Drake confirms he was paid $100 in 2006 during Toronto show with Ice Cube
Posted October 19, 2022 6:07 pm.
Last Updated October 19, 2022 10:51 pm.
Drake is one of the most recognizable and profitable music artists on the planet, but he wasn’t always paid as handsomely as he is nowadays.
The Toronto rap and pop star caught many by surprise on Wednesday when he shared an Instagram post from The Flyer Vault of a receipt and a promotional flier from August 19, 2006, when Drake opened for Ice Cube at Kool Haus.
The then-20-year-old Drake, who released his first-ever mixtape, Room for Improvement, in early 2006, was paid only $100 for the appearance in his hometown of Toronto.
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Ice Cube was a certified star in the rap scene and was on tour promoting his 2006 album Laugh Now, Cry Later (ironically, Drake would release Laugh Now, Cry Later as a separate single in 2020, which earned him two Grammy nominations.)
CityNews has reached out to The Flyer Vault for comment.
Drake released his second mixtape, Comeback Season, in 2007, before his third mixtape — So Far Gone — jumpstarted his career and established himself globally as an up-and-coming rapper.
Backed by the success of his third mixtape, he’d headline his first-ever tour, the Away from Home Tour, in 2010. That same year, Drake released his first studio album, Thank Me Later.
The Toronto-born music icon is now one of the best-selling artists of all time and the highest-certified digital singles artist in the U.S.
His estimated 2022 net worth is $250 million. He’s currently a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors and is part owner of the Italian football club A.C. Milan.
