"He's like: "All my friends in rap say I'm soft since I'm in wheelchair."

Jimmy Brooks, Drake's character in "Degrassi: The Next Generation", was wheelchair bound for several seasons and almost quit the show due to it.

The A.V. revealed this. The A.V.'s oral history of Degrassi, Club -- published on Thursday on the 20th anniversary -- revealed that James Hurst, the writer and producer of Club, said that Drake was concerned about Jimmy being in a wheelchair. This was after the young hip-hop star was allegedly mocked by his "friends" in the rap world.

Drake, a Canadian teenager drama star, became paralysed after he was shot in the back in Season 4. Hurst claims that Drake, then called Aubrey Graham, almost quit the show before Season 6.

Hurst said that a letter was sent from Toronto by a law firm and was addressed to Aubrey. "It was an oddly written letter that stated, 'Aubrey Graham won't return to Degrassi season 6 as Jimmy Brooks unless he has his injury healed and he's free from the wheelchair.

He said, "I told him, 'Get he down here. He entered and said, "What letter?" That's all I know. I replied, "All right, I understand." I was curious how you felt about the wheelchair. He said, "All my friends in rap say I'm soft since I'm in wheelchair." I replied, "Well, tell your friends at the rap contest that you've been shot." What could be more difficult? You were shot and now you are in a wheelchair. He said, "Yeah, yeah."

Hurst stated that Drake was "so kind and apologetic about all" and "instantly backed off."

He explained that he was passionate about the subject. "And I said, "Aubrey," that there was a child in a wheelchair who is completely ignored and never seen on television. He never gets to be represented. This person needs your help. You are the coolest kid on TV, and you can tell that there is nothing wrong with being in wheelchair.

Jimmy was in a wheelchair most of the time he was on the series.

The Grammy winner's Grammy-winning co-stars shared that Drake's character was in a wheelchair at first after the shooting.

Lauren Collins, who played Paige, said that Aubrey struggled physically when he had to do everything in a chair. He said that it was very difficult for him. There are a few times when he threw the chair over and fell off the makeshift ramps they had made for him.

Shane Kippel, who played Skinner, said, "[There's] apprehension about having your character confined in a wheelchair, and even not feeling like it's right for you to be portraying someone who's confined in a wheelchair if yourself fully able. That applies to Aubrey and his feelings with it.

Season 7 saw Jimmy undergo stem cell surgery. He is seen on crutches walking as he finishes high school in the Season 7 finale. Drake made one last appearance as Jimmy in Season 8, starring in an episode.

Many people now know that the "Way 2 Sexy” rapper was in a wheelchair while appearing on the show. This viral meme is called "Wheelchair Jimmy".

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Title: Drake Almost Left Degrassi Over Jimmy's Wheelchair, Show Writer Claims
Sourced From: toofab.com/2021/10/14/drake-almost-left-degrassi-over-characters-wheelchair-show-writer-claims/
Published Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:52:41 +0000

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