It’s safe to say at this point that few artists represent their country, and more specifically their hometown, with as much pride as Drake exudes while continually putting on for his birthplace of Toronto, Canada. Tomorrow, his efforts will be recognized once more on perhaps the greatest scale of all, as Mayor John Tory plans to present Drizzy with the highest honor he can bestow: the coveted Key to the City.
Drake first alluded to the prestigious award on his Views From the 6 single “Summer Sixteen,” when he pondered publicly whether or not to pass the proverbial key along to his mentor Lil Wayne, but the news wasn’t officially revealed until earlier this afternoon. “I believe the key should to go individuals who make people across the city feel good about themselves and about their city. It should make us proud of who we are and what we can achieve,” insisted Tory in the video announcement shared on Twitter.
“Drake is Toronto’s biggest champion: in his music, his mentorship of local talent, and his presence on the world stage,” the mayor said in a corresponding press release. “He makes people feel good about themselves and their city, and he has drawn the eyes of the world to Toronto. He deserves our city’s recognition and our pride and I’m honored to give him the Key to the City.”
The presentation, Tory’s first of its kind since taking office in 2014, will coincide with yet another inaugural event, as the city becomes the first outside of the United States to host NBA All-Star weekend – an event that Drizzy, the global ambassador of the Toronto Raptors, has been eagerly anticipating for months.
