Thanks to his distinctive sound that blends hip-hop with R&B and his massive influence on the music world, Drake has become a hip-hop icon and an inspiration for many artists and producers.
If you’re looking to create a Drake type beat and capture the Canadian superstar’s signature sound, you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll dive into his background and key elements of a Drake type beat. We’ll also show you how to produce a Drake beat using SOUNDRAW.
So, let’s dive in!
Drake: History, Background & Top Hits
Source: Billboard
Born in Toronto, Ontario, to an African-American drummer father and a Canadian Jewish mother, Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian rapper, singer, and actor.
His parents divorced when he was five. He grew up with his mother in an affluent Toronto neighborhood and spent summers with his father in Memphis. Drake attended Jewish day school and showed promise in hockey before focusing on entertainment.
In 2001, he came to prominence after landing the role of Jimmy Brooks in the Canadian teen drama series ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’; a role he played for seven years. He dropped out of school to pursue his acting career but later returned to complete his high school diploma in 2012.
For his role in Degrassi, he earned multiple honors and gained celebrity status in Canada. While the show was still on, Drake hit the hip-hop scene in 2006 by dropping his first mixtape, Room for Improvement. In 2007, he followed that with the release of another mixtape, Comeback Season, on his own October’s Very Own imprint (later shortened to OVO).
In 2008, the Jimmy Brooke character was cut from Degrassi, and Drake was almost going broke. Fortunately, he got a breakthrough call from Lil Wayne inviting him to join his Carter III tour. Soon after the tour, Drake released his third mixtape titled So Far Gone in 2009, and it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a debutant. This success led him to ink a record deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment and solidify his transition from actor to rap superstar.
His first three albums, Thank Me Later (2010), Take Care (2011), and Nothing Was the Same (2013), all debuted on the Billboard 200 chart, and he had several singles that spawned the top ten Billboard Hot 100. Drake’s fourth album, Views (2016), topped the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks with smash singles like "Hotline Bling" and the chart-topping "One Dance" (featuring WizKid and Kyla). After Views, Drake dropped the Scorpion (2018) album, which contained three number-one singles: God's Plan, Nice for What, and In My Feelings.
From 2021 to 2023, Drake dropped more albums, including Certified Lover Boy (2021), Honestly Nevermind (2022), Her Loss with 21 Savage (2022), and For All the Dogs (2023), which broke records and gave him more top-ten songs.
With over 170 million units sold, Drake is one of the world's best-selling music artists and is ranked as the highest-certified digital singles US artist by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Throughout his career, he has won 193 awards: 5 Grammy Awards, 39 Billboard Music Awards, 6 American Music Awards, 2 Brit Awards, 3 Juno Awards, and much more. He is also credited for having 13 #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, most top 10 singles, and the most charted songs on the Billboard.
Commonly called Champagne Papi by his most devoted fans, Drake has become an influential figure in popular music and is credited with popularizing R&B sensibilities in hip-hop artists. Some of his biggest hits include God's Plan, Started From the Bottom, First Person Shooter, One Dance, Passionfruit, In My Feelings, Hotline Bling, Nice For What, and Toosie Slide.
How Does Drake Type Beat Sounds?
Drake type beats are a seamless blend of hip-hop, and R&B. Introspective, emotional, and reflective elements are key components.
His sound is typically characterized by its moody, atmospheric soundscapes, spacious melodies, hard-hitting drum patterns, and smooth production that evokes deep emotions. When creating a Drake-type beat, it is crucial to pay attention to tempo, rhythm, groove, melody, chords, and instrumentation.
Here are key elements that contribute to the sound:
- Tempo & Mood: Aim for mid-tempo. Select a tempo between the range of 70-90 BPM to capture Drake’s signature slow style and an engaging rhythm. Find a balance between a mellow and energetic mood so the song can be versatile and pass for both an introspective track and a radio-friendly hit.
- Melody: Drake’s beats lean heavily on melancholic, moody melodies to convey vulnerability and reflection. Experiment with different textures and effects for moody and atmospheric soundscapes. Try reverb, delay, ambient sounds, and subtle modulation to add depth and space to your melodies.
- Drum Patterns: Laid-back, minimalist drum patterns with hard-hitting 808s and trap-inspired hi-hats for a balanced mix of intensity and space and to create an infectious groove.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of sounds to find the perfect blend for your Drake type beat.
Creating Drake Type Beat Using SOUNDRAW
Now that you’ve got a feel for what makes a Drake Type Beat unique, why not create your own?
With SOUNDRAW, our AI music generator, you can easily experiment with different key elements like tempo, mood, drum patterns, melodies, and tempo to capture Drake’s signature style.
Whether you're a musical artist, content creator, podcaster, or filmmaker, our cutting-edge AI technology can create unique, royalty-free tracks that perfectly fits your desired genre, length, and music style.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started with SOUNDRAW AI music generator:
- Head to the SOUNDRAW website and sign up for an account. It’s quick and easy—just provide your email and set a password.
- Go to the Create Music section to see different options for creating and customizing your beat.
- Create a Drake type beat by selecting the length, tempo and genre of your track. For genre, select Hip-Hop and use a Normal tempo.
- Next, choose an appropriate mood, such as Laidback for the Drake type beat.
- Finally, choose a theme for the beat.
- Once you've selected your options, SOUNDRAW will generate a unique beat in seconds. You can further customize the track by adjusting its instruments, tempo, and other elements to perfect it.
Once you’re happy with your beat, save your creation, share the beat with others, or download the final track for immediate commercial use.
Try Making Your Own Drake Type Beat
With SOUNDRAW, creating the perfect beat has never been easier.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced music producer, you get the tools to experiment with different music elements and create studio-quality beats in minutes.
The best part? Every track you make is royalty-free so that you can use it commercially without copyright concerns.
Ready to craft your own custom Drake Type Beat?