OVO Sound

OVO Sound
Founded2012
FounderDrake
40
Oliver El-Khatib
StatusActive
Distributor(s)
Genre
Country of originCanada
LocationToronto, Ontario, Canada
Official websiteovosound.com

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. Between 2012 and 2022, it operated as a subsidiary of Warner Records.

The label represents acts including Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, Roy Woods, Dvsn, Baka Not Nice, Smiley, 4Batz, and Naomi Sharon. In-house producers include 40, Boi-1da, Nineteen85, Mike Zombie, T-Minus, and DJ Prince.

History

Drake founded the label in 2012

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 second studio album Take Care. According to Billboard, Drake signed a five-year partnership deal with Warner Records, which was extended in 2017.

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. On the other hand, the artists Drake signs to OVO Sound through Warner have their content distributed through the latter.

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). 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. In August 2013, Drake announced that he signed Toronto music duo Majid Jordan to OVO Sound. 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. In 2021, Canadian rapper Smiley was signed to the label.

On January 20, 2023, OVO announced the signing of Dutch-Caribbean singer, Naomi Sharon, becoming the first female artist on the label.

Roster

Current acts

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

Former acts

Act Year Releases
ILoveMakonnen 2014–2016 4
Plaza 2017–2021 1
Popcaan 2018-2023 3

In-house producers

Act Year
Noah "40" Shebib 2012
Boi-1da 2012
T-Minus 2012
Nineteen85 2013
OG Ron C 2013

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.

Sound 42

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. 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."

OVO Clothing

OVO Clothing was launched in 2011. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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, 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
US
Drake Nothing Was the Same 1 1 RIAA: 4× Platinum
PartyNextDoor PartyNextDoor Two
  • Released: July 28, 2014
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
19 15 RIAA: Gold
Majid Jordan Majid Jordan
  • Released: February 5, 2016
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
20 69
Dvsn Sept. 5th
  • Released: March 27, 2016
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
69 133
Drake Views
  • Released: April 29, 2016
  • Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Republic
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
1 1 RIAA: 6× Platinum
Roy Woods Waking at Dawn
  • Released: July 1, 2016
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
30 127
PartyNextDoor PartyNextDoor 3
  • Released: August 12, 2016
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
4 3 RIAA: Gold
Dvsn Morning After
  • Released: October 13, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
19 38
Majid Jordan The Space Between
  • Released: October 27, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
30 74
Roy Woods Say Less
  • Released: December 1, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
26 92
Drake Scorpion
  • Released: June 29, 2018
  • Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Republic
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
1 1 RIAA: 5× Platinum
PartyNextDoor Partymobile
  • Released: March 27, 2020
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
3 6
Dvsn A Muse in Her Feelings
  • Released: April 17, 2020
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
13 23
Popcaan Fixtape
  • Released: August 7, 2020
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download
15 94
Dvsn & Ty Dolla Sign Cheers to the Best Memories
  • Released: August 20, 2021
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
139
Drake Certified Lover Boy
  • Released: September 3, 2021
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
1 1 RIAA: Gold
Majid Jordan Wildest Dreams
  • Released: October 22, 2021
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
Smiley Buy or Bye 2
  • Released: November 12, 2021
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download
Drake Honestly, Nevermind
  • Released: June 17, 2022
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
1 1
Dvsn Working on My Karma
  • Released: October 22, 2022
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Drake & 21 Savage Her Loss
  • Released: November 4, 2022
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
1 1
Popcaan Great Is He
  • Released: January 27, 2023
  • Label: OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download
Roy Woods Mixed Emotions
  • Released: July 28, 2023
  • Label: OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download
Drake For All the Dogs
  • Released: October 6, 2023
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
1 1
Naomi Sharon Obsidian
  • Released: October 20, 2023
  • Label: OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download
Majid Jordan Good People
  • Released: November 3, 2023
  • Label: OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download

Compilation albums

Artist Album Details Peak chart positions Certification
CAN US
Drake Care Package
  • Released: August 2, 2019
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: Streaming, digital download
1 1

Soundtrack albums

Artist Album Details
Various Artists Top Boy (A Selection of Music Inspired by the Series)
  • Released: September 13, 2019
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Streaming, digital download

Mixtapes

Artist Album Details Peak chart positions Certification
CAN US
Drake If You're Reading This It's Too Late
  • Released: February 13, 2015
  • Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Republic, OVO Sound
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
1 1 RIAA: 2× Platinum
Drake & Future What a Time to Be Alive RIAA: Platinum..
  • Released: September 20, 2015
  • Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Republic, OVO Sound,
    Epic, A1, Freebandz
  • Formats: LP, digital download
1 1 RIAA: Platinum
Drake More Life
  • Released: March 18, 2017
  • Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Republic, OVO Sound
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
1 1
Popcaan Vanquish
  • Released: December 20, 2019
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download
Drake Dark Lane Demo Tapes
  • Released: May 1, 2020
  • Label: Republic, OVO Sound
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
1 2

EPs

Artist Album Details
PartyNextDoor PartyNextDoor
  • Released: July 1, 2013
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Majid Jordan A Place Like This
  • Released: July 17, 2014
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
PartyNextDoor Colours
  • Released: December 3, 2014
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
iLoveMakonnen iLoveMakonnen
  • Released: December 15, 2014
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Roy Woods Exis
  • Released: July 31, 2015
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
iLoveMakonnen iLoveMakonnen 2
  • Released: November 20, 2015
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Roy Woods Nocturnal
  • Released: December 21, 2016
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
PartyNextDoor Colours 2
  • Released: June 2, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Plaza SHADOWS
  • Released: June 10, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
PartyNextDoor Seven Days
  • Released: September 28, 2017
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Baka Not Nice 4Milli
  • Released: August 3, 2018
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
  • Formats: Digital download
Drake The Best in the World Pack
  • Released: June 15, 2019
  • Label: OVO Sound, Frozen Moments, Republic
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Roy Woods Dem Times
  • Released: May 15, 2020
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download
PartyNextDoor PARTYPACK
  • Released: October 16, 2020
  • Label: OVO Sound, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download
Drake Scary Hours 2
  • Released: March 5, 2021
  • Label: OVO Sound, Republic
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Naomi Sharon Another Life
  • Released: January 20, 2023
  • Label: OVO Sound
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Notes

  1. ^ References for Canadian Albums Chart
  2. ^ References for Billboard 200

This page was last updated at 2024-03-27 01:39 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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