Canadian rapper Drake has said he related to the UK series Top Boy because it reminded him of where he grew up in Toronto.
The music star added that he was so upset when he found out the show had been axed that he set about reviving it for a new series, which will launch on Netflix next week with Drake credited as an executive producer.
He said: “I was watching it on YouTube and I really became attached to it, I became attached to the characters, the story really drew me in.
“I think there are so many parallels between Toronto and London; obviously we don’t have the same accent but we speak the same, so it reminded me of people I grew up with or guys that I know and situations that I’ve witnessed.
“I just really felt super-connected right away and then it disappeared on me and I was like ‘Whoa, wait, what happened?’ I had to do my research and I found out it had been ultimately cancelled.
“I brought it up to my brother and my manager, my partner in crime who always is the best facilitator I know, and if anybody could get it done, he could get it done.
“And I said ‘We should try and bring this back, I think the entire UK would appreciate it’ and at first it was just for me, I was like ‘I need this back’ and then I realised how much it meant to so many people.
“Of course you mention something to him and he’s going to go full throttle 100% so next thing I knew we were sitting in a room with Netflix and here we are.”
The new series sees the return of stars Kano and Ashley Walters, and adds Little Simz and Dave to the line-up.
Drake said: “For the OGs, for Kano, for Ashley, for Scorch, for all those guys, to see them be able to continue this is an incredible feeling for me and for the next wave for Simz, Dave, I just think it’s something that can assist.
“Obviously Dave is on the moon already but these are the type of things that really get to put on display how talented people are aside from music.
“We all know what they are capable of in that space but their talent is multi-layered and so this really gives the world a clear picture of how talented these people are and just how talented people out here are in general.”
Top Boy will stream on Netflix from September 13.