Whether it’s through his music, Twitter account parodies, or memes, Canadian rapper Drake is present in pop culture and his aura is felt throughout the Internet. Those who did not attend the show on Monday Oct. 21 might have been tired of seeing the constant posts on social media that night, but those in attendance can attest to the fact that the show was stellar.
Drake, better known to Degrassi: The Next Generation diehard fans as Jimmy (or Wheelchair Jimmy), grabbed the attention of the tens of thousands in attendance at the Bell Centre from the moment he appeared onstage, opening with only the first verse from “Tuscan Leather,” the opening track from his most recent album, Nothing Was The Same.
Drake then played some old favourites, namely “Headlines” and “Crew Love” both from his sophomore effort, Take Care, before rapping the second verse of “Tuscan Leather.” Drake’s setlist featured the entire track list from Nothing Was The Same, with sprinkles of Take Care, and verses from some of his noteworthy collaborations, including his verse in “F**kin Problem” with A$AP Rocky, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, “Pop That” with French Montana, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne, and “Versace” with Migos, as well as “The Motion” featuring Sampha.
In between songs, Toronto native Drake would praise the city of Montreal, calling it his second home, and reminiscing about days where he would drive down to take advantage of the city’s drinking age—Ontario’s drinking age is 19 while Quebec’s is 18. Drake simply had the crowd eating out of his hand, whether it was through his singing and rapping, or showing love to fans by singling them out in the crowd. Drake acted like the ultimate showman and appealed to everyone.
In between his songs, Drake brought out opening act Future, to accompany him on select tracks, including “Same Damn Time” and “Love Me.” Drake also referred to Future as his “brother,” a week after reports surfaced that Future wouldn’t be on the tour after he mentioned comments that were perceived as negative over Drake’s latest album. Drake also brought out Jhene Aiko for her to perform her part on “From Time” and “Come Thru.”
Drake’s opening acts, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Future and Miguel, set the tone for Drake’s act. While PARTYNEXTDOOR couldn’t completely take advantage of the crowd—many people were still trying to get into the building—Future and Miguel captivated the crowd with theirs. Future’s set was heavy with club bangers and hooks, including “Turn On The Lights” and his hook from the Ace Hood hit “Bugatti.” Miguel crooned, rocked, and almost stole the show with hits like “Adorn,” “Do You,” and “How Many Drinks.”
The entire concert, from the openers to the main event, was meant to be a party, and Drake ensured that everyone had a good time—with mass Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts to prove it.
