Music festivals are some of the biggest stages available to artists today. Drake's OVO Fest, held each year in Toronto, is one of the most focused and local platforms out, but it still makes noise the way Lollapalooza or Coachella can in the rap world.
At this point, any Drake performance is a potential news-maker, but he always makes room for something extra special during OVO Fest in his hometown. Fans don't know what to expect or who Drake may bring out, but they are guaranteed to leave having witnessed one of the biggest moments of the year in hip-hop. With the eighth annual event on the horizon, here are some of the biggest moments to take place at OVO Fest.
Stevie Wonder Makes a Surprise Appearance in 2011
A Rare Lauryn Hill Performance in 2014
Drake Brings Out Eminem and Jay Z
In a way, the first annual OVO Fest, in 2010, doubled as an official stamp of approval from Drake's rap predecessors. It's one thing to throw a massive music festival in your hometown of Toronto—a city that has not been known as a hip-hop hotbed—but it's something else entirely to get two of the biggest rappers ever to perform alongside you. That is what happened when Drake first surprised fans with Eminem, who performed his verse from their hit collaboration "Forever," and Jay Z, who performed "Run This Town."