Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor, Aubrey Drake Graham popularly known as Drake proved his dominance of the music industry once again by winning a record 13 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night.
The music magazine’s televised gala in Las Vegas hands out awards based on the year’s chart performances, leaving little suspense about who will end the night well — unlike the more prestigious Grammys, which are based on voting by music professionals.
Drake — the Toronto hip-hop star who has commanded the charts with a string of catchy hits including “One Dance,” “Hotline Bling” and “Fake Love” — edged out the record of the English balladeer Adele, who won 12 awards in 2012 in the wake of her breakthrough song “Someone Like You.”
Taking the stage, Drake offered an analogy that could have come from a vulgar Forrest Gump.
“Life is like a roll of toilet paper. You’re either on a roll or taking…” he said, before his choice words were bleeped out on ABC television.
With the low drama over who will win prizes, the Billboard gala instead offers musicians a wide television audience months after the US entertainment industry’s awards season.