Music
Drake goes big for OVO Fest 2013
by Tyler Munro
August 6, 2013
Go big or go home—both, if you’re Drake. Anyone expecting Frank Ocean’s cancellation to throw a hitch into the flow behind Drake’s annual festival needs to give October’s Very Own more credit, as last night he brought out his usual bag of tricks. Tricks, in this case, meaning a bevy of unannounced guests including chart toppers from the past and present.
Go big or go home—both, if you’re Drake.
Anyone expecting Frank Ocean’s cancellation to throw a hitch into the flow behind Drake’s annual festival needs to give October’s Very Own more credit, as last night he brought out his usual bag of tricks. Tricks, in this case, meaning a bevy of unannounced guests including chart toppers from the past and present.
The biggest name of the night was obviously Kanye West, who showed up at the end of the concert to perform “New Slaves, “All of the Lights” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” but his light shined only a bit bigger than surprise appearances by TLC, Diddy & Ma$e and more. The result was a setlist that included everything from “Waterfalls” and “Mo Money Mo Problems” to “Fuckin’ Problems” with A$AP Rocky and “Motto,” with Lil Wayne. Also showing up were scheduled performers James Blake and Wale and guests French Montana, J Cole, Miguele and Lil Mama.
You can say what you will about Drake. That he’s corny. That his eyebrows are weird. But you can’t take this away from him. He’s set from the outset of his massive celebrity that repping Toronto is his mission statement, and for the fourth year running, he’s done just that with OVO Fest.
Scheduled around the city’s annual Caribana event, Drake’s built the summer’s most anticipated concert. He’s made it a hot ticket for athletes, celebrities and regular folk alike. And by recruiting everyone from Stevie Wonder to Yeezus throughout the years, he’s enlisted the curiosities of even his biggest sceptics.
More than that, he’s given Torontonians something to be proud of; an ambassador that’s making the city matter for more than its crack smoking mayor.
See you next year, Drizzy. Until then, here’s his new song, “Hold On We’re Going Home.”
