Drake says he will take a break from music to focus on health issues ...

6 Oct 2023

CBC.ca

Entertainment

Drake said Friday that he will step away from music for a year or so to focus on his health, in particular recurring issues with his stomach.

The Canadian artist said he has had recurring stomach issues for years

Jenna Benchetrit · CBC News

· Posted: Oct 06, 2023 12:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Toronto rapper Drake will take a break from music for 'maybe a year' or so to focus on his health, he announced on his SiriusXM radio show on Friday. (Getty Images)

Drake said Friday that he will step away from music for a year or longer to focus on his health, in particular, recurring issues with his stomach.

"I probably won't make music for a little bit, I'm gonna be honest," the Canadian artist said on Table For One, his radio show on SiriusXM.

"I need to focus on my health, first and foremost — and I'll talk about that soon enough. Nothing crazy, but just like, you know, I want people to be healthy in life, and I've been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach."

The announcement comes on the same day that Drake released his latest album, For All The Dogs. The Toronto rapper is set to perform two shows in his hometown on Friday and Saturday.

The tour section of his website and a Ticketmaster page show that a handful of U.S. performances that were previously scheduled after Saturday have been postponed.

WATCH | Drake's announces he will step back from music to focus on health:

Drake also said he has some other things to do for people that he made promises to, without elaborating.

"So, I need to focus on my health, and I need to get right. And I'm going to do that," he said.

"I'm going to lock the door on the studio for a little bit. I don't even know what a little bit is. Maybe a year or something. Maybe a little longer."

He also posted a clip from the radio show on Instagram on Friday morning, with the caption "See ya when I see ya."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenna Benchetrit is a web and radio journalist for CBC News. She works primarily with the entertainment and education teams and occasionally covers business and general assignment stories. A Montrealer based in Toronto, Jenna holds a master's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at [email protected].