Ben Baller speaks on Meeting Drake in 2009: “Being Black & Jewish, I Knew He’d Be Huge”

Celebrity jeweller Ben Baller recounts his first encounter with Drake in 2009, a meeting facilitated through MySpace.

Ben recalled meeting Drake at the Beverly Center, where the aspiring rapper was purchasing a MacBook Pro with Jas Prince. Their friendship quickly blossomed, with Ben assisting Drake during his early career. He even played an informal role in the production of Drake’s iconic mixtape, “So Far Gone,” and promoted Drake extensively within his network. Ben reminisced about how Drake would fly economy, pick up money for him in Canada, and record at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where Ben was often present. When asked if he foresaw Drake’s massive success, Ben confidently replied, “I thought he was gonna be huge.” Highlighting Drake’s diverse background and his versatile talent in both singing and rapping, Ben knew Drake checked all the boxes for superstardom.