Drake had two dream performers in mind for his 40th birthday party: Sade or the Backstreet Boys—and the boy band ultimately made his wish come true.
Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean has revealed how the group landed the surprise performance at Drake’s lavish New York City celebration, explaining that the rapper’s manager reached out with a specific request.
According to AJ, Drake’s team wanted one of two acts to perform at the birthday bash. The choices were Sade, known for her smooth soul sound, or the Backstreet Boys, the pop group behind hits including “I Want It That Way.”
The band still needed to agree on the booking, and AJ admitted he was initially unsure whether fellow member Kevin Richardson would be interested.
When he is not performing, Richardson typically switches into what AJ described as full-time football dad mode. However, AJ suspected his bandmate would find it difficult to turn down an opportunity involving Drake.
The reason? Richardson’s two sons are reportedly big fans of the rapper, leading AJ to joke that they would have been furious if their father had passed up the gig.
Richardson eventually joined the group for the performance—and, according to AJ, quickly struck up a connection with the birthday star.
“Anytime Drake moved anywhere, Kevin was right there,” AJ said, laughing as he described his bandmate’s apparent eagerness to spend time with the rapper.
The surprise performance took place Friday, October 23, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Drake was reportedly thrilled when the Backstreet Boys appeared, and he even joined them onstage to sing along to their classic hit “I Want It That Way.”
The performance became one of the highlights of a celebration that reportedly attracted more than 400 guests.
The party also featured luxury giveaways, including Chanel and Hermès items, as well as a game offering cash prizes of up to $1 million, according to TMZ.
Drake’s birthday celebration combined the scale of a celebrity event with a personal touch: bringing in a group he specifically wanted to see perform.
Although Sade did not make the final line-up, the Backstreet Boys delivered the surprise Drake had hoped for—and gave the rapper an opportunity to share the stage with one of his preferred acts on his milestone birthday.
