Drake is recovering after having surgery on his knee. The Canadian star posted an update on his physical therapy to Instagram, informing fans that he’s taken “some confident steps at 5 weeks.” While he never revealed the issue that led to his knee in a brace, some fans speculated that it was a torn ACL — the same injury that caused him to collapse at a show in 2009. As to how he was injured, the prevailing theory is that NBA star Stephen Curry’s dangerous handles had something to do with it — a hypothesis Curry coyly danced around when asked.
The injury was a setback in a year that saw Drake reestablish his pop-culture dominance without even putting out a proper album. Early in the year, he teamed up with his What A Time To Be Alive co-creator Future once again in the comedic “Life Is Good” video, then held TikTok hostage with his song “Toosie Slide” ahead of releasing the odds-and-ends mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes.
He then took a break from the limelight to finish up his album, which he began rolling out with the surprise video for “Laugh Now, Cry Later” with Lil Durk. Teaming up with Nike for a collection of merch celebrating his upcoming album, Certified Lover Boy, Drake seemed primed for a huge end to the year. However, despite winning his rec league championship, his plans were seemingly derailed by his injury, while he postponed his album’s release to 2021. Still, with his new Nike sub-label on the way, he’ll likely remain at the forefront of the public’s attention as he regains his mobility and we all wait to see what else he’s got up his sleeve.