intense or too genuine."

While Drake revealed that he doesn't pay much mind to the critics, the MC did say that he does pay attention to Twitter. "I do pay attention to what people say to me on Twitter because it's more of a mass opinion as opposed to one individual," he said.

Drake also told Couric that he is in the process of brushing off his acting chops during those brief moments of tour downtime. "I am definitely reading scripts and trying to find my way back [to acting]," he said,

The MC has his upcoming R&B mixtape It's Never Enough on the horizon, and he's already thinking ahead, telling Couric that he'd like to work with Beyoncé, Andre 3000 and Justin Timberlake on future projects.

"I hope I get a chance to work with B," he said. "I'm always in awe of her talent ... Andre 3000 from Outkast. I'd would still love to work with him and Justin Timberlake. Me and Justin are friends. We're tight, but we haven't worked together yet."

Do you agree with Drake about Lil Wayne's iconic status? Share your thoughts in comments.

Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists

Jennifer ODell Jennifer Scholle Jennifer Sky Jenny McCarthy Jessica Alba

No comments:

Post a Comment