Drake has announced that OVO Fest, his widely popular Toronto-based music festival, is officially returning in 2025 after a three-year break.
Watch: Drake confirms OVO Fest 2025
The news broke during a surprise appearance at UK rapper Central Cee’s concert in Toronto over the weekend.
In a clip from the event that quickly spread on social media, Drake stepped on stage to cheers and told the crowd: “OVO Fest is back this year.”
OVO Fest, short for October’s Very Own Fest, is Drake’s signature annual event. It typically takes place in his hometown and features major artists across multiple genres.
The festival was paused following the global COVID-19 pandemic and had not returned since 2022.
Drake’s return to live hosting duties comes as he ramps up activity in 2025, also teasing a new album.
The comeback of OVO Fest is expected to draw major attention to Toronto’s music scene and marks what he hopes will be another standout year for the festival.
What’s the latest with his UMG case?
Meanwhile, Drake remains embroiled in a legal fight with his own record label, Universal Music Group (UMG). This follows the release of Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us, which Drake alleges was part of a broader defamation campaign endorsed by UMG.
Drake initially sued UMG in January, claiming the label promoted and distributed Lamar’s song despite knowing it contained damaging material about him. UMG filed to dismiss the case, and in April, Drake’s lawyers submitted an amended complaint.
The updated filing focused on recent events such as Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show and the 2025 Grammy Awards, where the song was reportedly used.
UMG has again moved to dismiss the updated complaint. In court documents, UMG’s lawyers argued that Drake is trying to undermine Lamar’s success rather than raise a legitimate defamation case.
They emphasised that the Super Bowl performance did not include the most controversial lyrics from the song and said Drake’s participation in past “performative rap battles” weakens his claims.
In a statement, UMG said Drake’s case was more about rivalry than reputation:
“Apparently, Drake’s lawyers believe that when Drake willingly participates in a performative rap-battle… he can be ‘defamed’ even though he engages in the exact same form of creative expression.”