The Drake Effect: 13 Artists Whose Careers Benefited From His Co-sign

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For some of your favorite artists, receiving a co-sign from Drake often becomes a strategic move that can reshape a rising star’s momentum and public image. His influence has helped boost a range of acts — from mysterious R&B newcomers to regional rappers and global stars across languages and genres. Drake’s choices on who to acknowledge reflect his awareness of timing, virality and how to place an artist in front of the right audience.

Some critics view Drake nods as mutually beneficial at best or opportunistic at worst. There’s a long-standing narrative that he uses these moments to align with rising trends and artists to maintain his own cultural dominance. However, others could argue that it’s a little of both: While Drizzy extends his brand in the process, his reach genuinely helps launch talent into the mainstream.

It’s also worth asking — who co-signed Drake? Before his reign at the top, he was championed by Lil Wayne, who brought him into the Young Money Entertainment fold and gave him a global platform. Before that, lesser-known collaborations with the likes of Phonte and Nickelus F slowly pushed him to the center of multiple rap circles.

Whether you love him or love to debate him, Drake’s position in music is about more than his chart-topping albums or viral moments. Through those achievements, he’s become a cultural barometer with the power to introduce the next wave to the world. It’s like a cheat code of sorts, or a seal of approval, that can turn a bubbling regional act into a household name and an underdog into a serious contender.

Rap-Up compiled a list of artists whose paths were significantly elevated or even transformed by the 6 God’s involvement.

1. The Weeknd

Before the world knew his name, The Weeknd was uploading haunting R&B cuts to the internet and stirring intrigue in Toronto’s underground. That changed when Drake took notice. Not only did he tweet about the “Die For You” hitmaker’s House of Balloons, but his Take Care LP boasted production and writing from The Weeknd himself. In fact, in a Rolling Stone interview, the singer-songwriter admitted to giving Drake “almost half” of Take Care. The pair’s collaborations on “Crew Love,” “The Ride” and “Shot For Me” cemented their sonic bond and gave The Weeknd massive exposure. While the two artists would later experience creative tension, the award-winning artist’s rise from enigmatic singer to global superstar is largely due to that introduction.

2. Migos

When “Versace” started to bubble in Atlanta, the track had regional heat, but it wasn’t a global phenomenon. That changed when Drake hopped on the remix. His verse brought the song to new audiences and was instrumental in popularizing the group’s triplet flow. The remix pushed the Quality Control Music-signed trio into the mainstream and set the stage for their eventual dominance with the Culture series. For many fans outside of the Southern United States, Drake was the first introduction to Migos’ world.

3. Lil Baby

Lil Baby’s rise in Atlanta was already building on its own, but it was “Yes Indeed” — his glossy collaboration with Drake — that marked his national breakthrough. The song peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 — marking his first track to land in the Top 10 — and served as many listeners’ first encounter with the “Pure Cocaine” rapper’s melodic flow. Lil Baby has since become a mainstay in rap, but even he acknowledged the moment’s weight, telling Business Insider, “All [of Drake’s] songs [are] massive…So, it’s like we are a cheat code together almost.”

4. Dave

In 2016, Drake jumped on a remix of Dave’s “Wanna Know,” bringing the British lyricist’s introspective style to a broader international audience. At the time, the Game Over creator was already regarded as one of his country’s brightest young talents; however, the collaboration added to Santan’s early chart success and amplified his buzz well beyond British borders. The Toronto heavyweight even brought Dave out to perform the song at London’s packed The O2 Arena in 2017. It’s also important to note that Drake’s co-sign arrived before the release of PSYCHODRAMA, which would go on to win the Mercury Prize.

5. BlocBoy JB

Few Drake co-signs have created a moment as explosive as “Look Alive.” BlocBoy JB had some local traction in Memphis, Tennessee, but with one feature, Drake propelled him into the Billboard Top 5 and brought his energetic dance style to the masses. The track’s accompanying music video racked up views fast, and the viral momentum carried the iHeartRadio Music Award winner into national conversations. It’s because of this career boost that BlocBoy JB remains one of Drizzy’s most vocal supporters — especially when it comes to blasting his peers for biting the hand that fed them.

6. Sexyy Red

Already going viral off the strength of her wild charisma and breakout hit “Pound Town,” Sexyy Red received an even bigger platform when Drake brought her on the “It’s All A Blur Tour” and featured her on “Rich Baby Daddy” — complete with a starring role in the song’s music video. Drake’s continuing and very public support of the St. Louis rapper helped her shift from a viral curiosity to a real presence in mainstream rap. A subsequent Champagne Papi appearance on the In Sexyy We Trust standout “U My Everything” gave Sexyy Red’s music even more exposure.

7. Bad Bunny

This one is truly debatable — but walk with me for a moment. Despite being known for adapting different flows and vibes to fit a track, Drake surprised many when he sang entirely in Spanish for his feature on “MIA,” a sultry reggaeton track by Bad Bunny. Yes, Benito was already making waves in Latin America, but the collaboration argubaly helped him break into the global mainstream. The song hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and signaled that Latin trap officially crossed into the pop landscape. The move was bold, to say the least.

8. Kendrick Lamar

Though they later turned into bitter rivals, there was once a time when Drake was a vocal supporter of Kendrick Lamar’s rise. For starters, he gave Lamar a full interlude — “Buried Alive Interlude” — on Take Care and invited him to open for the “Club Paradise Tour” in 2012. This was just before the release of good kid, m.A.A.d city, too. The exposure helped K-Dot tap into new markets outside of the West Coast. Since the two artists’ well-documented beef hit the fan, many on social media found past interviews where the Compton star gave praise to his Canadian counterpart for the co-sign. It’s a complex chapter in their shared history, but the boost was very real.

9. Yung Bleu

Yung Bleu saw his career shift dramatically after Drizzy jumped on the remix of “You’re Mines Still.” The song quickly climbed the charts and introduced the Alabama singer to a much wider audience, becoming one of his most recognizable hits. He has since built a solid R&B catalog but credits that moment with opening the door. In addition to speaking highly of Drake following the track’s success, Young Bleu also notably manifested the possibility prior to its existence. “If somebody like Drake or some s**t reach out to me, h**l yeah, I’m going to be like, ‘H**l yeah, let’s do it,’” he told HipHopDX.

10. Teezo Touchdown

Known for his genre-blending aesthetic and eccentric visuals, Teezo Touchdown received a major boost after the release of his debut album, How Do You Sleep At Night?. Drake publicly praised the project in an Instagram Story, calling it “some of the best music ever.” In an interview with Complex, Teezo described the shoutout as a “very high moment,” even as it came during a wave of online backlash. A month later, Drake doubled down on the support by featuring Teezo on “Amen” from For All the Dogs.

11. PARTYNEXTDOOR

As one of OVO Sound’s earliest signees, PARTYNEXTDOOR was instrumental in crafting the atmospheric, emotional R&B sound that defined much of Drake’s blog era period. He provided reference tracks, melodies and songwriting — notably penning Rihanna’s chart-topping “Work.” His own music, especially early cuts like “Break from Toronto,” also carry the moody aesthetic that became synonymous with Drake’s brand.

12. Majid Jordan

Majid Jordan’s introduction to the world came through Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” which they co-wrote and co-produced. The R&B duo’s dreamy, synth-heavy sound helped shape the poppier side of Drizzy’s style during his Nothing Was The Same era. Though the pair has maintained a more lowkey presence, their influence on the OVO aesthetic is significant. All in all, Drake’s support allowed them to build a strong fanbase and release critically acclaimed projects under OVO Sound.

13. ILOVEMAKONNEN

ILOVEMAKONNEN — who needs his flowers for his contribution to Atlanta Hip Hop alone — was a true left-field artist when he dropped “Tuesday,” a woozy party anthem with unconventional structure and delivery. Drake’s surprise remix took the song from a SoundCloud cult favorite to a Billboard smash, earning a Grammy nomination and defining a moment in time. Unfortunately, this was another relationship that would eventually turn sour as ILOVEMAKONNEN parted ways with OVO in a rather abrupt fashion. Regardless, their collaboration remains one of the most vivid examples of a Drake co-sign turning someone into a household name overnight.

HONORABLE MENTION: Kodak Black

Here is another scenario that can be left up to interpretation. Early on, Drake posted a video of himself vibing to Kodak Black’s “Skrt,” helping amplify the Floridian star’s buzz at the time. While the moment went viral and introduced the Atlantic Records signee to bigger crowds, the two never officially collaborated. Kodak Black later downplayed the co-sign’s impact, saying he was already gaining traction on his own.