EXCLUSIVE! Drake’s Tour Diary From The Night of The Fall
By now we’re sure you’ve heard about Young Money’s golden child, Drake, falling and re-injuring himself during his set at the Susquehana Bank Center this past Friday, July 31, in front of a sold out crowd. You probably even saw fan-filmed footage of the unfortunate tumble on YouTube, and read Drake’s blog about it, so you probably think you know everything that went down that night. Well, you don’t. But Complex does. We were there!
Last week, we sent a writer and a photographer to follow the most buzzed-about rapper in the game on the northeast leg of the America’s Most Wanted Music Festival. We were supposed to follow Drizzy from Camden, NJ to Jones Beach, NY, but our (and his) plans were cut short due to a very unfortunate accident. It goes without saying that we wish Drake a quick and full recovery—if the thunderous roar of the 25,000 people in attendance this past Friday is any indication, he’ll be dearly missed on this tour. Even though our story was cut short, we were still able to spend some time with Drake and the rest of the Young Money crew leading up to the incident. Check out all the candid photos and quotes below to see the night through Complex’s eyes…
Photography by Matt Doyle
Interview by Damien Scott
Complex: How do you choose your outfit for the show?
Drake: “Me and Oliver will sit down together and figure out what’s a good look for tonight. But I like this outfit, I like this sweater, it’s Robert Geller, I wear a lot of Robert Geller.”
Complex: I’m guessing you’re outfit is influenced by the venue and the part of the country you’re in?
Drake: “The other night it was raining in Saratoga and the crowd was screaming and I could hear them from the bus, screaming. So I just threw on some black jeans, a black raincoat, a bunch of black diamonds—that’s just how I felt, wanted to come out super evil. Tonight is just… it’ll be fresh.”
Complex: So everyone on tour has a pellet gun? How’d this all start?
Drake: “Apparently, the pellet gun war started in Miami. Wayne was shooting up the artists, and then the artists went and bought pellet guns. Then Wayne bought out a whole store, literally. He went to a sporting goods store and told them make sure no one else can buy any guns or ammo and bought everything. So we had to go a different city just to get some. It’s one of those things that will go on until someone gets really hurt.”
Drake: “The tour is very family oriented. Everybody’s getting to know everybody else, for the people that haven’t been here. And for the people that have been on tour with us, it’s just another one. It’s very jovial.”
Drake: “One thing I look forward to is seeing everyone, slapping hands with the security guards and all the other workers.”
Complex: Are people hitting you up about sending you free clothes and shades and stuff yet?
Drake: “At a lot of the shit I’ll actually wear, it’s from brands that are not necessarily going to send a rapper a whole bunch of shit. Brands that really don’t care if a rapper wears their stuff. Brands like Helmut Lang and YSL and Robert Geller.”
Complex: As a musician, this is all fairly new to you. How do you feel when people come up to you with music to listen to?
Drake: “It takes a lot for a person to come up to me and give me his MP3 Player. I know that man did not want to give me his MP3 player. I just try to treat everybody with respect and try to give them a little bit of my time, I can’t give them all of it. I’ve been there.”
Drake: “It being the Young Money tour there’s a lot of young individuals. It’s cool being around like minded people that are your age.”
CLICK NEXT TO SEE THE REST OF DRAKE’S NIGHT!
mia August 3, 2009 at 8:58 pm
drake is really grounded, i like that :) not cocky in any way, i hope he stays that way. i myself just started listening to his music 2 years ago and it worries me now that everyone knows who is is because of “best i ever had” cause if the radio. true fans look into his other songs and not just think they know him because of that one song that rotates like a record on the radio everydayy.
mario August 4, 2009 at 1:04 am
yeah i like: Think Good Thoughts, Share, and the Teach You A Lesson freestyle…some old and some new.
Andanotherone August 3, 2009 at 9:26 pm
This is really dope. You should do this more often.
Kim August 4, 2009 at 9:44 am
I love Drakes music…I have been trying to turn people onto his music for a while now. Alot of young people my age only like things they can dance to in the club or things that are ringtone hits but Drake’s music strikes a different cord. People that really appreciate hip hop, like myself love how his music. I hope that he really does get to be successful since he is one of the few that actually makes great music.
Francesca August 4, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I love Drake soo much, even from his Degrassi days
<3<3<3
jasmine poe August 4, 2009 at 2:28 pm
sweat pants hair tied chillin wit no make up thts wen yur the prettiest i hope tht yu dont take it wrong….tht right there shows yu he’s a gentle men i love how he’s not cocky we need more rappers out there like him im not saying all rappers are like tht but alot of them are..AHEMM BACK 2 DRAKE..i love drake so much i followed him through degrassi he’s grown so much i love his music there will never be another..i hope his knee is better frm wen he fell that night on stage…LUV YA AUBREY DRAKE GRAHAM A.K.A DRIZZY
Jasmine Renee August 4, 2009 at 2:30 pm
sweat pants hair tied chillin wit no make up thts wen yur the prettiest i hope tht yu dont take it wrong….tht right there shows yu he’s a gentle men i love how he’s not cocky we need more rappers out there like him im not saying all rappers are like tht but alot of them are..AHEMM BACK 2 DRAKE..i love drake so much i followed him through degrassi he’s grown so much i love his music there will never be another..i hope his knee is better frm wen he fell that night on stage…LUV YA AUBREY DRAKE GRAHAM A.K.A DRIZZY
Jasmine Renee August 4, 2009 at 2:31 pm
jasmine renee and jasmine poe is the same person i jus posted the same thing twice sawry
j. fab August 4, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Loves me sum drizzy…. him and nikki look cute together…. loves her too
Krista August 4, 2009 at 6:47 pm
he’s so inspiring :) praying for him everyday…
mitch August 4, 2009 at 11:20 pm
maybe drake needs to go back to that degrassi wheelchair
DJ August 5, 2009 at 1:54 am
Drake seems to be a real cool dude and the mane flow is some serious. I think he will eventually one day he will be metioned with the biggie’s and the pac’s
JJ August 5, 2009 at 2:10 am
Drake look like he might want to start hittin’ the gym there…. with that beer gut.
How you gonna stand next to lil wayne and have a gut?
rich August 5, 2009 at 5:59 pm
think good thoughts is a classic but wat kind of pellet gun is that that shit is nice
Neri August 5, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I’m such a big Drake fan! Young Money Can’t lose with Drake and Weezy. I was so disapointed to hear about his injury. I had bought tickets to the America’s most wanted tour specifically to see him. Weezy killed it though. that pellet gun war is actually a real interesting fact lolz
CC August 6, 2009 at 12:32 am
Love him! bummed he won”t be here when the tour comes. Hope he recovers well.. :)
MONIQUE August 6, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I was so upset to hear that Drake was pulling out of the tour after his first show in PA via MTV. Thought it was a rumor, didn’t know for sure. I almost didn’t want to go anymore because he was the only reason I was going in the first place. Then he did infact perform and I almost lost it. I was like a 15 yr going crazy!!! My heart goes out to Drake….glad Saratoga got to see you!! But get well quick I will for sure be at the next show in NY!! <3 u!!
Laylah August 14, 2009 at 6:46 pm
PLEASE DON’T LET THE GAME CHANGE YOU DRAKE. YOU ARE A BREATHE OF FRESH AIR, AND SHOULD YOU CHANGE, YOU WILL BECOME POLLUTION.
Mike August 15, 2009 at 7:19 am
Can somebody please explain THE à milli -part? Cuz i dont get it how Bangladesh sent this beat to drake in stead of wayne? And is this freestyle on THE net?
Lisa August 20, 2009 at 3:32 am
i totally missed drake on the amw tour. the young money fam held it down, but drake would have been the icing on the cake. he will be in my prayers, i hope that knee heals up fast so we can get him on another tour :) looking forward to seeing it!