Analysis
After
Kanye came to OVO Fest and said that
Drake push him and Jay-Z to be better, Drake said that was the most important moment of his career. He goes on to say that he believes him and
Kanye West wanted to express respect to each other for a long time.
Summary
The Historic Moment
The article primarily discusses what
Drake described as "the most important moment" in his career -
Kanye West's surprise appearance at Drake's OVO Fest in Toronto. This unexpected cameo helped dispel rumors of tension between the two artists. During his appearance, Kanye paid his respects to Drake and even credited him with pushing The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye) to work harder, specifically stating that Watch the Throne wouldn't have been made without Drake's influence in the industry.Drake expressed to MTV News after the show that he and Kanye had wanted to show mutual respect for a long time, but the competitive nature of rap and the business side sometimes prevented that from happening. The appearance was particularly notable as it occurred on the same day Kanye was announced as a VMA performer.
OVO Fest Overview
The fourth-annual OVO Fest faced an early setback when Day One was canceled due to Frank Ocean's vocal cord injury. However, Day Two at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre more than made up for it with an impressive lineup of surprise guests. James Blake and Wale opened the show before Drake took the stage dressed in white to perform "Headlines."
The Weeknd Appearance
Early in the show, The Weeknd joined Drake for "Crew Love," putting to rest rumors of a feud between the two Toronto natives. After their performance, they embraced on stage, with Drake hinting to the audience that there were more surprises to come.
Major Guest Performances
The show featured an extraordinary series of guest appearances:Big Sean performed "Clique," "Mercy," and assisted on Drake's latest single "All Me," while French Montana brought his energy to "Ain't Worried About Nothin" and "Pop That." Wale returned to the stage for "Bad," with Drake reminiscing about their early days together with Kid Cudi.TLC delivered a '90s flashback with performances of "Fan Mail," "Waterfalls," and "No Scrubs," with Lil Mama joining to deliver Left Eye's verse. J. Cole, whom Drake introduced as his "brother," performed "Nobody's Perfect," "Forbidden Fruit," and "Power Trip," which featured an appearance by Miguel who also performed "Adorn."
Diddy and Ma$e Segment
In a particularly nostalgic moment, Drake reflected on his first concert at the same venue before introducing Diddy, who emerged to perform "Victory." Ma$e joined shortly after, creating a golden era flashback as they performed "Feel So Good" and "Mo Money Mo Problems." Diddy stayed on after Ma$e's departure, performing "I Get Money (Forbes remix)" and "It's All About the Benjamins." A$AP Rocky also made an appearance for
"F---in Problems" and "Wild for the Night."
Kanye West's Appearance
The climax of the evening came when Drake began rapping part of Kanye's verse from
"Diamonds From Sierra Leone", tweaking the lyrics to address rumored tensions between them. Kanye then emerged to perform
"New Slaves" and
"All of the Lights".During
"Can't Tell Me Nothing", Kanye stopped to deliver his praise for Drake, explaining that many rappers haven't been able to do something like OVO Fest for their city. He made the remarkable statement that he and Jay-Z wouldn't have made
Watch the Throne if Drake hadn't been "putting pressure" on them. Drake responded by calling Kanye "the god" and acknowledging him as "the reason I'm rapping."
Young Money Family Affirmation
The final rumors addressed were those of tensions within the Young Money camp. Although 2 Chainz couldn't make it through customs in time, Lil Wayne arrived with YMCMB president Mack Maine to perform "HYFR" and "Love Me." Wayne expressed pride in being "a piece of this puzzle," and Drake affirmed his loyalty to Young Money, stating if he "could write that sh-- in blood," he would, and that "Young Money is forever. Wayne is forever."
Concert Conclusion
Drake closed the unforgettable show with his verse on Migos' "Versace (remix)," followed by "No New Friends" and his anthem "Started From the Bottom." The article describes the entire event as "simply, unforgettable."
About the Article
The original article was written by Nadeska Alexis for MTV News, who caught up with Drake after this historic performance in Toronto, Ontario. The show also featured numerous other notable musical guests beyond the headlined appearance of Kanye West.*There may be errors on this page.
