Drake’s journey from teen actor to global rap superstar has been well-documented, but the Toronto native hasn’t forgotten the role that first introduced him to audiences worldwide. Before he became one of the biggest names in music, Drake played Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation — a character whose life was permanently changed after a school shooting storyline.

DEGRASSI DOCUMENTARY

In the new documentary Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, Drake opened up about the emotional moment he learned that Jimmy would be paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of the series.

“I didn’t know about the end of ‘Time Stands Still’ until I was in the read-through,” Drake recalled in an interview cited by Complex. “Somebody told me to mentally prepare for today’s script, but they didn’t tell me there was going to be a shooting at the school and that it was me. There was shock and sadness. We were holding hands and crying in the read-through. It was dark. It was intense.”

The rapper admitted that the storyline initially left him questioning his future on the show.

“My question was, ‘What now? I don’t want to spend the rest of my years in a wheelchair. I want to be with everyone else, what do you mean?’ Unfortunately, that’s not how life goes,” he explained.

Looking back, Drake believes that the raw, sometimes painful realism of Degrassi is what made the series resonate with so many viewers.

“I think that was why that show’s so good, because life is messed up and they weren’t afraid to let you know that. A lot more went into playing Jimmy after I got shot, for sure. It gave me something to study. It gave me homework.”

👤DRAKE👤
👤SHENAE GRIMES-BEACH👤
👤MIRIAM MCDONALD👤
👤SHANE KIPPEL👤👤

📹DEGRASSI: WHATEVER IT TAKES DOCUMENTARY📹

◻️OFFCIAL DOCUMENTARY FOR DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH, IT FOLLOWS DRAKE AND THE REST OF THE DEGRASSI CAST MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF THE SHOW◻️ pic.twitter.com/e4su2Cg0NZ

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Co-creator of Degrassi Suing Filmmaker

Drake isn’t the only person in the Degrassi-verse who’s been taking legal action lately. Degrassi co-creator and producer Linda Schuyler is suing to stop the upcoming world premiere of the documentary Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, Canada’s Cartt.ca reports. In her notice of action, filed in Ontario Superior Court on September 8, Schuyler claims that she was interviewed twice for Lisa Rideout’s behind-the-scenes look at the hit teen drama — but was not informed of or asked to comment on cast members Amanda Stepto’s and Stacie Mistysyn’s allegations in the film that they only earned $50 per day as child stars. Schuyler argues that the documentary will lead the average viewer to believe that she profited at the “expense” of an underpaid young cast.

But she claims that the child stars on her show were actually paid “well in excess” of then-applicable union rates and also received acting lessons, entertainment-career and financial-management counseling, and payments to a retirement plan, among other forms of compensation. She further alleges that Whatever It Takes suggests that story lines for the show were “stolen from the actors’ lives,” which she denies.

What’s Next for Drake: ICEMAN Album on the Way

While reflecting on his acting past, Drake is also focused on his present career as a chart-topping artist. The Toronto rapper is preparing to release his highly anticipated ninth studio album, ICEMAN. Though a release date hasn’t been announced, fans have already gotten a preview of the project through singles like “What Did I Miss?” and “Dog House.”

With his ability to blend personal reflection and cultural dominance, Drake continues to prove why he remains one of the most influential figures in music today.