Meet Drake's parents: A look at the Graham family tree
Drake's parents, Sandi and Dennis Graham, are key figures in his musical career. Since his break in Degrassi: The Next Generation, the world has been in awe of Drake's background and success. Meet the Grahams and discover the influence they have had on Drake's life and career.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Aubrey Drake Graham was born on 24 October 1986 to Dennis and Sandra 'Sandi' Gayle Graham.
- Dennis, a musician and Sandi, a former teacher and florist, met in Toronto, Canada, where they got married in June 1985.
- The couple divorced in 1991.
- Dennis celebrated his 70th birthday in September 2024.
- Drake's mother, Sandi Graham, was born on 28 January 1948.
Profile summary
| Profile | Drake's father | Drake's mother |
| Full name | Dennis Graham | Sandra 'Sandi' Gayle Graham |
| Gender | Male | Female |
| Date of birth | 20 September 1954 | 28 January 1948 |
| Age | 70 years as of July 2025 | 77 years as of 2025 |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo | Aquarius |
| Place of birth | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada |
| Current residence | United States | Canada |
| Nationality | American | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | African American | White |
| Religion | Catholic | Jewish |
| Height in centimetres | 175 | 165 |
| Height in feet | 5'9" | 5'5" |
| Weight in kilograms | 70 | 55 |
| Weight in pounds | 154 | 121 |
| Hair colour | Black | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Brown | Grey |
| Profession | Musician | Former English schoolteacher, florist |
A closer look at Drake's parents
Aubrey Drake Graham, popularly known as Drake, was born on 24 October 1986 to Dennis and Sandi Graham. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Drake's multicultural background as a Black-Jewish child growing up in Toronto, Canada and Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States of America.
Dennis and Sandra met at a Canadian nightclub, Club Bluenote, in the early 1980s. In an interview with Office Magazine, Drake's father reminisced over their meeting date, saying,
Yeah, first time going up there (Toronto). That is where I met Drake’s mother. I was at the bar, asking the bartender where I could find cigarettes. So, she goes, Sandi, is her name— she goes 'Here, have one of mine.' And that was it. I came back up there, and we got married in June of ’85. We had Drake in October of ‘86.
Dennis Graham
Source: Getty Images
Dennis Graham was born on 20 September 1954 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. He is 70 years old as of July 2025, and his zodiac sign is Virgo.
He was raised in Memphis by his mother, a housewife and nurse. His introduction into music began with his mother, who would buy vinyl records. He began playing the guitar at about ten years of age, an instrument he played as an amateur during revivals and Bible class.
His makeshift bass drum caught the interest of James Brown, one of the most popular black singers. His performance alongside his cousin, who played a cardboard box, earned him his first set of drums from Brown. At 18, a chance encounter led to his 1990s stint drumming with American pianist and singer-songwriter Jerry Lee Lewis.
In addition to playing for Jerry Lee Lewis, Graham was a member of the North Memphis Band. He made an appearance on The Arkells' hit song Drake’s Dad. His discography includes songs such as Father and Son, That on That, and Kinda Crazy.
Sandra 'Sandi' Gayle Graham
Source: UGC
Drake's other, Sandra Gayle Graham, was born on 28 January 1948 to Reuben 'Ruby' Sher and Evelyn Etta Brontman in the Toronto Municipality, in Ontario, Canada. She is 77 years old as of 2025, and her zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Sandi, as she is popularly known, is an Ashkenazi Jew with ancestral roots in Russia, Poland and Latvia. The former English teacher, who also worked as a florist, raised Drake in Forest Hill, a heavily Jewish neighbourhood of Toronto where he also attended a Jewish day school.
In an interview with Complex, the God's Plan smash hit maker described details of his childhood, growing up with his mother. He said;
My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was off of Canadian TV, which isn’t that much money when you break it down. A season of Canadian television is under a teacher’s salary, I’ll tell you that much.
He added,
My mother happens to be a Jewish woman. She wanted the best for her family. She found us half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half; we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mum lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford.
What happened to Drake's parents?
Dennis and Sandi Graham got a divorce after six years of marriage. At the time of their divorce, Drake was about five years of age. Drake's experience being raised by divorced parents has been heavily chronicled in his musical career in songs such as God's Plan, The Calm, You & The 6, and Look What You’ve Done.
FAQs
- Who are Drake's biological parents? His parents are Dennis and Sandra 'Sandi' Gayle Graham.
- Was Drake's mum a single mum? After his parents' divorce in 1991, he was raised solely by his mother in Toronto, Canada.
- Did Drake grow up with his father? Drake would periodically spend time with his father over the summers.
- Which African country is Drake's dad from? Dennis Graham has mixed ancestry from countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Mali.
- What nationality is Dennis Graham? He is an American.
- Is Drake's mum Italian? She is of mixed Jewish ancestry with roots in Russia, Poland and Latvia.
- What nationality is Drake's mum? She is Canadian.
- What did Sandi Graham do for a living? She is a former English schoolteacher and a florist.
- What is Dennis Graham famous for? He is famous for being Drake's father as well as being a musician.
- Does Drake have any siblings? The rapper allegedly has two half-siblings through his father, Dennis Graham.
Drake's parents are Dennis and Sandra 'Sandi' Gayle Graham. Dennis, an American musician and Sandi, a former schoolteacher and florist, met and got married in Toronto, Canada, in 1985. Before the end of their six-year union in 1991, the pair had one child, Aubrey Drake Graham.
Legit.ng has published an article about Bad Bunny's parents, Lysaurie Ocasio and Tito Martínez. Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, the globally renowned Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and record producer, has credited his success to his parents and upbringing.
His parents, a retired English schoolteacher and a truck driver, beat all odds to give the Debí Tirar Más Fotos hitmaker and his siblings a bright future. Read on for a deep dive into their biographies and more.
Source: Legit.ng
