Drake is building his empire on two fronts, securing major investment for his Italian football club, with ICEMAN exiting on May 15th.
Drake is no longer just counting down the days to his ninth studio album.
While he was crafting one of hip-hop’s most elaborate marketing campaigns for ICEMAN, the Toronto native was simultaneously building his business empire across continents and industries.
His latest moves include a huge investment in Italian football club Venezia FC, which he co-owns, proving his ambitions extend far beyond the recording studio.
The club just secured more than $100 million in new capital through an investment vehicle led by former Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke and his daughter Francesca Bodie.
According to Bloomberg, the funding will allow Venezia to compete at the highest level of professional football in Italy. The move signals the intention of Drake’s ownership group to transform the club into a legitimate Serie A contender.
Drake’s carefully planned and methodical approach to business investing was also applied when he launched ICEMAN.
Promotions for the album attracted attention on social media, with giant ice sculptures hidden across Toronto, cryptic posts on Instagram, and a viral moment of a Twitch streamer cracking the code and announcing the official release date.
Brands have begun incorporating elements from the event into their own marketing, turning Drake’s album release into a cultural phenomenon that transcends music.
ICEMAN is set to drop on May 15, just eight days after announcing the investment, and Drake’s team has been in Toronto filming a music video as part of the promotion.
Drake is building a legacy that spans entertainment, sports ownership and global brand partnerships.
