teen soap

Canadian rapper Drake has become one of the hottest names in hip-hop since emigrating stateside to pursue his music career.

In the space of about a year, he's launched multiple singles to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, inked a record deal with prominent rap label Young Money Entertainment (distribution by Universal Republic), and performed at the Grammy Awards alongside his perpetually crunked mentor Lil Wayne. His new album 'Thank Me Later' leaked online this week to very positive reviews, and figures to bump him up to the level of rap superstar.

Legions of TV fans, however, know Drake by a different name -- Jimmy Brooks. That's the name of the character that Aubrey Drake Graham (yes, Drake is actually his middle name) portrayed for seven seasons on the Canadian high-school melodrama 'Degrassi: The Next Generation.'

Josh Schwartz, creator off FOX teen soap The O.C., is in negotiations to write and produce a pilot for The CW. It's based on a popular series of teen novels called Gossip Girls. The story is about a group of wealthy girls who attend a private school in New York and it's all narrated by an anonymous narrator. A few years ago, Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino was going to write a movie version of the books and Lindsay Lohan was set to star, but the deal fell through.

Schwartz may be looking for his next job as the future of The O.C. is murky. FOX has only ordered half a season so far, as the teen soap is up against heavy hitters CSI and Grey's Anatomy.