DRAKE SIGNS WITH THE HOME TEAM

Now the umteenth final, offical Drake signing.  Draks is signed toYoung Money/Cash Money/Universal Republic.

“Mixtapes are a movement. For some, giving away music could mean much more than trying to sell their tunes — but Drake played the game right. He started giving away his mixtape So Far Gone earlier this year, and the word of mouth spread with fans, his peers and record-company executives: a recent New York concert found [Warner Music exec] Lyor Cohen in the crowd, standing among screaming fans, along with Kanye West and Talib Kweli.

“Well, the wait is over: After weeks of speculation, Drake has chosen to go with the home team and sign with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Records, according to a source close to the situation. The deal breaks down as a joint venture between Young Money and Cash Money, with Universal Republic distributing. Drake’s management was adamant that he should be viewed as an independent artist, although Universal will distribute the project.

“Today is a definitely a comfortable day for me, having my team now that’s been in place for a couple of years. It’s just a great day,” Drake told MTV News recently in New York. “It’s something new, but it feels familiar.”