

David Friend, The Canadian Press





TORONTO - Drake sings about “Fake Love,” but he's showing fans some real cash on Instagram.

The Toronto-raised performer uploaded a photo showing an $8.25 royalty cheque he recently collected from his appearance on teen series “Degrassi: The Next Generation” more than a decade ago.

“Degrassi money still coming in don't sleeeeeeeep,” he wrote early Tuesday, followed by emojis of money bags and a stack of cash with wings.

It was a tongue-in-cheek message from one of the music industry's most successful artists - especially since the pay falls well short of Ontario's current hourly minimum wage.

Drake played Jimmy Books on “Degrassi” for more than six years and returned for several guest appearances in the following seasons. It's unclear if the cheque sent in March was a payment for all episodes of the show or one in particular.

Lead actors are typically royalties for years after their TV shows wrap production, though the amounts can vary wildly depending on their contracts and how many times the repeats are broadcast.

Drake's photo amassed more than 1.5 million likes from other Instagram accounts, including fellow Canadian musicians like Alessia Cara and Ria Mae.