Drake Rising Fast in Music World

Drake isn’t your typical rapper. Not long ago, the 22-year-old biracial Canadian was playing a parapalegic teen on the Canadian drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. But two well-received mixtapes and some music videos later, he’s signed a monster $2 million deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, putting him on the map as an artist to watch this year, Rolling Stone reports.

“They’ll say this is the worst deal in music history as far as the label goes,” says Drake. “Probably one of the best deals for me at the moment.” The music is unusual, too; Drake cites such unlikely influences as Passion Pit, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan. “I think you should really listen to some Dylan,” he says. “When I listen back to my raps, I just hear myself being that vulnerable.”