Drake featuring Drake: What it Will Take For the OVO Sound Label to Be Successful

By Charles Holmes

With the release of Nothing Was The Same, Drake proved to be rap’s reigning king. Mr. Aubrey Graham has ascended to the upper echelon of rap royalty and in the process gained the respect of his peers, fans, and the general public. Drake has become one of the most popular hip-hop artists on the planet, selling 658,000 units in his first week, winning a Best Rap Album Grammy for Take Care, and having 12 number one singles under his belt—more than any other rapper. So what more can Drake accomplish?

For Drake to follow the same trajectory as his idols, he needs to prove that he can make stars. Drake has an uncanny ability to recognize talent. He introduced the world to The Weeknd, toured with A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar before they became household names, and popularized the Migos flow before many people knew that “Versace” was anything more than a high-end clothing brand. Like Jay Z with Roc-A-Fella, Kanye with G.O.O.D. Music, and Wayne with Young Money, Drake has to build a stable of artists that can help him solidify his OVO Sound imprint.

Here are the ways Drake can make his OVO Sound label successful in 2014.

Drake is a proud supporter of Toronto. This is perhaps the reason his label’s recording artists are all from Canada. If Drake wants to make his label more diverse, he needs to look beyond his borders. Drake’s relationship with the South has been well documented throughout his career. He has helped put on Atlanta artists like Future and Migos. Bun B was a proud supporter of him early in his career, hopping on the song “Uptown” from So Far Gone. Memphis was even the site of his latest video for “Worst Behavior.” Drake should have no problem finding an artist outside of Canada that can rep OVO.

Drake has an ear for talent. Unfortunately, this ear has escaped him when acquiring new artists for OVO Sound. Before Drake jumps on the next “Versace” or finds the next Weeknd, he needs to try and court the artist for his label. Drake’s feature on “Versace” has done more for Migos than it has for Drake. While the Atlanta group is being touted as the next big thing, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, and P Reign are all still clamoring for some semblance of a buzz. Maybe next time Drake should hop on an artist’s song first, and then announce their signing.

Right now only three recording artists are signed to OVO Sound: PartyNextDoor, P Reign, and Majid Jordan. While talented, none of the artists have shown much potential of stealing their boss’ thunder. PartyNextDoor’s self-titled debut showed the young singer grasping at the role the Weeknd provided for Drake, albeit with more auto tune. P Reign was shouted out on Drake’s “We Made It” freestyle, but his song “We Them Niggas” with A$AP Rocky shows an MC that isn’t as lyrically dexterous as his label head. Majid Jordan helped Drake realize his future pop-song-turned-wedding-anthem ambitions with “Hold On We’re Going Home,” but the duo has been relatively quiet since the albums release.

Drake needs to find artists that have the potential to become bigger then him. Like Jay-Z with Kanye or his own mentor Lil Wayne signing a young Drake and Nicki, Graham needs to find an artist that will force him to keep his sword sharp. For the time being, his OVO signees are not that.

Drake needs to find the first lady of OVO. Currently, the OVO Sound roster is a hermetically sealed sausage fest. Drake rarely lets females inhabit his world, but when he does the musical chemistry is undeniable. Whether the first lady of OVO is a rapper, singer, or a combination of both doesn’t matter. Finding an artist that can challenge Drake bar for bar like Nicki, or match Graham’s ear for melody like Jhene Aiko, is crucial for the label to become a serious threat.

All of the artists on OVO Sound orbit the same hip-hop and R&B fusion realm as their boss. Drake needs to diversify and sign artists from different genres. Whether rock or electronic music, Drake needs to get out of his comfort zone and find artists that can apply his musical aesthetic to other genres. Artists like JMSN, with the release of his new album Pllajë, prove that Drake’s atmospheric and icy R&B can be fused with rock to great affect or maybe Ryan Hemsworth, a fellow Canadian, could give OVO their first taste of EDM culture.

Currently OVO Sound is suffering from “Drake featuring Drake” syndrome. Rap is one of the most narcissistic musical genres. Rappers are notorious for signing artists to their labels that are lesser embodiments of themselves. Currently, Kanye is the worst perpetrator of this. Kid Cudi is the off-key, singing hipster West embodied on 808s and Heartbreak. Big Sean is the humor filled, pop star of Graduation, while Travi$ Scott is the experimental, new wave Kanye of Yeezus.

Drake has already started to fall into this trap. PartyNextDoor sounds like Drake and Future had a love child that worshipped the Weeknd, while P Reign is the self-serious personification Comeback Season era Drizzy. The next artist that signs to OVO needs to be Drake’s antithesis (i.e. a Kendrick Lamar).

Drake has been perfecting the same sound that him and Noah “40” Shebib have been working with since So Far Gone. The atmospheric, icy, bedroom confessional aesthetic of Drake’s music has become so popular that hip-hop and R&B has been inundated with artists seeking to piggyback off the sound. Drake’s next signee should help him usher in a new sound. By doing this Drake will ensure that he has a road map for the next phase of his career.

Around the time Diddy and Ma$e reunited at Drake’s OVO Fest, there were rumors that Ma$e might sign to the imprint. While the rumor has yet to yield any results, it does present a valid idea. Drake should court a music industry vet to give his imprint more legitimacy.

Signing an artist currently lacking in relevance, like Ma$e, could be Drake’s chance to prove that he has the Midas touch. While not irrelevant, artists like Jeremih or Cassie could prove great acquisitions to the OVO roster. Both Jeremih and Cassie had strong starts in the industry, lost their footing along the way, and came back by capturing a new audience. Finding an artist that has already succumbed to the pitfalls of the industry, but came out of the situation wiser could mean big things for Drake and OVO.

Drake has rarely let another artist outdo him on a track. When Graham collaborates he does so with the intention to steal the show. If Drake wants to prove that his signees are worth people’s time, he needs to show that they can hold their own.

On Nothing Was the Same, Drake proved he has the ability to let other artists shine in his orbit. Both Jhené Aiko on “From Time” and Sampha on “Too Much” proved that Drake doesn’t always have to be the center of attention. Now Drake needs to find artists that can do this on a consistent basis.

Drake needs to release a label compilation that effectively showcases his artists. Compilation albums are usually horrible, but when done effectively they can highlight the true star in a crew. A$AP Ferg became the clear favorite on the A$AP Mob mixtape, Lord$ Never Worry, and Drake was even given the spotlight with his verse on “Every Girl” off YMCMB’s album, We Are Young Money. If done effectively, an OVO Sound compilation can let fans decide who the breakaway star of the label is, and Drake can then react accordingly.