Looks like Universal was the victor in the bidding war for Drake after all.
While sources close to the deal predicted Universal Motown was the closest to snagging him, the Toronto-born rapper officially signed to Young Money with distribution through another Universal label — Universal Republic -on June 29. His debut album, “Thank Me Later,” with reported collaborations with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z, is slated for a late 2009 release.
Pictured: Singer Drake poses in the press room during the 2009 BET Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)