Meet Drake’s talented musician dad, Dennis Graham: he’s a doting grandpa to the ‘Hotline Bling’ rapper’s son Adonis, hangs with Snoop Dogg and Conor McGregor, and was barred from Canada
Drake just shared a loving Father’s Day tribute to his dad on Instagram.
“Three generations. Happy [Father’s] Day to the ones guiding their daughters and sons,” the rapper wrote on his account alongside photos of himself, his dad Dennis and his son Adonis.
Dennis Graham is also a musician
Drake clearly inherited his father’s musical talent. According to People, Dennis Graham is a former drummer for his band Dennis Graham and the North Memphis Band, and early rock n’ roller Jerry Lee Lewis. He has since dabbled in R&B as a singer-songwriter, releasing his first single “Kinda Crazy” in 2016, per the outlet.
How did Drake’s parents meet?
According to Graham’s 2016 interview with Office Magazine, he was married to a waitress before meeting his second wife (and Drake’s mum) Sandi, at one of his shows with Jerry Lee Lewis. “That’s where I met Drake’s mother. I was at the bar, asking the bartender where I could find cigarettes. So, she goes – Sandi, is her name – she goes, ‘Here, have one of mine.’ And that was it,” he told the publication. They tied the knot in 1985, and had Drake the following year, per People. However, Drake’s parents split up not long after, and Sandi was given full custody of her son in 1991.
Drake’s father hangs out with celebs
Why was Drake’s dad not allowed into Canada?
According to Us Weekly, Graham was allowed into Canada for the first time in 15 years this January. Drake took to Instagram to share the happy news: “First time in over 15 years they let the OG back into Canada, thank you to everyone that helped us out.”
Although the “Hotline Bling” rapper didn’t explain why Graham had been barred from entering the country, Billboard suggests the answer lies in Drake’s 2011 song “Look What You’ve Done”. In it, he references the fact that his father couldn’t enter Canada due to “minor charges and child support that just wasn’t paid”.
- Drake just posted a loving tribute on Instagram for Father’s Day, sharing a new photo of the 3 generations of Graham men – himself, his dad Dennis Graham, and son Adonis
- Graham was a drummer in his band Dennis Graham and the North Memphis Band and for Jerry Lee Lewis, and later moved into singing and songwriting like his son, releasing an R&B single in 2016