Drake Says Kanye West Is 'The Most Influential Person' On His Sound

'He knows how to utilize great sounds and great music,' up-and-coming rapper says. By Jayson Rodriguez Drake Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — With its mix of singing and rapping, Drake 's buzz-building mixtape So Far Gone has drawn comparisons to Kanye West's latest effort 808s & Heartbreak. For his part, Drake said the Chicago lyricist had a huge impact on his music and even described 'Ye as "the most influential person" in shaping the young rapper's sound. "Before I ever got the chance to meet him, Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes," Drake told MTV News on Tuesday night before his show at S.O.B.'s . "We always, always, always took the time to listen to Kanye's music and appreciate it beyond. We searched the samples and we find out where his inspiration came from, because he has one of the best ears in music, period. He knows how to recognize great music that's not his. He knows how to utilize great sounds and great music. So before I ... (link)