Canadian Rapper Drake wowed on Saturday Night Live this weekend, where he paid homage to his hometown of Toronto, its infamous Mayor Rob Ford, and took a moment to apologize for the obnoxiousness of the expression YOLO.
Drake was pulling double duty Saturday as both host and musical guest on the popular late-night show.
In one of his first jokes of the evening, Drake explained he grew up in Toronto, quipping: "The city of Toronto, where the rappers are polite and the mayor smokes crack."
For his opening monologue, Drake also acknowledged his role on Canadian teen-drama Degrassi High, as well as his Jewish and black heritage, as he flashed back to his Bar Mitzvah.
In the skit, the 27-year-old, born Aubrey Drake Graham, says: "As a man, I'd like to now announce that I'll be called Drake" … before his mother corrects it to "Drakob."
@Drake's Bar Mitzvah LOOOL! They really got the vest! #DrakeOnSNL pic.twitter.com/VpFHopFqAx
— Stacey VirgoSister (@VirgoSister) January 19, 2014
Other highlights include:
Drake as A-Rod
During a special "Public Figures Apologies" episode of Piers Morgan Tonight, A-Rod (played by Drake) says he's "suing steroids for being inside of me and I'm suing Jackie Robinson for breaking into the major leagues which really led to this whole situation in the first place.
Drake as A. Rod on SNL pic.twitter.com/R7jcWNpVtf
— Mikey (@fsmikey) January 19, 2014
Speaking in a Hispanic accent, Drake-as-A-Rod blamed his incriminating text messages to PED dealer Tony Bosch on "auto-correct."
"One time I texted Bosch: 'What up, son? Thinking of seeing 'Frozen.' Heard good things.' But somehow that auto-corrected to: 'Just took a hundred steroids. Need to buy thousands more. This is A-Rod, BTW.'"
Lil Wayne's TV debut
On the 'Hip Hop Classics' segment, which looks back at the little-known acting debuts of rap stars, Lil Wayne (played by Drake), gets his big break on the small screen as a gun-toting Steve Urkel on Family Matters.
Drake as #WeezyUrkel pic.twitter.com/1U1hTUuLWF
— Mikey (@fsmikey) January 19, 2014
Musical performance
Drake appeared twice on stage as SNL's musical guest, beginning with hit single Started From the Bottom, which segued into Trophies.
After that, he performed a stripped down version of Hold On, We’re Going Home and From Time with Jhene Aiko.
WATCH: Drake Performing “Hold On, We're Going Home” on #SNL (VIDEO) http://t.co/6Ihn3Gmy6H pic.twitter.com/tPUmC7iZbd
— Gossip Cop (@GossipCop) January 19, 2014