Drake Scraps Tour to Be With Sick Mom

Rapper says his mom needs emergency surgery and he wants to be there for her

The best woman Drake has ever known remains his mom.

The up-and-coming rapper has canceled plans to tour Europe this summer so that he can be with his ailing mom while she recovers from surgery, he said in a statement Thursday.

He had tweeted last night: "Back at my moms house...please include her in your prayers tonight as tmrw she faces a true challenge."

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, also gave an emotional shout-out to his mom Sunday at the BET Awards, where he was named Best Male Hip-Hop Artist.

"Despite my best hopes, it is apparent that my mother will need surgery earlier than anticipated," the Thank Me Later artist said today.

"In light of this news, I have made the difficult decision to cancel my European tour in order to support her during her recovery. I ask everyone to please respect my family's privacy during this time."

Drake recently admitted in the MTV special, Drake: Better Than Good Enough, that his mom, who had raised her son by herself since he was 5 in his native Toronto, has been sick.

"So that scares me a lot," he said. "She's been the most supportive person I've ever had in my life—the only person that loves me unconditionally, really. I know a lot of people love me and I love a lot of people. But to love somebody unconditionally is different."