Does Drake Own OVO? The Breakdown for Gamers

As a passionate gamer and industry expert, I‘m constantly researching the latest music and pop culture trends that influence gaming. One artist that has made huge waves is Drake, from his Twitch streams to in-game skins. So I set out to uncover – does Drake actually own OVO?

The Short Answer

Yes, Drake owns a majority 60% stake in OVO globally. He co-founded OVO in 2012 as a record label and clothing brand, which has since expanded into a multimedia empire worth over $1 billion.

Drake serves as the president and oversees all music releases and partnerships. Between his music streaming royalties and business ventures like OVO, his current net worth sits around $250 million.

But how did OVO grow so fast? As a fellow entrepreneur in the entertainment industry, I wanted to fully analyze Drake‘s ownership and the rise of his brand.

From Degrassi to Record Label CEO

Let‘s rewind – before he was a chart-topping rap mogul, Drake got his start as a teen actor on Degrassi. He began pursuing music in 2006 and signed to Lil Wayne‘s Young Money label in 2009. Over the next few years Drake broke out as a global superstar.

In 2012 he decided to take things into his own hands.

OVO (October‘s Very Own) was founded by Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib, and business partner Oliver El-Khatib in Toronto.

Drake himself serves as the president and maintains majority control through a personal holding company.

Owning the Masters: Drake‘s Label Power Move

Many top artists regret not owning their masters – the lucrative original recordings. Owning masters means you control licensing deals and earn significantly higher royalties.

So what makes OVO different? Drake owns his masters and signs artists to his label so HE keeps that backend royalty profit.

Additionally, creative control stays under OVO. Whether it‘s album rollouts or even designing in-game skins, Drake and team have the final say.

This ownership model has proven wildly successful:

OVO Label Artist Highlights:

- Drake - over 170 million records sold
- PARTYNEXTDOOR - Over 4 billion streams
- Majid Jordan - Over 1.5 billion streams

Having your own label means less middlemen in the process. Drake himself is projected to make over $218 million from streaming royalties alone.

No wonder why he loves dropping surprise albums out of nowhere!

From Record Label to Lifestyle Conglomerate

OVO started as a record label but quickly expanded into new verticals:

Clothing Line

The OVO owl logo is iconic streetwear. Collaborations with Roots, Canada Goose, and DSquared2 have kept the fashion side hot.

OVO Sound Radio

This popular radio show on Beats 1 debuts new OVO music and artists. It‘s streamed over 50 million times.

OVO Fest

Drake‘s annual music festival in Toronto often features surprise performer like Eminem, Kanye, and more.

Virginia Black Whiskey

This smooth whiskey pioneered the celeb alcohol trend. It sold over 30,000 cases globally in its first year.

And many more ventures – clearly Drake is all about that entrepreneur lifestyle!

The diversification into new markets gives OVO multiple growth runways outside of music.

Just How Big is OVO?

We know Drake owns 60% – but how big has OVO actually grown?

In 2019, Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi bought a 20% minority stake in OVO, valuing the entire company at $1 billion.

For only being around since 2012, hitting the unicorn status of $1 billion valuation is impressive!

OVO‘s estimated annual revenue from their various business arms

OVO is private so they don‘t publicly share revenue. But based on growth trajectories and industry benchmarks, estimates show the label earns hundreds of millions per year and rising.

Forecasts have global recorded music industry revenue hitting $142 billion by 2030 – a huge growth runway.

And with Drake dropping content left and right to his 170 million Instagram followers and over 133 million monthly Spotify listeners, he has the star power and audience to continue dominating.

What‘s Next for Drake and OVO?

OVO has moved from music disruptor to full-blown media empire – the blueprint for post-COVID entertainment brands.

2022 saw Drake join SiriusXM for more radio content. He also launched a new sub-brand with Nike called NOCTA, featuring high-end athleisure wear.

And he is partnering with FTX crypto exchange on a brand ambassador deal worth $35 million.

Wrapping this up – I predict Drake will expand into more gaming, web3, and metaverse integrations soon. Artists and celebs want deeper ties with fans.

Imagine exclusive album NFTs or a virtual OVO Fest in the metaverse. With how early he innovates, I forecast Drake and OVO will continue leading pop culture by disruptive moves like these.

The bottom line – yes, Drake maintains majority control and ownership over his thriving empire. For gamers or anyone working in entertainment, OVO provides an inspirational model to build an enduring, multidimensional brand.