Drake celebrated his 40th birthday with more than 400 guests at New York City’s Casa Cipriani on Friday, with the Backstreet Boys making a surprise appearance and joining the rapper for a performance of their 1999 hit I Want It That Way.
According to TMZ, the star-studded party brought together friends and guests for a night that saw Drake take to the stage alongside the iconic boy band.
Drake Joins Backstreet Boys For Birthday Performance
The five-time Grammy Award winner addressed the crowd during the celebrations, reflecting on the importance of making time for life beyond work.
There’s a lot of extremely important people who I resonate with in here because they work extremely hard. And even though it’s a Friday, I know we take time for ourselves.
Drake also explained that the evening was about celebrating life rather than promoting a new project.
Tonight isn’t about a tour, an album release, or a bunch of videos we shot. It’s about being alive, staying alive.
The Backstreet Boys’ appearance added a nostalgic moment to the party, with Drake joining the group for one of their best-known songs.
Birthday Celebrations Began In Toronto
The New York event marked the end of several days of birthday celebrations that began in Drake’s hometown of Toronto.
Earlier in the week, he gathered with friends at the CN Tower, where he received a surprise collage featuring photographs and memories.
Drake later travelled to New York with his mother and members of his entourage aboard Air Drake, his customised Boeing 767. He was also spotted dining at SoHo restaurant Mamo on Thursday night, ahead of the main birthday party.
Iceman Reaches Platinum Status
The birthday celebrations coincided with a major milestone for Drake’s latest album, Iceman, which went platinum on Friday, just five months after its release in May.
The achievement adds to the rapper’s commercial success as he enters his fifth decade, with the celebrations bringing together music, friendship and a performance from one of pop’s most recognisable groups.
