What to know
- Drake celebrated his 40th birthday at New York’s Casa Cipriani on Oct. 23.
- The Backstreet Boys surprised him with a performance.
- He joined them for “I Want It That Way.”
- The song already has some history between Drake and the group.
Drake turned 40 exactly how a very rich millennial apparently should: by singing “I Want It That Way” with the Backstreet Boys.
The Toronto superstar celebrated the milestone at New York’s Casa Cipriani on Oct. 23, hours before his Oct. 24 birthday. More than 400 guests attended the party, which included designer giveaways and a game show with cash prizes reaching $1 million.
But the most millennial-coded moment came when the Backstreet Boys appeared as surprise performers.
Drake joined Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough onstage for their 1999 hit “I Want It That Way.” Videos showed him visibly losing it when the group appeared before singing along with them.
Drake’s 40th birthday hits millennials right in the nostalgia
Social media immediately understood the assignment.
“As a fellow millennial turning 40 this year, he’s really living my dream,” one person wrote.
Another put it more bluntly: “Bro rich asf living out his childhood fantasies.”
That childhood-fantasy part is not far off.
Drake previously joined the Backstreet Boys for “I Want It That Way” during their 2022 concert at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage. At the time, he called it “one of the greatest songs of all time” and shared a formative memory about dancing to it at his bar mitzvah.
Four years later, the song returned for another milestone.
“He really is just an elder millennial girl with money,” one social media user joked.
“This exactly what you’re supposed to do if you’re rich,” another wrote.
Others were simply jealous.
“Mans living his best life lol,” one person said.
“Wait this is my dream birthday,” another added.
One commenter perhaps summed it up best: “What better way to celebrate your special day? Happy Birthday, Drake!”
It was also only part of a much bigger birthday week. Drake kicked off celebrations back home in Toronto, gathering with friends at the CN Tower before flying to New York aboard Air Drake.
Still, for millennials who grew up with both Drake and boy-band pop, hiring the Backstreet Boys and then grabbing the mic yourself might be difficult to top.
Money can’t buy youth, but apparently it can get pretty close.
