Drake’s daddy releases new music, talks support for R. Kelly and Jussie Smollett in interview
Drake's father spoke to 'Variety' about the single he made a decade ago, but also about the two controversial figures in recent news
Drake’s father Dennis Graham, who is always freshly dressed in a flashy suit and hat, has emerged as a star all his own.
Graham is using his newfound fame to unleash his own music, “That on That” and he opened up to Variety about his single, his friendship with R. Kelly and his support for Jussie Smollett.
The single Graham said was made 10 years ago and his rapper son gave his approval.
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“I made it about 10 years ago. My brother and my cousin Tone Bling, we were just in my apartment. Tone came up with the track and I wrote the words to it,” he explained.
“Drake was the first one to tell me, “Dad, I love that song,”” he proclaimed.
“He sent me a text message actually. [Shows text that reads “So fucking good.”] Drake heard it when I first did it 10 years ago. He had heard it before because everything that he did, he used to send to me first. And whatever I did, I used to send to him. But now he’s too busy for that, he doesn’t send me anything now.”
While Graham said the music is a hobby of his, he said he felt compelled to get his song out now because it was the right time.
“It was right. It sounded right. I went back and listened to some of the stuff I had in the archives. I ran across it and said, “Woah, that sounds good, let’s drop it!” But we had to do a remake on it because my [vocals] weren’t clear. Tone didn’t have a verse on there at first, I put him on it this time. I wanted a rapper Tone has been rapping all his life. He’s a first cousin.”
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The song which talks about something peeping through the windows and blowing up his phone and doing some questionable things, is somewhat an ode to an ex-girlfriend, Graham said.
“The lyrics are not specific to anyone, it’s just something that I made up one night. Actually at the time I did have a girlfriend that was sort of like that. She was always checking my phone. If I was in the other room working on some music, she would be peeping through the door.
“Yeah, she was like that. Always calling me on my phone every time I go out. Constantly leaving messages, won’t leave me alone. [Laughs.]”
When asked about his thoughts about the pending charges against R. Kelly, someone he considers a friend, Graham offered supportive comments:
“He’s a good friend of mine. I wish him the best. I hate that it’s happening to him. There’s a reason why women come out after the fact. He has my support 100%.”
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Smollett, he said, is also a friend who Graham believes has been railroaded after claims that he constructed a fake hate crime against himself.
“Jussie has been misunderstood.,” Graham said. “As a matter of fact, they know that. That story that came out about Jussie in Chicago is not true about Jussie. Jussie is a friend of mine, also. They have totally reconstructed his story.”
Read more of Graham’s interview here.
