Drake Lends Voice to ‘Gears of War 3′ Video Game

Drake began his career as an actor in the high school TV series 'Degrassi: The Next Generation,' but his next role looks much more gangsta.

Video game powerhouse Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios have announced that Drake will be playing Jace Stratton, a main character in their new shooting game 'Gears or War 3.'

Though Jace only had a brief cameo (voiced by Nolan North) in 'Gears of War 2,' Epic promises that Jace will be a much more prominent character this time around. "When Epic came to me with the role, I couldn't pass it up," Drake said in a press release. "They've created an amazing character in Jace, and I'm looking forward to my tour in Delta Squad."

Rod Fergusson, executive producer of Epic Games, said Drake's "heart and grit" played a major role in the Young Money rapper's hiring. "[Drake's EP] 'So Far Gone' had just been released, and Drake's combination of heart and grit was just what we were looking for," said Fergusson. "Rather than search for somebody who sounded like him, it was clear that we should approach him directly ... fortunately he turned out to be a huge fan."

Drake's highly-anticipated debut 'Thank Me Later' is scheduled to drop June 15. 'Gears of War 3' is scheduled for a release sometime in 2011.