The security firm operating outside Drake’s Toronto mansion was established four months after a representative for the rap star said he was “freaked out” and required “heavy security outside” his home, according to public records reviewed by CBC News.
In September 2019, the city granted Drake an exemption to have extra tall fences built around his property in the posh Bridle Path neighbourhood. City officials were told that despite multiple calls to police, security was being “left in his hands.”
A shooting outside the mansion early Tuesday morning — which left a security guard seriously wounded — has brought the global superstar’s home security arrangements into focus.
The man who was attacked has not been identified and Drake has not spoken publicly about the incident.
A vehicle parked at the scene provides clues about the firm handling the rapper’s security.
The white Nissan Rogue stationed near the property’s front gates bears the name Jungle Lion Security. A neighbour and another man who works at a nearby property both told CBC the vehicle is parked there around the clock.
A vehicle bearing the name Jungle Lion Security is seen parked outside the front gates of rapper Drake’s Toronto property in the prestigious Bridle Path neighbourhood. (Thomas Daigle/CBC)
‘Everyone knows where he sleeps’
Provincial company records obtained by CBC show Jungle Lion Security was incorporated on Jan. 30, 2020.
About four months before the security company was formed, a representative of an architecture firm then hired to work on Drake’s property laid out the rapper’s need to have guards on duty 24 hours a day in a public meeting with city councillors.
At the time, Drake obtained an exemption from the City of Toronto to have a taller-than-standard fence installed around his newly-built mansion. The application included a request to build “fencing, columns, security walls and gates (that would) exceed the height permitted by the bylaw, between 3.0 and 4.42 metres.”
“Everyone knows where he sleeps, where he eats and that has really freaked him out, us out, and we need heavy security outside,” Brad Rafauli, vice-president of Ferris Rafauli Architectural Design Build Group, told Toronto’s North York Community Council on Sep. 16, 2019.
Rafauli said the number of uninvited visitors — fans and “people who think they’re meeting the client” — at all hours is “very, very significant.”
He said police were frequently called to the property but “nothing is really done, so the security is really left in his hands,” referring to Drake.
In May 2009, Drake was reported to have been robbed at gunpoint after leaving a restaurant in Toronto’s Little Italy. The following year, he told the New York Times that he felt “unsafe” in the city “at all times.”
Police investigate shooting outside Drake’s Toronto mansion
Police are investigating the shooting of a security guard outside Drake’s mansion in Toronto’s Bridle Path neighbourhood but say it’s too early to know whether a feud with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar played a role.
Security vehicle linked to Drake himself
It’s not clear whether Jungle Lion Security employed the unidentified security guard who police said was injured early Tuesday morning in an apparent drive-by shooting.
Ontario Transportation Ministry records show the licence plate number associated with the Jungle Lion Security vehicle parked outside the mansion is registered to Drake himself, listed under his birth name, Aubrey D. Graham.
The vehicle features a Toronto phone number and the slogan “Canada’s #1 provider of security services.”
Multiple calls to that number were not answered and a voicemail message left on Wednesday was not returned.
Jungle Lion Security does not appear to have a website. A message sent on Tuesday to a LinkedIn account registered in the firm’s name was not returned. The company’s name does appear in a registry of private security firms published by Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Drake, left, and Nessel (Chubbs) Beezer watch from the sidelines of the Toronto Raptors game against the Milwaukee Bucks in game 3 of the Eastern conference finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. (Tom Szczerbowski/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters)
Nessel Beezer is the only person named in the firm’s profile report, provided by the province’s Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery.
Known to Drake’s fans as Chubbs, Beezer is widely reported to be the rap star’s head of security. He has appeared with Drake in public and in the music video for the rapper’s 2013 hit, Hold On, We’re Going Home.
Provincial records show Beezer is also associated with multiple business ventures bearing the name Jungle Lion, including Jungle Lion Management, which operated the now-defunct Drake-affiliated downtown Toronto sports bar, Pick 6ix.
Jungle is also the name of a song by Drake from his 2015 album, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.
An aerial image shows Drake’s Toronto mansion after an overnight shooting that injured an unidentified security guard. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
Several questions remain unanswered after shooting
A Toronto police spokesperson told CBC on Thursday morning that investigators had no update to provide on the case.
On Tuesday, the force said officers responded to a call at Drake’s address at about 2 a.m. after a security guard had been shot near a gate in front of the property.
“He was shot from a vehicle which then fled the scene,” the Toronto Police Service said in a media release. Earlier, a police source had described the incident as a drive-by.
Police said the victim was taken to hospital in serious condition. Investigators have since provided no update on the man’s condition.
Steve Summerville, a former Toronto police detective, told CBC Toronto’s Metro Morning that investigators will need to gather key details from the security firm.
The questions Summerville said police will be asking include whether guards “were on high alert,” and whether they were “provided any intelligence with respect to anticipated challenges.”
The Current19:28The beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar
A long-running feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar has spiralled into accusations of pedophilia and sex trafficking. We unpack the beef — and the speculation about whether a shooting at Drake’s Toronto mansion this week is related.
Drake has been embroiled in an escalating musical feud with California-based rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Toronto police Insp. Paul Krawczyk said on Tuesday he was aware of the beef, but that it was too early for investigators to establish a motive for the attack.
HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Pearce and Nathan Saliba scored in the second half — the first goals of their careers — and CF Montreal rallied for a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
“In the second half, the guys came out a little more ambitious and above all, more connected,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “It was a great second half of resilience and fighting spirit. Nathan and Sam were impressive.
“Impressive in covering the gaps and compensating for the teammates, and the individual defending – yes it’s true, it is a lot of weight on their shoulders, but that’s the job.”
New England (8-16-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute on Bobby Wood’s third goal of the season. Teenage defender Peyton Miller notched his first assist in his fourth career start and sixth appearance and Carles Gil picked up his ninth of the season. Peyton, at 16 years, 315 days old, is the eighth youngest player in league history to record his first assist.
The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 35th minute and held it through halftime when 19-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic took a pass from Gil and scored his third goal of the season and career in his first full season in the league. It was the 73rd regular-season assist in Gil’s career, tying him with Steve Ralston for the most in club history.
Montreal (7-12-10) pulled within a goal in the 54th minute when Pearce scored off a free kick after defender George Campbell drew a foul on New England’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. It was the first goal for Pearce in his third career start and fourth appearance.
“Playoffs are the goal. Maybe it wasn’t in the best form, but in the end, we are picking up a point,” Pearce said. “We came into this game confident, ready to play our own game. Everyone tries their best, whenever the players are called on, we are always ready, and we are always giving it our best.”
Montreal scored the equalizer in the 68th minute on the first career goal by Saliba, a 20-year-old midfielder. Saliba has made 34 starts and 48 appearances with Montreal in his two seasons in the league. Campbell snagged his second assist of the season and the third of his career.
“It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for a long time. I’m extremely happy that I was able to score it and that it can help the team take this important point on the road,” Saliba said. “Pearce’s first goal gave us really good momentum and we kept up the pressure to go for a second goal. We got more solid defensively, and we came back ready after halftime, to push for these 3 points.”
Aljaz Ivacic finished with four saves in goal for the Revolution.
Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots for Montreal.
New England beat Montreal 5-0 on the road on Aug. 24.
New England leads the all-time series 16-13-4. Montreal improves to 5-8-2 on the road against the Revs.
The Revolution travel to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday. Montreal returns home to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Cody Bradford pitched seven strong innings after the worst start of his career, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The win kept the defending World Series-champion Rangers alive in the AL West race, trailing first-place Houston by 10 games with 10 to play.
García launched an inside sinker over the left-field wall off Toronto starter Bowden Francis (8-5) after Wyatt Langford singled.
“He swings hard, he swings a lot,” Francis said of García. “I guess the velo was dropping during that time.”
Bradford (6-3) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out six.
The seven shutout innings are the most in a game during his two-year career. He was knocked out of his previous start after allowing career highs in hits (nine), runs (eight) and homers (three) in 3 2/3 innings in a 14-4 loss at Arizona.
“Throughout the week, you’ve got to try and digest what happened, see where I can make adjustments, whether it was just game plan went wrong or just poor execution, or a little bit of both,” Bradford said. “Then you flush it.”
Bradford was perfect through four innings before Alejandro Kirk opened the fifth with a smash back to the mound that caromed off Bradford’s left foot and rolled into right field for a single. It extended Kirk’s hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Spencer Horwitz’s double to left-center put runners on second and third with no outs before Bradford retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider credited Bradford’s “deceptive fastball.”
“When you’re throwing 89, 92, you’ve got to have pretty good deception with that at this level,” Schneider said. “Kept us off balance.”
Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save in 32 opportunities.
Francis, who took no-hitters into the ninth inning in two of his previous four starts, allowed a double to Marcus Semien, the Rangers’ first hitter of the game. He gave up five hits and one walk in six innings.
Francis has a 1.96 ERA in nine starts with 54 strikeouts and seven walks since being moved back into the starting rotation in late July.
“I don’t even want to get complacent, on cruise control,” Francis said. “Just keep attacking.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was a late scratch with a right middle finger contusion suffered during infield practice. Schneider said the team will get back x-rays on Thursday. Bichette was activated Tuesday following a calf injury and played for the first time in two months, going 2 for 5 with one RBI at the plate. … INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation) will have the knee scoped on Thursday. Schneider said Wagner should be ready to start spring training. Wagner, son of former major leaguer Billy Wagner, was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his home debut against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.02) in the series finale. Rocker allowed one run in four innings at Seattle last Thursday in his major league debut.
