Remember when the Toronto Symphony covered Drake at the Polaris Prize gala?
It was 2015 and members of the TSO played an arrangement of 'Know Yourself'
In 2015, Drake's album If You're Reading This it's too Late was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Drake did not attend or perform at the gala, so members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra obliged with this arrangement (by Christopher Mayo) of the album's lead single, "Know Yourself."
At the gala's conclusion, Buffy Sainte-Marie's Power in the Blood was named winner of the Polaris Music Prize, and the following June, she performed a concert of her greatest hits with the TSO and conductor Lucas Waldin.
As 2019 comes to a close, CBC Music is reflecting on the rise of Drake — one of the most influential artists of the past decade. Dive deep into the Toronto rapper and mogul's global impact with an eight-part Gem series and television show. For articles, videos and more on Drake and Canada's hip-hop legacy, visit cbc.ca/music/decadeofdrake.