OVO Sound | |
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Founded | 2012 |
Founder | Drake 40 Oliver El-Khatib |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) |
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Genre | |
Country of origin | Canada |
Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Official website | ovosound |
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Studio albums
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OVO Sound (also known simply as OVO) is a Canadian independent record label, founded in 2012 by rapper Drake, producer 40, and manager Oliver El-Khatib. [2] The label operated as an imprint of Warner Records from its formation until 2022.
The label has signed acts including Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, Roy Woods, Dvsn, Baka Not Nice, Smiley, Naomi Sharon and 4Batz. In-house producers include 40 himself, Boi-1da, Nineteen85, Mike Zombie, T-Minus, and DJ Prince.
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. [3]
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 second studio album Take Care . According to Billboard , Drake signed a five-year partnership deal with Warner Records, [4] which was extended in 2017. [5]
Drake was signed as a solo artist to Republic Records through Young Money and Cash Money for nine years. Drake's 2018 release Scorpion was his last project under Young Money/Cash Money. [6] On the other hand, the artists Drake signs to OVO Sound through Warner have their content distributed through the latter. [7] [8]
Upon founding the label in 2012, Drake and 40 signed frequent collaborators Boi-1da, T-Minus, Mike Zombie to the label as in-house producers (the latter two are the only active signees in the label to come outside of Canada). [9] 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. [10] In August 2013, Drake announced that he signed Toronto music duo Majid Jordan to OVO Sound. [11] 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. [12] [13] [14] [15] In 2021, Canadian rapper Smiley was signed to the label. [16] [17]
On January 20, 2023, OVO announced the signing of Dutch-Caribbean singer, Naomi Sharon, becoming the first female artist on the label. [18] [19]
Act | Year | Releases |
---|---|---|
Drake | 2012 | 9 |
PartyNextDoor | 2013 | 7 |
Majid Jordan | 2013 | 4 |
Roy Woods | 2014 | 5 |
Dvsn | 2015 | 5 |
Baka Not Nice | 2017 | 1 |
Smiley | 2021 | 2 |
Naomi Sharon | 2023 | 2 |
4Batz | 2024 | 1 |
Act | Year | Releases |
---|---|---|
ILoveMakonnen | 2014–2016 | 4 |
Plaza | 2017–2021 | 1 |
Popcaan | 2018-2023 | 3 |
Act | Year |
---|---|
Noah "40" Shebib | 2012 |
Boi-1da [20] | 2012 |
T-Minus | 2012 |
Nineteen85 | 2013 |
OG Ron C | 2013 |
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.
On March 4, 2021, Drake announced that he and Oliver would debut their new 24 hour radio station, "Sound 42" on Sirius XM featuring the return of OVO Sound Radio that same night. [21] In an interview with GQ , Drake spoke on the partnership saying "It's something that Scott [Greenstein] from SiriusXM was extremely passionate about from the inception of our partnership. He's been so supportive with us as far as Sound 42 goes. And Sirius offers us the opportunity to be heard far and wide, right? Sirius is just the closest thing we have to those days of glory radio moments and I still get a massive amount of joy premiering music when I know that everyone is listening at the same time." [22]
OVO Clothing was launched in 2011. [23] 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 the first OVO store for the brand's clothing in downtown Toronto, opening on December 6, 2014. [24] 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. [25] 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. [26]
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. [27] 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, [28] who won a gold medal in Giant Slalom Snowboarding in the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
Artist | Album | Details | Peak chart positions | Certification | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [upper-alpha 1] | US [upper-alpha 2] | ||||
Drake | Nothing Was the Same |
| 1 | 1 | RIAA: 4× Platinum [39] |
PartyNextDoor | PartyNextDoor Two |
| 19 | 15 | RIAA: Gold [40] |
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 [41] |
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 | |
Popcaan | Fixtape |
| 15 | 94 | |
Dvsn & Ty Dolla Sign | Cheers to the Best Memories |
| – | 139 | |
Drake | Certified Lover Boy |
| 1 | 1 | RIAA: Gold |
Majid Jordan | Wildest Dreams |
| – | – | |
Smiley | Buy or Bye 2 |
| – | – | |
Drake | Honestly, Nevermind |
| 1 | 1 | |
Dvsn | Working on My Karma |
| – | – | |
Drake & 21 Savage | Her Loss |
| 1 | 1 | |
Popcaan | Great Is He |
| – | – | |
Roy Woods | Mixed Emotions |
| – | – | |
Drake | For All the Dogs |
| 1 | 1 | |
Naomi Sharon | Obsidian |
| – | – | |
Majid Jordan | Good People |
| – | – |
Artist | Album | Details | Peak chart positions | Certification | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | US | ||||
Drake | Care Package | 1 | 1 |
Artist | Album | Details |
---|---|---|
Various Artists | Top Boy (A Selection of Music Inspired by the Series) |
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 |
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 |
|
Drake | The Best in the World Pack |
|
Roy Woods | Dem Times |
|
PartyNextDoor | PARTYPACK |
|
Drake | Scary Hours 2 |
|
Naomi Sharon | Another Life |
|
Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian rapper, singer and actor. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, he has been credited with popularizing R&B sensibilities in hip hop artists. Gaining recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08), Drake then started pursuing a recording career in 2006, releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement. He followed up with the mixtapes Comeback Season (2007) and So Far Gone (2009) before signing with Young Money Entertainment.
Tyrone William Griffin Jr., known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he first gained recognition for his guest appearance on hometown rapper YG's 2010 single "Toot It and Boot It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 as his first minor hit. He signed with Atlantic Records in 2012, and Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Entertainment the following year.
Andrae Hugh Sutherland, known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican dancehall singer.
Nothing Was the Same is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on September 24, 2013, through OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. Work on the record began in 2012 and continued through 2013. As an executive producer, Drake enlisted collaborators such as 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Majid Jordan, Jay-Z, Jhené Aiko and Sampha for guest appearances on the album. The album's production was primarily handled by 40 and other OVO Sound producers; including Boi-1da, Mike Zombie, Nineteen85 and Detail.
"Hold On, We're Going Home" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring R&B duo Majid Jordan. The song was produced by Noah "40" Shebib, OVO Sound's Majid Jordan and Nineteen85, and it is the second single from his third studio album, Nothing Was the Same, and was released for digital download on August 7, 2013, following the 2013 OVO Fest. It was later released to mainstream and rhythmic contemporary radio on August 13, 2013.
Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, known professionally as PartyNextDoor, is a Canadian R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the first artist to sign with Drake's record label OVO Sound, an imprint of Warner Records in 2013. Brathwaite released his debut self-titled extended play in July that year to positive critical reception.
Majid Jordan is a Canadian R&B duo, consisting of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman from Toronto, Ontario. They formed in 2011 and signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib, releasing their debut EP, A Place Like This, in 2014.
Dreams Worth More Than Money is the second studio album by American rapper Meek Mill. It was released on June 29, 2015, by Maybach Music Group and Atlantic Records. It was initially scheduled for release on September 9, 2014, however, it has been delayed few times due to Meek Mill's revoking of his probation on July 11, 2014, thus sentencing him to jail for 3 to 6 months. The album made its entry at number one on the US Billboard 200; and sold 246,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with 215,000 coming from traditional album sales, marking as Meek's first number-one album on the chart. Due to the change in the tracking week by Nielsen Music SoundScan, its first week sales were counted towards its second week on the charts. At the 2016's Billboard Music Awards, the album won an award for Top Rap Album.
Makonnen Kamali Sheran, better known by his stage name iLoveMakonnen, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first became known for his 2014 song "Tuesday", which was discovered and remixed by Canadian rapper Drake. Originally released in August of that year, he signed with Drake's record label OVO Sound, an imprint of Warner Records that same month; the song was given a commercial re-release by the label the following September and subsequently peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. "Tuesday" served as the lead single for his likewise re-issued self-titled debut extended play (2014), which modestly entered the Billboard 200. He parted ways with OVO and Warner in 2016, and his following releases failed to chart.
Denzel Spencer, better known by his stage name Roy Woods, is a Canadian singer and rapper, and songwriter Woods is signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by fellow Canadian rapper and singer Drake, record producer Noah "40" Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib. Woods is also the founder of his own collective, Unlock The Underground.
"Back to Back" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It is the second diss track created by Drake and aimed at American rapper Meek Mill, following "Charged Up". At OVO Fest 2015, Drake performed "Charged Up" and this song live. The album's cover art is a still of game 6 of the 1993 World Series, when former professional baseball player Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays famously hit a walk-off home run to win the series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Blue Jays repeated as World Series champions, becoming the first MLB franchise founded after 1903, and 7th overall, to win back-to-back titles.
Still Brazy is the second studio album by American rapper YG. It was made available for streaming on June 14, 2016, by Apple Music. Later, it was released physically for the digital download purchases on June 17, 2016, by 4Hunnid Records, CTE World and Def Jam Recordings. The album features production handled by Swish, P-Lo, Terrace Martin, Larrance Dopson, CT Beats, Ty Dolla Sign and Hit-Boy, while YG enlisted the collaborators such as Lil Wayne, Drake, Nipsey Hussle and Slim 400, among others.
Majid Jordan is the debut studio album by Canadian R&B duo Majid Jordan, it was released on February 5, 2016, by OVO Sound and Warner Bros. Records. The album serves as a follow-up to their debut EP A Place Like This (2014). The album's sole guest appearance comes from Drake, who they have previously worked with on his single "Hold On, We're Going Home" in 2013.
Views is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on April 29, 2016, by Cash Money Records, Republic Records, and Young Money Entertainment. Recording sessions took place from 2015 to 2016, with both Drake and his longtime collaborator and record producer 40 serving as the record's executive producers. 40 also primarily handled the production on the album alongside Nineteen85, Maneesh Bidaye, Kanye West, and Jordan Ullman, among others. It also contains guest appearances by PartyNextDoor, Pimp C, Dvsn, Wizkid, Kyla, Future, and Rihanna.
Dvsn is a Canadian R&B duo composed of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85. The duo is signed to Canadian rapper Drake through his label OVO Sound.
The Space Between is the second studio album by Canadian R&B duo Majid Jordan, released on October 27, 2017, by OVO Sound and Warner Bros. Records. It features guest appearances from OVO label-mates PartyNextDoor and Dvsn. The album's production was handled primarily by Majid Jordan, alongside Nineteen85 and Stargate.
Morning After is the second studio album by Canadian R&B duo Dvsn. It was released on October 13, 2017, by OVO Sound and Warner Bros. Records.
Michael Martin Kaminski, known professionally as Plaza, is a Canadian singer, songwriter and producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is best known for his singles "Personal", "All Mine", and "Use Me". From 2017 to 2021 he was signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and Oliver El-Khatib.
"Over the Top" is a song by Canadian rapper Smiley, featuring fellow Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on July 23, 2021, by OVO Sound and Warner Records and later appeared on Smiley's album Buy Or Bye 2. The duo had previously collaborated on Smiley's 2019 track "Organization" with Canadian rapper Booggz.
"Life of the Party" is a song by American rappers Kanye West and André 3000. It was intended for West's tenth studio album Donda (2021), but was left off the album due to André 3000 not agreeing to his verse being edited to a clean version. The song was later leaked by Canadian rapper Drake on Sound 42 radio amidst a feud with West. It was initially released as an exclusive to the Donda Stem Player in October 2021. The song was released fully in November 2021 on the deluxe version of Donda, and an explicit version as a single.