Backstreet Boys had a surprise sixth member on stage with them when they played Toronto over the weekend: Drake.
The superstar rapper joined Backstreet for their signature song "I Want It That Way," and shared a touching story about why the 1999 hit means so much to him.
Drake, whose mother is Jewish, told the crowd that when he was 13, he had a bar mitzvah, which is the traditional Jewish coming-of-age ritual for boys. And it was at his bar mitzvah, Drake says, when, "for the first time in my life, this girl I was in love with came up to me while one of the greatest songs in the world was playing, and she asked me if I would dance with her.”
That song, of course, was "I Want It That Way." Drake told the audience, “It was the first time I ever felt acknowledged, and it was the first time I ever felt like I had a shot at being cool.”
You can watch Drake's speech and the entire performance in fan-recorded video on YouTube.
Backstreet Boys are currently on their DNA World Tour. They'll perform in Burgettstown, PA Tuesday night.