Drake's emotional birthday speech goes viral: Watch

Drake celebrated his milestone birthday with a star-studded party in New York City.

During his 40th birthday bash Backstreet Boys surprised him with a live performance and the Canadian rapper also delivered a heartfelt speech about the importance of being alive.

The God’s Plan singer host the party at Casa Cipriani in New York on Friday, October 23, just hours before officially turning 40 on Saturday, October 24.

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The festivities brought together hundreds of friends and family members for an evening filled with music, dancing and good memories.

One of the highlights from the night came when the Backstreet Boys surprised the birthday boy with a performance of their beloved hits.

Videos from the event showed the group entertaining the crowd, while the Grammy winner also joined them on stage, enjoying the gathering.

However, amid the party atmosphere, Drake took a moment to address his guests with a speech that shifted the focus away from his music career and professional achievements.

“I just want to thank all of you tonight for taking the flight, for carving out the time, they're going to get dressed up,” he began, expressing his appreciation for everyone who had made the effort to attend.

“Tonight is not about a tour or an album release or a bunch of videos that we shot or a fragrance or a Nike shoe,” the Family Matter singer said. “Tonight is just about being alive, you know, staying alive.”

After years of releasing music, touring and building his global brand, Drake used his birthday gathering to celebrate the opportunity to be present with the people who matter to him.

“That nigga's a GOAT, man. You all got dressed up for that, so thank you for coming out tonight. Thank you,” he concluded.

The evening was reportedly attended by more than 400 guests, with additional surprises adding to the occasion. 

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