Drake Announces ‘OVO Fest Will Be Back This Summer' at Central Cee Concert in Toronto
OVO Fest will be back in summer 2025.
Drake made the announcement while making a surprise guest appearance at Central Cee's concert in Toronto Saturday (May 24) at History.
More from Billboard
Sophie Turner Shows Support for Ex-Husband Joe Jonas' New Album
D'Angelo Cancels 2025 Roots Picnic Performance Due to 'Unforeseen' Medical Issue
Sacha Jenkins, Influential Hip-Hop Journalist and Filmmaker, Dies at 54
'I'll see you this summer, by the way' Drake said to the crowd, while congratulating the British rapper on his success. 'OVO Fest will be back this year.'
He then pointed back at Central Cee and said 'we'll need you there for that.'
Drake hasn't hosted his star-studded hometown festival since 2022. At that edition, he reunited with Young Money pals Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj and presented a Canadian extravaganza featuring Kardinal Offishall, Shawn Desman, Nelly Furtado and more.
The 2025 edition of OVO Fest would be his first since his high-profile beef with Kendrick Lamar and his ongoing lawsuit with his label Universal Music Group.
No other details have been announced yet, but it sounds like Central Cee would be an obvious first guest. Drake praised the rapper before making his announcement, calling 'Day In The LIfe' his favourite song. 'I can go word for word on that,' he said.
OVO Fest typically takes place in August, around the same time as the Caribbean Carnival (a.k.a. Caribana).
Drake's announcement came from up on the VIP balcony of History, where he also performed his newest hit 'Nokia' from 2025's collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. Drake has a stake in the venue, along with Live Nation.
Drake has a history of making surprise announcements at other rappers' shows in Toronto. He initially announced $ome $exy $ongs 4 U in a surprise set with PartyNextDoor at Budweiser Stage last summer.
Drake's love of surprises is what makes OVO Fest so special in the first place, and this year should be no different.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Lil Wayne announces ‘Tha Carter VI Tour,' MSG show. Get tickets today
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. The self-proclaimed 'best rapper alive' may be dropping bars at a venue near you very soon. Lil Wayne just announced his 'Tha Carter VI Tour' in support of his long-awaited album with the same name, which hits shelves June 6. To kick off the run, Weezy is headlining New York City's Madison Square Garden for the first time in his career. Keeping with the tradition of sixes, this will also go down on 06/06. Advertisement Then, at the end of July, the nationwide 37-concert tour will begin in earnest along with special guests Tyga, NoCap and Belly Gang Kushington on select dates. As of now, the 'Lollipop' rapper has four additional New York and New Jersey concerts lined up. First, he's slated to hit Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, Aug. 2. After that, the New Orleans native drops into Holmdel, NJ's PNC Bank Arts Center on Sunday, Aug. 3, Syracuse's Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater on Friday, Aug. 8 and Buffalo's Darien Lake Amphitheater on Saturday, Aug. 9. While we don't know exactly what Lil Wayne will bring to the stage at these shows, he did tease that concerts will be 'built on 20+ years of Carter classics' in an Instagram tour announcement post. Advertisement Fans can purchase tickets for all upcoming Lil Wayne shows on sites like Vivid Seats; the official on-sale for the Madison Square Garden concert is Friday, April 25. Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event. Lil Wayne tour schedule 2025 A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below. Advertisement iHeartRadio Music Festival Toward the end of the trek, Weezy F Baby will take part in the annual iHeartRadio Music Festival. He'll be joined by a diverse crop of performers including but not limited to GloRilla, Jelly Roll, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J and Tim McGraw. If you'd like to attend, single and multi-day iHeartRadio Music Festival passes can be scooped up here. Lil Wayne set list Advertisement On Feb. 28, Lil Wayne headlined at St. Louis' Enterprise Center. Based on our findings at Set List FM, here's what he took to the stage that evening. 01.) 'I'm Goin' In' (Drake cover) 02.) 'Let the Beat Build' 03.) 'John' 04.) 'Uproar' 05.) 'Fireman' 06.) 'Money on My Mind' 07.) 'Tha Mobb' 08.) 'Blunt Blowin'' 09.) 'Rich as F—' 10.) 'Hustler Musik' 11.) 'Love Me' 12.) 'Lollipop' 13.) 'HYFR (Hell Ya F—ing Right)' (Drake cover) 14.) 'Mrs. Officer' 15.) 'She Will' 16.) 'Shoes' 17.) 'Ride for My N—-s (Sky Is the Limit)' 18.) 'YM Wasted' 19.) 'Tunechi Rollin'' 20.) 'We On Fire' (Hot Boy$ song) (with Juvenile) 21.) '400 Degreez' (Juvenile cover) (with Juvenile) 22.) 'Rich N—-z' (Juvenile cover) (with Juvenile) 23.) 'Project B—-' (Big Tymers cover) (with Big Tymers) 24.) 'Neighborhood Superstar' (Hot Boy$ song) (with Hot Boy$) 25.) 'Ridin' (Hot Boy$ song) (with Hot Boy$) 26.) 'I Need a Hot Girl' (Hot Boy$ song) (with Hot Boy$) 27.) 'Bling Bling' (B.G. cover) (with B.G.) 28.) 'Back That Azz Up' (Juvenile cover) (with Juvenile) 29.) 'Steady Mobbin'' (Young Money song) 30.) 'A Milli' Lil Wayne new music Although no single for the album has been released as of yet, the legendary rapper dropped four singles this year. There's the hypnotic 'Pop It Off' with Tyga (you have to wait until the 1:50 mark to hear Wayne), anthemic 'Tweaker' alongside GELO (once again, Weezy drops in around two minutes in), the smooth 'This Is Why' where he features for Tucker Nichol and emphatic 'Baby Mad At Me' collab with That Mexican OT. Want to dig further into the archives? You can find Lil Wayne's expansive discography in full here. Lil Wayne special guests At most shows, Weezy will be joined by a special guest or two. To get you up to speed on their sounds, here's each artist's most-streamed song on Spotify. Tyga: 'Taste' Advertisement NoCap: 'Ghetto Angels' Belly Gang Kushington: 'Same Day' Hip-Hop stars on tour in 2025 Rap is officially in season. Many of the biggest names in the game are hitting the road these next few months. To make sure you're in the loop, here are just five of our favorites you won't want to miss live these next few months. Advertisement • Wu-Tang Clan • NBA Youngboy • Ice Cube • Tyler, The Creator Advertisement • Cypress Hill with Atmosphere Who else is out and about? Take a look at our list of all the biggest artists on tour in 2025 to find the show for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change


Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
PWHL Second Season Delivers Major Gains In Fans, Sales, And Reach
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - MAY 26: Maddie Rooney #35 of the Minnesota Frost hoists the Walter Cup after ... More the Minnesota Frost defeated the Ottawa Charge 2-1 to win the Championship at Xcel Energy Center on May 26, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by) The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has announced historic growth following the conclusion of its second season, citing major gains across attendance, merchandise sales, digital engagement, and corporate partnerships. With the addition of expansion teams and increased community engagement, the league has taken significant steps in scaling professional women's hockey in North America and globally. The 2024–25 PWHL season welcomed a total of 737,455 fans across 102 games, representing a 52.5% increase over the league's inaugural season attendance of 483,530 (85 games). Average attendance also rose 27%, from 5,689 to 7,230 spectators per game. Since its inception, the PWHL has drawn a cumulative 1,220,985 attendees over two seasons, underscoring growing interest in the sport. 'This season, fans from every U.S. state and every Canadian province and territory caught a PWHL game, a remarkable moment for professional women's hockey,' said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 1: Fans hold signs before Toronto plays New York in their PWHL hockey game at ... More the Mattamy Athletic Centre on January 1, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by) The league's PWHL Takeover Tour™ brought nine neutral-site regular-season games to new markets, attracting 123,601 fans. A Vancouver game at Rogers Arena recorded a sellout crowd of 19,038, the fourth-largest single-game audience in PWHL history. In Detroit, 14,288 fans set a new U.S. record for PWHL game attendance at Little Caesars Arena, marking the moment the league surpassed one million cumulative fans. Merchandise sales reflected 100% year-over-year growth, driven by the launch of official team names and logos, and new branded collections, including collaborations with Barbie, Peace Collective, and lululemon. The league's partnership portfolio expanded by 50%, adding brands such as Ally, Bravado, EA Sports, Factor Meals, Intact Insurance, Midea, and SharkNinja to its growing roster of corporate supporters. TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 9: A fan's custom Toronto Sceptres shoes are seen before Game Two of the First ... More Round of the 2025 PWHL Playoffs between the Minnesota Frost and the Toronto Sceptres at Coca-Cola Coliseum on May 9, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by) Digital engagement surged, with social media interactions across platforms including X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube increasing by 68% from the first season. Live games were streamed in 106 countries, up from 88, and the redesigned website attracted more than 20 million views from users in over 150 countries. 'Season Two has been nothing short of historic,' said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. 'From our inaugural Takeover Tour to the announcement of new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, the growth and energy around the league are undeniable.' Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner greets fans at the beginning of a Professional Women's ... More Hockey League game against the Boston Fleet at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada, on February 14, 2025. Toronto prevails in the match by a 3-1 final score. (Photo by Mike Campbell/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The PWHL also deepened its connection to fans and players through Unity Games, which celebrated events such as Black History Month, Women's Empowerment Month, Pride, Indigenous Heritage, Mental Health Awareness, and Community Hockey Heroes. Each game featured custom artwork by community artists, and included special programming, in-game tributes, and collaborations with local and national organizations. These events showcased the league's commitment to representation, inclusion, and using the platform of professional sports to highlight diverse voices and causes. At the grassroots level, the league launched its first Fantasy Camp in Toronto in January, an immersive experience that allowed adult fans to train, compete, and engage with PWHL athletes and staff, providing a rare insider perspective on the life of a professional hockey player. In April, Minnesota hosted the inaugural PWHL Breakthrough Cup powered by PLAY Hockey, the league's first girls' hockey tournament. The event brought together teams of all ages and skill levels to compete, connect, and celebrate the game, reinforcing the PWHL's commitment to developing the next generation of female hockey playersand strengthening the sport's pipeline from youth to professional levels. As the PWHL prepares for its third season, including the introduction of expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, the league continues to lay the foundation for sustainable growth, increased visibility, and long-term success in professional women's sports.


Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
The Final ‘Life of Chuck' Trailer Is Heavy on Critical Acclaim, and Rightfully So
Fifteen out of 16 is pretty good odds, right? Let me just do the math here… yes. That's like 94%. So if something happened 15 out of 16 times, including the 12 prior times, you'd have to say there's a very good chance something is going to happen again. What the hell am I talking about? Well, The Life of Chuck, the new Mike Flanagan film based on a novella by Stephen King, won the prestigious 'People's Choice Award' last year at the Toronto Film Festival. Fifteen of the last 16 films to win that award were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and it's happened the previous 12 times. Oh, and five of them have won. So yeah, Neon has every right to be confident about the film, which opens in limited release Friday and goes wide June 13. We'll have a full review later this week but, spoiler alert, we agree that it's fantastic—and in this final trailer for the movie, which is very, very spoiler free, you'll see the chorus of praise being heaped on it. What great about that trailer (If you can really even call it a 'trailer' at a whopping 75 seconds) is that it doesn't tell you anything about the movie except 'it's really freaking good.' What The Life of Chuck is actually about is right there in the title. It's the story of a man, played by Tom Hiddleston and others, who we watch live a life that seems relatively normal on the surface, but goes beyond in other places. It's so close to release, it would be a sin to spoil much more than that but it's told in reverse order as three separate, but related, stories, and as those critics say, it's wonderful. It also has an incredible cast, which is led by Hiddleston, but also has Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Harvey Guillén, Kate Siegel, Nick Offerman, David Dastmalchian, Rahul Kohli, Heather Langenkamp, and others. Everyone wanted to be a part of this one, and it's better off for it. Again, written and directed by Mike Flanagan based on a story by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck opens in limited release June 6 and everywhere on June 13. And, odds are, it's one that you'll have to see for those Oscar polls later this year.