Drake

Drake may be the most wanted man in hip hop.

Aubrey Drake Graham, the 22-year-old Lil Wayne protégé from Toronto, Canada, is now in the middle of a reported two-million dollar bidding war between Universal Motown, Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Despite having what he calls "three strikes" against him – he's an actor, Canadian and light-skinned – Drake knows why he has leapfrogged acts like Walé, Kid Cudi and The Cool Kids to become rap's "next big thing": guys like his lyrics and girls love his looks.

Rappers are also fond of his sales potential. Jay-Z and Bun B have already co-signed the handsome MC who is also recognized for his flow. Drake says as much in Best I Ever Had, the breakthrough track in which he sounds like equal parts of Lil Wayne, Kanye West and R. Kelly.

When my album drop
b****s will buy it for the picture
and n****s will buy it too
and claim they got it for their sister.

Last week, a Canadian record label tried to capitalize off the buzz by posting a fake Drake album on iTunes, Amazon and Rhapsody titled The Girls Love Drake. Although it has since been removed, the unauthorized album was actually a compilation of tracks from his most recent mixtape, So Far Gone, and other previously released songs. With its spare beats, spaced-out synths and the occasional Auto-Tune vocal, So Far Gone has been compared to Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak. Drake, who starred in "Degrassi: The Next Generation," says it's no coincidence, citing West as his personal inspiration.

Along with Kanye, Drake has been likened to his recent mentor, Lil Wayne. Both deliver deeply personal raps and are straddling mainstream and underground hip hop. Still unsigned, Drake might not deliver his debut before the end of the year but it is likely to be the most anticipated release, whenever it drops. A fan upload of his single "Best I Ever Had" on YouTube has already posted six million views.