Dorky teen Drake awkwardly sings, attempts improv comedy in cringey throwback video

Before he was flexing his rap chops, Drake was just another teenager from Toronto trying to master the art of improv comedy. Yes, really.

Footage has emerged of the future rapper and Degrassi: The Next Generation actor sharing the stage with another budding comic at Toronto's Rivoli.

In the clip, he cracks quips as a gay character named Damien, pretending to interact with a pregnant woman at the gym.

But the part he probably wishes would stay in the archives is a song-and-dance breakout that's like, well, most teenagers bopping awkwardly to bleeped-out Drake tunes at their school formal.

Although it's not a rap tune he's singing – in fact, his song choice couldn't be any dorkier.

Luckily for him, the 29-year-old's improv skills and song choices improved in his later years when he hosted Saturday Night Live in January 2014, then again last month.

"Started from the bottom, now we're here", indeed.