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Drake showed off son Adonis at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards: all you need to know about the hip-hop star’s rarely seen toddler and baby mama Sophie Brussaux

Drake took his three-year-old son Adonis along to the Billboard Music Awards to receive his artist of the decade award. Photos: Reuters/@champagnepapi/Instagram

Thanks to years of showbiz drama followed by a pandemic, we haven’t seen much of Drake’s three-year-old son Adonis, but that all changed at the Billboard Music Awards on May 23.

 

Here’s everything you need to know about the rapper’s adorable tot who stole the show.

Adonis’ showbiz debut

Drake accepts the artist of the decade award with son Adonis Graham at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 23, 2021, at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: AP Photo
A proud Drake, who has made an estimated US$180 million from his hugely successful music career, brought out his young son while accepting the artist of the decade award at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.

Three-year-old Adonis Graham was dressed in a red flannel shirt and stayed close to his dad as they walked onto an outdoor stage at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre. The rapper handed his son his winning trophy, which Adonis held tightly as he hugged his dad’s leg.

Drake accepts the artist of the decade award as he holds hands with his son Adonis Graham at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 23, 2021, at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: AP Photo

“I’m really self-conscious about my music,” Drake said in his acceptance speech. “Even if I do a good job, I always wonder how I could have done it better. I rarely celebrate anything.”

“I know that I’ve spent an incalculable amount of hours trying to analyse all the things I did wrong,” he continued. “But tonight, for once, I’m sure as hell we did something right.”

Drake carries his son Adonis Graham as he accepts the artist of the decade award at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 23, 2021, at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: AP Photo

He ended the speech by picking Adonis up and raising him to the microphone. Seemingly overwhelmed, Adonis started crying, and Drake held his hand as they left the stage together.

It’s been a dramatic road for daddy Drake

Back in May 2017, celebrity website TMZ claimed to have obtained text messages between former adult film star/painter Sophie Brussaux and Drake that revealed the possibility of a pregnancy. Drake remained mum on the matter, and Adonis Graham was secretly and quietly born in October 2017. 

 

Drake first shared photos of Adonis on Instagram last March at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in the US, writing in a caption that he “can’t wait for the joyful day” when he’s able to reunite with his family.

He posted another picture last November of him sleeping next to Adonis, captioned with an emoji of crossed fingers.

So who is Adonis’ mum?

 

Sophie Brussaux was born August 1989 in Bordeaux, France. She used to appear in music videos, going by the stage name of Rosee Divine. But since then, she’s made a name for herself in the art world, and many of her paintings have been featured in major exhibitions.

 

Brussaux even met Pope Francis once to deliver a custom celebrity portrait at the Vatican. “Such an honour to meet Pope Francis and gift him the portrait I painted for him in honour of his concert with and for the poor on November 9, 2019,” she wrote on Instagram.

He’s co-parenting with his ex

In 2018, Drake opened up about co-parenting with Brussaux in an episode of LeBron James’ HBO talk show The Shop.

Drake with Sophie Brussaux and their son Adonis. Photo: @champagnepapi/Instagram

“I am a single father learning to communicate with a woman who … we’ve had our moments,” he said. “I do want to be able to explain to my son what happened. But I don’t have any desire for him to not love his mother. I don’t ever want the world to be angry at his mother. We have found ourselves in a situation and we are both equally responsible. Now, I’m just really excited to be a great father.

“No matter what happens, I have unconditional love for the mother of my child,” he added. “I want him to love his mother and I have to project that energy.”

All together now: awwwww!

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  • Billboard’s artist of the decade spoke about co-parenting with his ex Brussaux on LeBron James’ HBO talk show The Shop
  • Bordeaux-based Brussaux is a former adult film star-turned artist who even painted and met Pope Francis, posting about the experience on Instagram