Before he became one of the biggest musical artists of his generation, Drake started his showbiz career as Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation… though he almost left the show early.
The 34-year-old Toronto native played Jimmy Brooks from the start of the show in 2001 before leaving halfway through the eighth season.
Degrassi: The Next Generation writer-producer James Hurst revealed in a wide-ranging AV Club oral history of the show for its 20th anniversary that the singer (real name Aubrey Graham) almost left when Jimmy became paralyzed and was bound to a wheelchair.
Almost left early: Before he became one of the biggest musical artists of his generation, Drake started his showbiz career as Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation… though he almost left the show early
Jimmy Brooks was shot in the back during a school shooting in a two-part episode in Season 4, which paralyzed him from the waist down.
While Drake didn’t participate in the oral history, his co-star Lauren Collins, who played Paige Michalchuk on the show offered her thoughts on why he was uncomfortable being confined to a wheelchair.
‘I don’t want to speak for anyone, but I think [Aubrey] probably struggled with the idea that he was one of two Black characters on the show, and that he was the one who was winding up shot and in a wheelchair, which obviously is part of a much larger conversation,’ Collins said.
Shot: Jimmy Brooks was shot in the back during a school shooting in a two-part episode in Season 4, which paralyzed him from the waist down
Another co-star, Shane Kippel, who played Skinner, added, ‘”[There’s] the apprehension of having your character confined to a wheelchair, or even not really feeling like it’s right to be portraying someone who is confined to a wheelchair if you’re fully abled yourself. But that pertains to [Aubrey] and how he felt with that.’
Stefan Brogen, who played Snake and also directed episodes of the show, said there were always conversations about a ‘surgery’ that he could have to ‘get him out of this.’
Writer-producer James Hurst revealed that Drake had a law firm in Toronto send the show a letter, saying he would not return for Season 6 if he was in a wheelchair.
No wheelchair: Writer-producer James Hurst revealed that Drake had a law firm in Toronto send the show a letter, saying he would not return for Season 6 if he was in a wheelchair
‘There was a letter from a law firm in Toronto, and it was from Aubrey. It was an odd letter that said, “Aubrey Graham will not return to season six as Jimmy Brooks unless his injury is healed, and he’s out of the wheelchair.”‘
However, when Hurst summoned Drake to him, he said, ‘What letter? I don’t know about that.’
Though, when Hurst asked him how he personally felt about the wheelchair, the then-up-and-coming rapper said his piece.
Personally: Though, when Hurst asked him how he personally felt about the wheelchair, the then-up-and-coming rapper said his piece
‘He’s like, “All my friends in the rap game say I’m soft because I’m in a wheelchair.” And I said, “Well, tell your friends in the rap game that you got shot. How much harder can you get? You got shot, and you’re in a wheelchair,”‘ Hurst explained to him.
‘He was like, “Yeah, yeah.” He was so nice and apologetic about everything. He instantly backed down,’ Hurst said, while explaining why he thought it was important that his character remained in the wheelchair.
‘I was very passionate about it, and I said, “Aubrey, there’s some kid somewhere in a wheelchair, who’s completely ignored, who’s never on television, never gets represented.” I need you to represent this person. You’re the coolest kid on the show, and you can say there’s nothing wrong with being in a wheelchair,”‘ Hurst explained.
Soft: ‘He’s like, “All my friends in the rap game say I’m soft because I’m in a wheelchair.” And I said, “Well, tell your friends in the rap game that you got shot. How much harder can you get? You got shot, and you’re in a wheelchair,”‘ Hurst explained to him
Drake’s Jimmy Brooks remained in the wheelchair for the remainder of his time on the show, though he underwent stem cell surgery in Season 7 and was seen walking on crutches in the Season 7 finale before leaving the show after a two-part Season 8 episode.
Drake released his first studio album Thank Me Later in 2010, just two years after he left the series, which started a remarkable run.
He was named Billboard’s Artist of the Decade at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards after a decade where he sold over 200 million records worldwide.
Artist of the Decade: He was named Billboard’s Artist of the Decade at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards after a decade where he sold over 200 million records worldwide