Drake's Bar Mitzvah (Monologue)

Hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time, Drake opens with a musical monologue about his unique upbringing in Toronto, Canada. He discusses being a former child actor on Degrassi: The Next Generation and growing up with a Jewish mother and Black father. The monologue transitions into an elaborate flashback sketch recreating his 1999 bar mitzvah celebration, complete with period-appropriate jokes about his relationship with "Rihannakah" (a play on Rihanna and Hanukkah) and featuring Kanye West as the musical entertainment. The sketch celebrates Drake's mixed heritage while delivering comedy through anachronistic references to his future fame and relationships. This was also notable as the first episode featuring new cast member Sasheer Zamata, addressing SNL's diversity concerns at the time.

This was Drake's first time hosting SNL (he had previously appeared as musical guest in October 2011). Drake performed "double duty" - serving as both host and musical guest. This was Sasheer Zamata's first episode as a cast member, making her the fifth African-American female cast member in SNL history and the first since Maya Rudolph left in 2007. The episode marked the first SNL show of 2014. The bar mitzvah sketch plays on Drake's real biracial Jewish heritage. The monologue includes musical elements, showcasing Drake's performance skills.