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The Acting Career of Drake's Producer Noah "40" Shebib
There's no question that Drake is the biggest thing in rap, but the industry is just starting to understand the talent of Noah "40" Shebib, the producer/engineer behind almost all of Drizzy's music. Last week MTV featured the low-key mastermind in their documentary Drake: Better Than Good Enough, where the rapper confessed, "40 is everything to me. Without 40, I don't know what I would do." It's the rare musical partnership that seems to be clicking on every level, but most don't know that 40 has something else in common with Drake: he was also a child actor.
No, he wasn't on Degrassi, but the multi-talented Canadian actually had a surprisingly legit career in movies and TV throughout the
Doin' The Worm In Goosebumps
YEAR: 1996
40's first major role was playing young Todd, the lead character in an episode of the "scary" kids show Goosebumps (adapted from the beloved RL Stine novels). In this clip from "Go Eat Worms," 40 and his wise-cracking black friend Danny (subliminal shots fired at The X-Files!) play a slimy practical joke on his little sister that results in an awesome "ooh, I'm so scared!" comeback from 40. The sinister worm's-eye view at the end hints at the imminent insect takeover.
Teaching The Kids About Death In Wind At My Back
YEAR: 1996
Set in Canada during the Great Depression, Wind At My Back was an award-winning family drama that ran for 5 successful seasons. 40 had a regular role as the town's rough-around-the-edges rapscallion, usually there to be a bad influence on the main family's angelic blonde children. In this memorable clip, he tells the kids what their grandmother really means when she says she wants to send their dog to the farm. MURDER!
Getting In Touch With His Roots In The Last Don
YEAR: 1997
For the TV adaptation of the book by mafia master Mario Puzo, 40 was tapped to play the young version of the Don's grandson Dante. In this scene, Danny Aiello (a.k.a. The Last Don) schools young D on the motherland, and tells him some questionable stories about his M.I.A. father. Luckily, Dante's mom (played by Kirstie Alley) is there to give him the realness. Cue conflicting emotions!
Barfing During His Solo In All I Wanna Do
YEAR: 1998
This forgotten Kirsten Dunst flick (originally titled The Hairy Bird...we can see why they changed that one) about an all-girls school is not really our bag, treading into sentimental Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girl-power territory. Luckily, the film has 40, who provides deft comic relief as a visiting student named Conrad. After the boys choir gets drunk, they stumble onto stage for their performance. As 40 sings the first words of his tenor solo, he ralphs, setting off a domino effect. Definitely the best gag in the movie. Zing!
Hitting Up Homecoming In The Virgin Suicides
YEAR: 1999
40 has a pretty big role in Sofia Coppola's critically-acclaimed 1970s period piece, playing one of the neighborhood kids who is obsessed with the pretty blonde Lisbon sisters. In this scene, 40, Josh Hartnett, and a crew of guys arrive to take the sheltered girls to the homecoming dance, with 40 behind the wheel in his dad's Cadillac. He might seem timid, but 40 ends up getting it in later, making out with his date while drinking peach schnapps under the bleachers. (Watch the clip til the end to see 40 reveal his mafia credibility. G shit!)
Providing The Party Supplies In Perfect Pie
YEAR: 2002
40's last movie before retiring from acting was this critically-acclaimed Canadian play adaptation that also launched the career of Rachel McAdams. 40's brief scene adds a much-needed moment of levity to the ultra-serious drama—as party-loving student Dunford, he's ready to pre-game before the school's formal dance. After suggesting "What do you say we have a bit of a toke?" (a line we're guessing he's probably delivered a few times in real life), he offers up some "very fine Panama Red" and a bottle of Wild Turkey. Alright, alright.
BONUS: Bumpin' Hip-Hop In Goosebumps
YEAR: 1996
Think 40's love of hip-hop is something new? Nah, son. In this clip from his episode of Goosebumps, 40 nonchalantly bumps some raw beats and rhymes in the background while working on a punishment project. If anyone can name the song he's listening to, you are officially the biggest Canadian rap nerd of all time.
