We’re only two months into the new year and Drake is already busy breaking records. It’s been reported that the “Rich Flex” rapper has surpassed 75 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the first artist to do so. According to Chart Data, that makes him “the first artist in history to hit this milestone.”
.@Drake has now surpassed 75 billion streams on Spotify across all credits. He is the first artist in history to hit this milestone.
— chart data (@chartdata) February 1, 2023
While the Toronto rap star appreciates the acknowledgment, he believes that artists deserve to be compensated for their work to “motivate the future artists to be consistent and competitive,” according to a recent post to his Instagram story.
“We should get bonuses like athletes to motivate the future artists to be consistent and competitive…so feel free to send me a Lebron-sized cheque. I have enough dinner plates @spotify,” he wrote with a crying laugh emoji.
In 2019, the Canadian hitmaker was among the most streamed artists of the decade, alongside other commercial juggernauts like Eminem and Ed Sheeran. It feels like Drake’s record-breaking streak won’t be coming to an end anytime soon. This past December, Drake joined rarified company, becoming the highest-selling singles artist in the Recording Industry Association of America history, surpassing Eminem.
Last year, the rapper earned 10 new plaques from the RIAA, bringing his total to 184 million.