Drake Delivers Heartfelt Speech At Netflix "Top Boy" Premiere In London

Drake hits the record carpet with Ashley Walters for the "Top Boy" premiere.

BYAron A.
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Drake's love for the U.K. has been well-documented in the past. In fact, he's even been accused of appropriating British culture in the past. It was previously announced that Drake would be bringing back U.K. gang drama, Top Boy for a third season. Rumors initially floated around claiming that he'd be starring in it but thankfully, that wasn't the case. 

Tonight, Drake serves as the executive producer for Top Boy, and the rest of the cast and crew hit the red carpet for the premiere of Top Boy season 3. The rapper pulled up with the show's star, Ashley Walters, on the red carpet where he got a few flicks in. Ahead of the show's debut, the rapper hit the stage where he shared a heartfelt speech with the audience.

 John Phillips/Getty Images

"I think September 13th is a real U.K. heritage moment that you should all be very proud of. You all made it happen, I just really wanted it to happen. To the cast, new and old, the crew, the writers, the production team -- everybody that pulled this all together. I really do appreciate it," he said. Drake seemingly added a bit of shade at the critics who continuously accuse him of appropriating British culture.

"I just want to say thank you so much for letting me be apart of it. I know a lot of time, people are like, 'You're not even from there -- just don't ever forget you're not from there'... Sometimes it's not just about where you're from, it's about places that make you wish you were from there and you all inspire me," he added.

Top Boy season 3 also stars Dave Santan who Drake worked with in 2016 on the "I Know (Remix)." Drake made sure to salute the Psychodrama rapper for his growth.

"I don't mean to single anybody out but I just wanted to say to my brother Dave, I'm so proud of you man. I remember from jumping on your song to now, I'm just so proud of the growth for everybody," he said. 

Top Boy season 3 hits Netflix on September 13th. 

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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.