AceShowbiz - Drake took the stage at the 2026 Juno Awards on March 29 to induct his longtime friend Nelly Furtado into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. His tribute was heartfelt and reflective, celebrating Furtado’s groundbreaking influence in music while also revisiting an old grievance about a past awards show controversy.

In a sincere video message, Drake praised Furtado as a trailblazer who shattered boundaries in the music industry. He described her as “our North Star” and lauded her versatility, recalling how she could seamlessly shift from rapping with Swollen Members to delivering pop hits like “Maneater” and “Promiscuous” alongside Timbaland. According to Drake, she proved that no limits existed for her artistry.

Drake shared how, during his early days plotting a move from teen acting to rap stardom, he admired the numerous awards decorating Furtado’s manager’s office. He also referenced their shared performance at a 2022 OVO event, highlighting the mutual respect they share. He emphasized Furtado’s resilience in a male-dominated field and the high regard she commands among male artists.

“Rappers I looked up to, like K-os and Saukrates, would tell me not only how sharp your bars were and your gift in the studio, but how strong and solid your character was,” Drake said, as the camera showed Furtado wiping away tears.

However, despite the overwhelmingly warm tone, Drake couldn’t resist addressing an old sore spot connected to the Junos and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. As he concluded, he turned to the awards organizers with a pointed remark about a 2011 snub.

“To the Junos, because you are honoring one of my dear friends tonight, I will spare you,” he began, then immediately contradicted himself: “Even though I know you’re still thinking about those six awards you gave to Shad when you snubbed Take Care when I hosted the 40th anniversary of your award show. This is about Nelly.”

This jab was notable not only because it appeared in an otherwise affectionate tribute but also because it revealed how deeply Drake still dwells on the incident 15 years later. The irony lies in some details of his complaint being slightly off. While Drake did host the Junos in 2011 and was nominated for six awards, he was nominated for his album Thank Me Later, not Take Care. Furthermore, he won the Juno for Rap Recording of the Year in 2012 for Take Care.

Moreover, although Shad’s album TSOL did beat Drake in the Rap Recording of the Year category in 2011, the other awards Drake was nominated for went to artists like Arcade Fire, Neil Young, Justin Bieber, and Young Artists for Haiti. Thus, the narrative of a comprehensive snub is somewhat misleading.

Despite the mix of genuine admiration and pointed commentary, the evening’s focus remained on celebrating Nelly Furtado’s remarkable career and her well-earned induction into the Hall of Fame. Drake’s tribute underscored both her artistic talent and enduring impact on Canadian music.