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Drake · S2 E6
The Bidding War
Every major label wants to sign him. Kanye, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne all make their pitch
Mid-2009. Drake has no record deal, but he has something better: three of the most powerful men in hip-hop fighting over who gets to sign him.
Nicki Minaj and Drake on "Moment 4 Life." This is what the bidding war produced. Drake chose Young Money, and here he is alongside Nicki on one of the biggest songs of 2011. The fairy-tale video captures exactly what both of them were living: a dream that came true because they bet on Wayne and each other.
Moment 4 Life (feat. Drake) (2011)
Produced by T-Minus, the beat builds on triumphant horns and cinematic strings that feel like a coronation. Nicki's verses are fierce and celebratory. Drake's verse ties the song to this episode: he raps about the journey, the doubters, and the moment when all the struggle finally pays off. The song hit number thirteen on the Hot 100 and became a permanent anthem for anyone who ever bet on themselves.
TAP TO REVEAL: What did Jay-Z offer Drake to join Roc Nation?
“It came down to loyalty. Wayne believed in me when nobody else did. Jay and Kanye had incredible offers, but Wayne was the one who called when nobody knew my name.”
— Drake, interview with Complex, 2009
The Bidders
Light Up (feat. Jay-Z)
From Thank Me Later (2010). Jay-Z couldn't sign Drake, so he did the next best thing: he showed up on the debut album. "Light Up" opens with Drake rapping over a pulsing, paranoid beat, and then Jay-Z arrives with a verse that sounds like a proud mentor. The man who lost the bidding war still wanted to be part of the story.
Light Up, Drake ft. Jay-Z (2010)
Read the lyrics while you listen. Jay-Z couldn't sign Drake, so he showed up on the debut album instead. Drake raps over a pulsing, paranoid beat, then Jay-Z arrives sounding like a proud mentor.
Which label did Drake sign with in 2009?
The bidding war is over, but the real work begins. Drake walks into Young Money as the most expensive bet Lil Wayne has ever made. Next: the actor from Toronto officially joins the biggest rap label in the world.
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