Apple
- Drake is looking to produce and star in TV and movies.
- Apple seems eager to back his productions as it gears up to spend billions in Hollywood.
Drake is looking to become a force in TV and movies, according to a fantastic new feature in The Hollywood Reporter that includes an interview with the Canadian rap superstar.
He has at least one powerful backer in his corner: Apple, which is said to be planning to spend billions on video content in the next few years.
One of Apple's top executives working on movies and music, Jimmy Iovine, says that Drake has the "go-ahead" to produce whatever shows or movies he wants.
That's partially due to Drake's massive profile as a celebrity rapper and former child TV star, but it also speaks to the close relationship between Drake and Apple Music. Drake is one of the few non-Apple executives to receive major stage time at an Apple announcement - he introduced the Apple Music app at Apple's developer conference in 2015, for example.
"If I had a company today, I would give it to Drake and Future [Drake's manager] to run in a minute. They're incredibly talented guys. Very, very gifted," Iovine told The Hollywood Reporter.
"Drake almost single-handedly helped us become culturally relevant from the day we launched," said Robert Kondrk, the VP of media apps and content at Apple Music.
Drake doesn't reveal many details about the projects he's currently working on, or even what the name of his production company will be.
If Apple does end up funding one of his projects, it won't be the first scripted video project from a rapper that Apple has backed. Apple previously funded Dr. Dre's "Vital Signs," a biopic series envisioned by the Beats co-founder who joined Apple in 2014 when it bought his headphone company. That project has yet to see the light of day.
The entire Hollywood Reporter feature is worth reading, especially for Drake fans.