Drake celebrates 40th birthday with Backstreet Boys performance and heartfelt speech: 'Tonight is just about being alive'

Rapper and singer Drake celebrated his 40th birthday with a performance he might not have expected to share with so many of his fans as he sand “I Want It That Way” along with the Backstreet Boys. He also used the occasion to deliver a personal message by telling guests that the night was about appreciating life.

The party took place at Casa Cipriani in New York City on Friday October 23 before Drake’s birthday on October 24, as per a report. 400 guests attended the celebration, which featured a surprise appearance by the popular boy band.

Drake Reunites With Backstreet Boys for Their Hit Song

The Backstreet Boys took the stage during the party and performed their 1999 hit “I Want It That Way,” with Drake joining them for the song.


The track has a personal meaning for the rapper because during a performance with the group in Toronto in 2022, he shared a memory from when he was a teen. He shared at that time, "[When] was 13 years old...I was the awkward kid and I was in love with this girl at the time and she would pay me no mind," he said. "At my Bar Mitzvah, for the first time in my life, this girl who I was in love with came up to me while one of the greatest songs in the world was playing," as quoted by E! News.

He added, "She asked me if I would dance with her and it was the first time I ever felt acknowledged. It was the first time I ever felt like I had a shot at being cool. The song that she wanted to dance with me to is one of the greatest songs of all time. And by the way, if she could see me now!"

Now again, in his birthday performance, he got another opportunity to sing the song with the group, this time in front of guests gathered to celebrate his milestone.

Drake’s Birthday Speech Focuses on Life, Not His Career

Drake also addressed the crowd during the celebration, thanking the friends and family who had come together for his birthday.

He explained that the evening was not about an upcoming tour, an album release, music videos, a fragrance or a Nike shoe. Instead, he wanted the gathering to be about something more personal. He told, "Tonight is just about being alive, staying alive," as quoted by Complex.

Drake said that, "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."

Luxury Handbags and Cash Prizes at the Party

He even gave gifts for attendees, with Chanel and Hermès handbags among the items handed out. Guests also took part in a game show featuring cash prizes worth up to $1 million.

The New York event followed a gathering in Toronto on October 21, when Drake met friends at the CN Tower. He later travelled to New York with his mother, Sandi Graham, and his entourage aboard his private Boeing 767, known as Air Drake.