Gamma CEO Larry Jackson Deems Drake “Bigger Than The ’70s, ’80s and ’90s Combined”

It is not breaking news to call Drake one of the biggest artists in the world, but Gamma CEO Larry Jackson recently made a claim that elevates his stature even further. The former Global Creative Director at Apple Music stated that the 37-year-old rapper is bigger than multiple previous decades of music combined.

Jackson joined Joe Budden for an exclusive interview covering his time working at Apple Music, collaborating with the Toronto superstar, and creating his new venture, Gamma. The controversial podcast host presented his theory that the For All The Dogs artist has a stake in and profits from several artists’ careers, which Jackson did not directly confirm or refute. Instead, he contextualized the five-time Grammy winner’s success.

“The thing I will say to you about the artist [Drake] you just mentioned, is that if you look at his music, he’s bigger than the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s combined,” he said. “I don’t mean like one artist from that era, I mean all of those eras combined. All the things that we achieved when I was at Apple, with the individual that you’re noting [Drake], imbued me with the confidence and the courage of my conviction to go out and do what we’re doing right now. Can you put a price tag on that? No, you can’t.”

Gamma CEO Larry Jackson speaks on Drake’s record deal, says he’s bigger than the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s combined.

— Drake Fan Page (@DrakeDirect_) June 7, 2024

Larry Jackson revealed that music catalogs from the 90s onward, specifically the 2000s and 2010s, are among the most consumed on streaming services. Drake is at the forefront of that movement and has continued amassing major success. Billboard reported in 2021 that the “Rich Baby Daddy” artist procured more on-demand streams in that single year than all pre-1980 music combined.

Last October, the father of one earned himself a spot alongside his idol Michael Jackson when he tied the King Of Pop’s record for most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 by a solo male artist. He simultaneously helped J. Cole make his own history, as the first track to gain him that achievement was their incendiary collaboration “First Person Shooter.”

Drake and Larry Jackson worked closely with one another during Jackson’s time at Apple Music. Together, they launched OVO Sound Radio and made the concept of albums being temporarily exclusive to one streaming platform a viable release method. The Degrassi actor’s 2016 album Views sold over one million album-equivalent units in its first week, despite only being available via Apple Music.

Drake’s involvement in other artists’ careers has been a hot topic since his recent beef with Kendrick Lamar. Several artists targeted the hitmaker, including Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, and more. Joe Budden initially theorized that the Euphoria executive producer profited from his newfound friendship and collaborations with Sexyy Red, which she denied; he broadened the theory further when so many other artists were gunning for the Billboard Artist of the 2010s.

While Drake has neither confirmed nor denied this idea, he has made allusions in the past that could strengthen these theories. “I’d have to be dead for them to say that you took it from me/ The twenty percent of you that we own is my tootsie’s money/ Ni**a, I’m wilding with your bread, you owe it to me,” he rapped on “Champagne Poetry,” the opener to his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy.

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