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Awards

Boi-1da Gives Drake Some Love in Acceptance Speech at 2025 Juno Awards

He gave his pal some affirmation after a tough year.

Boi-1da with Canada Soccer Foundation Jersey

Boi-1da with Canada Soccer Foundation Jersey

Creo Visions

Drake has had a challenging year, due to being widely seen as the loser of a high-profile diss battle with Kendrick Lamar, but he got a strong show of support at the Juno Awards in his native Canada on Sunday (March 30). His friend and frequent collaborator Boi-1da (pronounced Boy Wonder) sang his praises in accepting an International Achievement Award. Drake wasn’t present at the ceremony, which was held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

“I’m extremely humbled by this award and just to be mentioned among the legendary names as well – man I can’t even describe it,” the producer (who was born Matthew Jehu Samuels) began. “I want to have a huge shout-out to my brother Drake, the greatest rapper of all time, the greatest artist of all time and he’s from Canada – Drizzy Drake – that’s my brother.


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“Listen…Drake, love you bro, we started this together, we did this together, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Drake and all the sacrifices he made, all the doors he kicked down for a lot of people man, so shout-out to Drake. Thank you for life, man, I love that guy.”

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the future producer moved to Canada when he was three and grew up in Toronto. His first production work was at age 18, when he worked on two tracks on a Drake mixtape (Room for Improvement).

Boi-1da won his only Grammy to date as the co-writer of Drake’s “God’s Plan,” which was voted best rap song. The producer has been nominated for 19 Grammys, including six times for album of the year, for his work on Eminem’s Recovery, Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Drake’s Views, Kanye West’s (now Ye’s) Donda and Beyonce’s Renaissance.

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Boi-1da has received two Grammy nods for record of the year, for “God’s Plan” and Rihanna’s “Work” (featuring Drake), and one song of the year nod, also for “God’s Plan.” He has been nominated twice for producer of the year, non-classical.

This International Achievement Award was his first Juno Award or nomination.

This article first appeared on Billboard U.S.Read more on this year's Juno Awards here.

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Carole Pope and Kevan Staples of Rough Trade
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

Carole Pope and Kevan Staples of Rough Trade

FYI

Obituaries: Rough Trade Co-Founder Kevan Staples, Country Hall of Famer Dick Damron

This week we also acknowledge the passing of hit Memphis record producer/engineer Terry Manning and Canadian country singer Harry Rusk.

Kevan Staples, a Toronto songwriter, film and TV composer and multi-instrumentalist best known as co-founder of the adventurous Juno-winning rock band Rough Trade, died on March 23, of cancer, at the age of 75.

His creative partnership with charismatic and provocative vocalist and songwriter Carole Pope was at the heart of Rough Trade, a group that made a colourful mark on the Canadian rock scene in the late '70s and early '80s.

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