OVO Sound
OVO Sound is a Toronto-based Canadian record label, founded in 2012 by hip hop artist Drake, Oliver El-Khatib, and producer Noah "40" Shebib.[1] It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Warner Music Group's Warner Records, except for Drake's releases, which are distributed by Republic Records, a division of WMG's competitor, Universal Music Group.
OVO Sound | |
---|---|
Parent company | Warner Music Group |
Founded | 2012 |
Founder | Drake Noah "40" Shebib Oliver El-Khatib |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) | Warner Records (In the US) WEA International (Worldwide) Republic Records Universal Music Group (Drake releases only) |
Genre | Hip hop R&B |
Country of origin | Canada |
Location | Toronto, Ontario |
Official website | www |
The label represents acts including Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, Roy Woods, OB O'Brien, Dvsn, Plaza, Baka Not Nice, and Popcaan. In-house producers include 40, Boi-1da, Nineteen85, DJ Prince, Mike Zombie, T-Minus, and Future The Prince
History
The label's roots can be traced back to 2006, when Drake's first official mixtape, Room for Improvement, was released under the unofficial record label "All Things Fresh" which eventually became "October's Very Own". Drake later raised the profile of the label by prominently featuring OVO throughout his music, regularly mentioning the label in songs and on stage, as well as promoting OVO merchandise.
The record label was officially founded in 2012 by Drake and long-time collaborators Noah "40" Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib following the success of Drake's third studio album Nothing Was the Same. According to Billboard, Drake signed a partnership deal with Warner Records similar to that of Rick Ross' record company. Though Ross is signed as a solo artist to Epic, the artists on Ross' Maybach Music Group label are signed to Atlantic Records, former partners with Warner. Drake is still signed as a solo artist to Republic Records through Young Money and Cash Money, but the artists he signs to OVO Sound through Warner have their content distributed through the latter.[2][3]
Upon founding the label in 2012, Drake and 40 signed frequent collaborators Boi-1da, T-Minus, Mike Zombie and later in 2020 DJ Prince to the label as in-house producers (the latter two are the only active signees in the label to come outside of Canada).[4] In April 2013, it was reported that Drake was close to signing the label's first recording artist, PartyNextDoor, which he ended up revealing shortly thereafter.[5] In August 2013, Drake announced that he signed Toronto music duo Majid Jordan to OVO Sound.[6] OB O'Brien and iLoveMakonnen would soon sign in 2014, with the latter being the first non-Canadian act and second non-Canadian signee after to Mike Zombie. Makonnen would eventually leave OVO Sound in April 2016, wishing to pursue his interests as a solo artist with Warner. Canadian rap artist Roy Woods and R&B duo Dvsn, composed of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85, soon joined the label in 2015 and 2016, with each act releasing an EP and studio album respectively.[7][8][9][10]
Roster
Current acts
Act | Year | Releases |
---|---|---|
Drake | 2012 | 9 |
PartyNextDoor | 2013 | 7 |
Majid Jordan | 2013 | 3 |
Roy Woods | 2014 | 5 |
OB O'Brien | 2014 | – |
Dvsn | 2015 | 3 |
Plaza | 2017 | 1 |
Baka Not Nice | 2017 | 1 |
Popcaan | 2018 | 2 |
Former acts
Act | Year | Releases |
---|---|---|
ILoveMakonnen | 2015 | 3 |
In-house producers
Act | Year |
---|---|
Noah "40" Shebib | 2012 |
Boi-1da[11] | 2012 |
T-Minus | 2012 |
Mike Zombie | 2013 |
Nineteen85 | 2013 |
Future The Prince | 2015 |
DJ Prince | 2020 |
OVO Sound Radio
OVO Sound Radio was a radio program that aired on Beats 1, fortnightly on Saturdays. The show primarily aired newer material, with at least one song premiering in each broadcast. The show's initial airing was on July 11, 2015, and it was hosted by Drake and Oliver El-Khatib. The show is notable for debuting hit Drake singles, such as platinum-selling "Hotline Bling", and chart-topping "One Dance". The show ended on October 27, 2018.
OVO Clothing
OVO Clothing was launched in 2011.[12] The series of clothing began with a series of collaborations between Roots Canada and OVO, which produced several parkas, jackets and other collaborations. In 2013, merchandise for the OVO figurehead included collaborations with the Toronto Raptors, which coincided with Drake becoming the franchise's Global Ambassador. OVO has since morphed into a clothing line in itself, releasing a slew of clothes during every season of the year. T-shirts, sweatshirts, varsity jackets, baseball hats, and knit beanies are seasonal installations. OVO Clothing oversaw the opening of a flagship store for the brand's clothing in downtown Toronto, opening on December 6, 2014. Exactly a year after the opening in Toronto, OVO stores expanded to the United States, opening a flagship store in Los Angeles, California. Its New York store opened in December 2016 on Bond Street, and its Chicago store in August 2019 on Walton Street in Gold Coast. OVO also opened its first location in Vancouver in December 2018.[13] Other OVO collaborations have included Canada Goose, and Air Jordan.
Its pre-2016 collection was composed of basketball shorts, OVO jerseys, track jackets, and baggy hoodies.[14]
On November 9, 2020, it was revealed via the OVO Clothing Instagram account that NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky would be a model for the Fall and Winter 2020 collection.[15] Gretzky and OVO Clothing founder Drake are both proud natives of southern Ontario, Canada. Also featured in the collection was former Canadian Olympian Ross Rebagliati,[16] who won a gold medal in Giant Slalom Snowboarding in the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
Discography
Studio albums
Artist | Album | Details | Peak chart positions | Certification | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [upper-alpha 1] |
US [upper-alpha 2] | ||||
Drake | Nothing Was the Same |
|
1 | 1 | RIAA: 4x Platinum[27] |
PartyNextDoor | PartyNextDoor Two |
|
19 | 15 | RIAA: Gold[28] |
Majid Jordan | Majid Jordan |
|
20 | 69 | |
Dvsn | Sept. 5th |
|
69 | 133 | |
Drake | Views |
|
1 | 1 | RIAA: 6× Platinum |
Roy Woods | Waking at Dawn |
|
30 | 127 | |
PartyNextDoor | PartyNextDoor 3 |
|
4 | 3 | RIAA: Gold[29] |
Dvsn | Morning After |
|
19 | 38 | |
Majid Jordan | The Space Between |
|
30 | 74 | |
Roy Woods | Say Less |
|
26 | 92 | |
Drake | Scorpion |
|
1 | 1 | RIAA: 5× Platinum |
PartyNextDoor | Partymobile |
|
3 | 6 | |
Dvsn | A Muse in Her Feelings |
|
13 | 23 | |
Drake | Certified Lover Boy |
|
– | – |
Compilation albums
Artist | Album | Details | Peak chart positions | Certification | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | US | ||||
Drake | Care Package | 1 | 1 | ||
Various Artists | Top Boy (A Selection of Music Inspired by the Series) | – | – |
Mixtapes
Artist | Album | Details | Peak chart positions | Certification | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | US | ||||
Drake | If You're Reading This It's Too Late |
|
1 | 1 | RIAA: 2× Platinum |
Drake & Future | What a Time to Be Alive | 1 | 1 | RIAA: Platinum | |
Drake | More Life |
|
1 | 1 | |
Popcaan | Vanquish |
|
– | – | |
Drake | Dark Lane Demo Tapes |
|
1 | 2 | |
Popcaan | Fixtape |
|
15 | 94 |
EPs
Artist | Album | Details |
---|---|---|
Partynextdoor | Partynextdoor |
|
Majid Jordan | A Place Like This |
|
Partynextdoor | Colours |
|
iLoveMakonnen | iLoveMakonnen |
|
Roy Woods | Exis |
|
iLoveMakonnen | iLoveMakonnen 2 |
|
Roy Woods | Nocturnal |
|
Partynextdoor | Colours 2 |
|
Plaza | SHADOWS |
|
Partynextdoor | Seven Days |
|
Baka Not Nice | 4Milli |
|
Roy Woods | Dem Times |
|
PARTYNEXTDOOR | PARTYPACK |
|
References
- "Drake's OVO Sound Label Teams Up With City of Toronto to Create Music Committee". Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- "Drake's OVO Label Flies To Warner Bros. Records – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. December 5, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- Ugwu, Reggie. "Drake's OVO Record Label Inks Deal With Warner Bros. | News". BET. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- "10 Artists That Should Sign To Drake's OVO Sound – Page 7 of 11 – XXL". Xxlmag.com. August 12, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- "Listen to PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake's New Artist Signing to OVO (Soon) – XXL". Xxlmag.com. April 22, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- "Drake Wants New Single To Be Played At Weddings". XXL.
- On June 10, 2017, newest signee Plaza's project, Shadow EP, debuted on OVO Sound Radio episode 45. Gilmore, Mike (August 7, 1997). "Puff Daddy Cometh". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- Carissimo, Justin (October 24, 2016). "Drake announces 'More Life' project, shares four new songs on OVO Sound Radio". The Independent. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- Morgan Britton, Luke (October 24, 2016). "Stream three new Drake songs from 'More Life' project". NME. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- Willis, Jay (October 24, 2016). "Drake Just Dropped Four New Songs Off More Life as an Early Birthday Gift". GQ. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- "Boi-1da Shares Stories Behind Drake's "Started From The Bottom" | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop | HipHop DX". Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
- "How the OVO Clothing Label Evolved With Drake's Career". Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- Rap star Drake’s streetwear brand to open Gold Coast store RYAN ORI, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, July 17, 2019
- Rooney, Kyle (August 10, 2016). "OVO Apparel Line Pre-fall collection". Hotnewhiphop. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- "October's Very Own on Instagram: "The Great One, Wayne Gretzky. October's Very Own® / FW2020"". Instagram. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- "October's Very Own on Instagram: "OVO X ROOTS / FW2020 Featuring Ross Rebagliati Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist"". Instagram. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- "Drake – Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- "PartyNextDoor – Chart history: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "Majid Jordan – Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- "Dvsn – Chart history: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- "Roy Woods – Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
- "Drake – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- "PartyNextDoor – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "Majid Jordan – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- "Dvsn – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
- "Roy Woods – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
- "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- "Instagram post by dvsn • Aug 1, 2017 at 10:03pm UTC". Instagram. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- "The Space Between by Majid Jordan on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
- "Instagram post by ROY WOOD$ • Aug 1, 2017 at 9:01pm UTC". Instagram. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- Minsker, Evan (February 28, 2020). "PARTYNEXTDOOR Announces New Album PARTYMOBILE, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- Ivey, Justin (April 16, 2020). "dvsn Returns With 'A Muse In Her Feelings' Album". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- Yoo, Noah (August 1, 2019). "Drake Announces New Care Package Compilation Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- "Drake Achieves Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Care Package'". Billboard. August 11, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- "The tracklisting for Drake's 'Top Boy' soundtrack has been revealed". NME. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- "DRAKE & OVO SOUND PRESENT "TOP BOY" SOUNDTRACK". HipHopDX.
- "Popcaan Releases New Mixtape Vanquish: Listen". Pitchfork.
- "Drake's 'Dark Lane Demo Tapes': Stream It Now". Billboard. May 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- "Dem Times – EP". Apple Music.