You’ve heard her name dropped in hit songs for nearly two decades. You’ve seen the face tattoo—those "SG" initials etched right under Drake’s eye. But honestly, Sandi Graham is a lot more than just a famous rapper’s mother. She’s the woman who basically kept the lights on in a cramped Toronto apartment while the future "6 God" was still just Aubrey, a kid with a messy fro and big dreams.
If you’re wondering who is Drake’s mom, you have to look past the red carpet photos. Born Sandra Sher, she’s a Canadian Ashkenazi Jew who worked as an English teacher and a florist. She’s the person who insisted Drake stay in school and the one who nurtured his "sensitive soul" long before the world started calling him "emotional."
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The Woman Behind the "SG" Tattoo
Sandi Graham didn't have an easy path. She met Dennis Graham, a drummer from Memphis, at a Toronto nightclub called Club Bluenote. The story goes that she offered him a cigarette, and that was that. They married in 1985 and had Drake a year later.
But the marriage didn't last. By the time Drake was five, they were divorced.
Dennis headed back to Memphis, eventually spending time in prison on drug-related charges. Sandi was left in Toronto to raise their son alone. They lived in the west end of the city on Weston Road before moving to the more affluent Forest Hill in 2000. Why move if they weren't rich? Sandi wanted Drake to have better opportunities, even if it meant living in the basement of a house they couldn't really afford.
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Drake has talked about this a lot. He’s mentioned how she struggled with her health—physical pain that kept her bedridden for stretches of his childhood. In the song "Look What You’ve Done," he gets real about it:
"You get the operation you dreamed of / And I finally send you to Rome."
That wasn't just a lyric. In 2010, Drake actually postponed a European tour specifically to be by her side for a major surgery. He’s always been a "mama’s boy," and he doesn't care who knows it.
Sandi Graham’s Career and Jewish Heritage
Before she was a full-time "Grammy-winning mom," Sandi was an educator. She worked as an English teacher, and that academic background definitely rubbed off on Drake’s songwriting. You can hear it in the way he pieces together narratives.
She also worked as a florist. There’s a poetic irony there, considering Drake’s song "Sandra’s Rose." In that track, he calls himself the flower that grew from her garden.
Religion played a huge role in their household too. Sandi raised Drake Jewish. He attended a Jewish day school and even had a Bar Mitzvah (which he famously re-enacted for his HYFR music video). While his dad brought the Memphis blues and soul influence, Sandi brought the Toronto structure and the cultural identity that makes Drake so unique in the rap world.
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The Struggles Nobody Talks About
It wasn't all just "flowers and teaching." Sandi dealt with significant joint pain and internal health issues for years. During the Degrassi years, Drake was basically the primary breadwinner for the two of them. He’s admitted that the money he made playing Jimmy Brooks went straight to their rent and her medical bills.
There’s a famous letter Drake posted on Instagram from 2006. He was 19 and apologizing to his mom for spending too much money on eBay. He promised to pay her back for "funding his music and wardrobe." It’s a tiny glimpse into how much she sacrificed to keep his career afloat before he hit the big time.
Why Their Relationship Still Matters
In 2026, people are still obsessed with Sandi because she represents the "real" side of Drake. When Kendrick Lamar released "Meet the Grahams," he addressed Sandi directly, trying to use her as a point of leverage. It didn't really stick, mostly because fans know how fiercely protective Drake is of her.
She’s his moral compass.
In "You & The 6," he raps about her trying to set him up with her personal trainer and how she keeps up with his life via Google Alerts. It’s relatable. It’s human.
What Most People Get Wrong
- She wasn't wealthy: Many people assume Drake grew up rich because he lived in Forest Hill. In reality, they were "renting a basement" in a nice neighborhood to look the part.
- She didn't hate Dennis: While Drake’s lyrics sometimes paint his dad as absent, Sandi actually encouraged him to keep a relationship with his father. Drake has since clarified that his mom is "the nicest, kindest woman," even if she was "a woman scorned" for a time.
- She's not just a "socialite": You might see her at basketball games now, but she spent decades as a working-class teacher.
Quick Facts About Sandi Graham
- Full Name: Sandra Gale Graham (née Sher).
- Nationality: Canadian.
- Former Jobs: English teacher and florist.
- Birthdate: January 28 (Drake often throws her massive birthday parties).
- Grandson: She is very close with Drake’s son, Adonis Graham.
Sandi is the reason Drake is "sensitive." She’s the reason he’s "the 6 God." She’s the foundation.
If you want to understand Drake’s music, you have to understand the woman who raised him in that Toronto basement. She wasn't just a spectator; she was the architect.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Listen to the track "Look What You've Done" on the Take Care album to hear a voicemail from his grandmother and lyrics dedicated to Sandi.
- Check out the "HYFR" music video for a look at the Jewish culture Sandi raised him in.
- Follow Drake’s official social media around January 28th—he almost always posts a heartfelt tribute to her for her birthday.