The Biggest Pop Stars of the 21st Century Podcast: Drake (No. 4)

On today's (November 4) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we reach No. 4 of our list of a rapper (and singer) who became a pop star without ever specifically going pop — changing the face and sound of hip-hop and dragging it further into the center of the mainstream than ever before. (Read our No. 4 Best Pop Star essay on Drake here.)

With host Andrew Unterberger Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop associate director Carl Lamarre and staff writer Michael Saponara to chronicle one Aubrey “Drake” Graham's crazy journey from teenage TV phenomenon to mixtape hype to world-conquering superstar. First, we discuss why it was so important to us to have a rapper in the top five of this list, and then we discuss whether he makes sense as the highest MC on our list — comparing his case to lower-ranked stars like Eminem and Eminem and Kanye West, who he may not be able to match in terms of the amount of pop he consumes, but who has probably beaten him in both total hits and sustained pop appeal.

Then we're reminded of how suddenly Drake snuck into the music world as a star, and how his game-changing success was almost instantaneous. Then, as we reach the mid-2010s, we rhapsodize about how Drake faced a pair of challenges from powerful foes that he not only overcame, but brilliantly used as a springboard to even greater success, until he became the biggest artist of his entire early era. streaming and the undisputed top dog in hip-hop every time out – before finally facing the one opponent he couldn't beat or surpass earlier this year. We end by reminiscing about our favorite Drake videos and interviews, raising Adonis Graham's chances of making the NBA in the next two decades, and wondering how the hell “Feel No Ways” was never released as a single.

Watch it above, catch up on our previous episodes here and be sure to subscribe Bulletin board'small The biggest pop stars of the 21st century series wherever you take your podcasts! (New episodes will be revealed every Wednesday after the Tuesday publication of our Biggest Pop Star for that week, until our No. 1 reveal on December 3.)