Ever find yourself scrolling through a playlist and suddenly realize you’ve been listening to the same guy for over two decades? It’s a bit of a trip. Whether you call him Drizzy, the 6 God, or just Aubrey, the question of how old was drake when he hit specific milestones is something that comes up constantly in group chats and bar trivia.
He’s one of those rare stars who has lived multiple lives in the public eye. One minute he’s a teenager in a wheelchair on a Canadian soap opera, and the next, he’s the biggest rapper on the planet.
As of right now, in early 2026, Drake is 39 years old. He was born on October 24, 1986. But age in the music industry is a funny thing—it’s less about the number on the birth certificate and more about the "eras" we’ve watched him go through. Honestly, looking back at the timeline, the math gets interesting when you see just how young he was when he started carrying the weight of a franchise like Degrassi.
The Degrassi Days: A Teenager Carrying the Torch
Drake wasn't always a rap mogul. Before the private jets and the Nike deals, he was Aubrey Graham, a kid from Toronto just trying to keep the lights on for his mom.
When he landed the role of Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, he was only 14 years old. Think about that. Most of us at 14 were struggling with algebra and bad haircuts. He was essentially the breadwinner for his family. He’s mentioned in several interviews that the money he made from the show was the only thing keeping them afloat while his mother was sick.
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He stayed on the show until 2008. By the time he left the halls of Degrassi Community School, he was 21. That’s a huge chunk of a person's formative years spent under a spotlight, even if that spotlight was mostly confined to Canada at the time. It explains why he’s always seemed a bit more "industry-hardened" than other rappers who didn't get famous until their mid-twenties.
How Old Was Drake When the Music Took Over?
There’s a common misconception that Drake just woke up one day in 2009 and decided to rap. Not even close. He was actually grinding on the side for years while still filming scenes as Jimmy.
He released his first mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. He was 19. It sold about 6,000 copies, which sounds tiny now, but for a Canadian actor trying to break into a US-dominated hip-hop scene, it was a start.
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The real shift happened with So Far Gone in 2009. By then, he was 22. That’s the age where most people are graduating college and looking for an entry-level job. Drake, instead, was signing a massive deal with Young Money and Lil Wayne. By the time his debut studio album, Thank Me Later, dropped in 2010, he was 23.
Breaking Down the Album Ages
To give you a better sense of the trajectory, here is how the timeline actually looked:
- Take Care (2011): He was 25. This is often cited as the "peak" emotional Drake era.
- Nothing Was the Same (2013): He was 26. This is where he famously rapped, "25 sitting on 25 mil," though he was technically 26 by the time the year ended.
- Views (2016): He was 29. This was the summer of "One Dance" and "Hotline Bling."
- Scorpion (2018): He was 31. This was a pivotal year, not just because of the music, but because it’s when he confirmed he was a father.
The Dad Era and the "30s" Shift
When Scorpion came out, the world found out about his son, Adonis. Drake was 31 when he officially became a dad (Adonis was born in October 2017, right around Drake’s 31st birthday).
There’s a noticeable shift in his lyrics from his late 20s to his late 30s. In your 20s, you’re rapping about the club and the "newness" of fame. By the time he hit 35 and released Certified Lover Boy, the tone changed. It became more about legacy, the fatigue of being at the top, and the paranoia of the industry.
It’s actually kinda wild to think that he’s been at the top of the Billboard charts for over 15 years. In rap years, that’s an eternity. Most artists get a 3-to-5-year run if they're lucky. Drake has managed to stay relevant from his early 20s all the way to the brink of 40.
Why People Get Confused About His Age
Part of the confusion about how old was drake at certain times comes from his "young" start. Because we saw him as a literal child on TV, many people assume he’s older than he actually is. They feel like they’ve known him forever.
On the flip side, because he stays so connected to internet culture, slang, and the younger generation of streamers (like Kai Cenat or Adin Ross), he often projects a younger energy. It’s a bit of a branding masterclass. He bridges the gap between the "old heads" who remember the early 2000s and the Gen Z crowd who only know him as the guy from TikTok memes.
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What’s Next for a 39-Year-Old Drake?
Approaching 40 is a major milestone for any rapper. Jay-Z did it by transitioning into a "business, man." Nas did it by finding a second wind with the King's Disease series.
For Drake, 39 and 40 will likely be about further diversifying. We already see it with his "Embassy" mansion in Toronto, his Stake partnerships, and his Nike sub-label, Nocta. He’s no longer just a guy making catchy hooks; he’s an institution.
If you're trying to track his career or just settling a bet, keep the number 1986 in your head. Everything he’s done—from the wheelchair in Degrassi to the Grammys—happened within that window of a kid born in the mid-80s who refused to stay in one lane.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Check the math: If it's before October 24th in any given year, subtract 1986 from the current year, then subtract one more.
- Career Longevity: Recognize that he has been a professional entertainer for over 25 years, starting at age 14.
- The "25 on 25 mil" Rule: Use his lyrics as a guide, but remember that albums are often recorded a year or two before they actually reach your ears.
To get a true sense of his evolution, go back and watch an episode of Degrassi from 2001 and then watch the music video for "Family Matters" or "Push Ups." The physical transformation is one thing, but the shift in confidence from a 15-year-old kid to a nearly 40-year-old mogul is the real story.