Drizzy tells Billboard that for his Sprite commercial, he needed his mans-n-them to help capture the moment.

 “The day we were shooting they had generic extras in this beautiful set they had created. I told them, ‘Look, honestly, this is not really how I record. My recording sessions don’t look like a part —we actually come to work’,” says Drake. “To make it a genuine studio moment I asked if 40 and Boy Wonder could be a part of it— they are key elements behind my creative process. To have all three of us in the commercial was a glorious moment for me.”

The “Spark” campaign is an integrated marketing effort that includes TV, digital, out-of-home and mobile applications. “Spark” will consist of two stages — one focused on music and a second on film. The campaign will be comprised of innovative commercials featuring Drake as well as film director Rik Cordero and China-based singer/songwriter Jay Chou; the Sprite “Spark” Music Project, an online interactive music mixer that enables people to make their own tunes and/or remix music from Drake with music from emerging artists around the world, which is launching in March; and the Sprite “Spark” Film Project, due to launch in April, will provide people with the tools and content to edit their own 45-second animated films.

“We looked at a lot of artists for this campaign,” says Joe Tripodi, chief marketing and commercial officer of the Coca-Cola Company. “As we filtered through, we realized we wanted someone with a breadth of interest across the globe — a new, fresh, young talent.”

“Drake’s ability to combine the purest rap with emotional R&B and coming from a child acting career in Canada to a worldwide music career was the ultimate spark in fresh thinking in the youth platform,” adds Katie Bayne, chief marketing officer of Coca-Cola North America.

Drake is also partnering with Sprite for its “Step-Off” competition in Atlanta, which awards $1.5 million in college sponsorships. The program has been running since last fall and takes place at historically Black colleges. Drake will be a judge and will also perform at the finale.

Additionally, Drake will also judge and perform as part of the first-ever Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown being held on Feb. 12 as part of this year’s NBA All-Star game. Drake will judge alongside NBA player LeBron James and former NBA player Darryl Dawkins. He will perform live after the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown.