Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986), known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited with popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop artists. Gaining recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08), he pursued a recording career in 2006, releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement in February of that year. He followed up with the mixtapes Comeback Season (2007) and So Far Gone (2009) before signing with Young Money Entertainment.