In a matter of months Drake has gone from virtual unknown to hip-hop's hottest commodity and even a Sprite spokesperson. The theBVX caught up with Young Money's not-so-secret weapon at Sprite's Step Off step competition in Atlanta recently to talk about teamwork, his dream collaborator and history with fellow Canuck Melanie Fiona.Though the only fraternity he reps counts Lil Wayne as a charter member, Drake expressed appreciation for the team work and dedication needed to create a winning step routine and for the brotherhood it inspires. Drawing a parallel between the steppers and his affiliation with the Young Money camp.

"I think that the biggest thing people need to understand is that more is accomplished when you work in tandem – when you actually do have a group of individuals [who] are on the same page mentally and are striving for the same goal. So, whether it be a step crew or whether it be Young Money, there's really not that much difference. I just really believe in loyalty. Which is why a lot of people come to me and say, 'man, you know, you could've done anything. You could've got this many millions [of dollars] over here' or 'you could've signed with Jay-Z!' What they don't understand is that none of that matters because if it wasn't for L'il Wayne showing the initial interest in me, I would never be, I would have the buzz and no one would ever know about me. I pretty much owe him my career. With that being said, I'm a Young Money soldier!"



As a Canadian, how does it feel to see so much Canada in the spotlight recently with the Olympics, Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke. You guys are doing it. Is it overdue or what is it?

Naw, I don't think it's overdue. I think everybody has their time ... I'll tell you a crazy story, me and Melanie actually used to play at a restaurant called "Avocado" back in the day. We used to be in a band together and I used to rap over piano, like no drums, and she used to sing and we used to entertain people while they were having dinner. So, for me to see her nominated for a Grammy and to hear her single all the time and hear her album -- which is actually phenomenal -- I'm extremely proud. I'm always proud of Canadians -- Michael Bublé, Fefe Dobson, Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, everybody's doing so great. K'Naan, who's really part of the Olympics too. We actually all just did a song the other day for Haiti."

So, who would you like to work with that you haven't worked with thus far?

The one person that really ... I don't even know if he'll ever know what he means to me and my rap career. But just like the other night I was out with somebody and I was feeling out of my element and I paid the DJ to play a set of his music and it calmed me down. Andre 3000. He means so much more to me than just music. He's saved me, his words have saved me from so many situations and taught me. He's such a vivid thinker. So, not only did he inspire my music, he's inspired my life. I'm hoping to be able to work with him.

In your song "Successful" there's a lyric in there where you talk about your mom running away. What was that really about?

It was just a point in my life where my mother was extremely stressed. We had been waiting, you know, a long time for a deal to close. It was, like, they kept telling me, 'trust me. It's going to happen, it's going to happen' and we were just running out of everything – running out of money, running out of patience. There was just this one night where it came to a boiling point and my mom packed her stuff up and, like, run – leave! And I don't know where she would've went. She probably would've went to get a coffee and come right back (laughs). In her mind she was going. I remember seeing her outside because I was out there getting something out of the car. It was a bugged out night, man, but it's all part of the story.

So, do you feel successful now?

Almost.