Drake is prepping his ninth studio album, Iceman, and its release is highly anticipated considering the aftermath of his feud with Kendrick Lamar and the UMG record label. In a new interview, Drake explained his embrace of livestreams to roll out Iceman to the masses, using unconventional methods to drum up interest in the project.
Drake spoke exclusively with Complex to share details about his strategy for the upcoming Iceman drop and why he decided to take the marketing path he employed for the release. Taking to his YouTube page, the OVO honcho’s livestreams revealed some of the potential directions for the album, and he shared with the outlet when he was ready for a shift in promotion tactics.
“I was asked by a creative partner what I love and hate about rolling out an album,” Drake shared in an email statement. “I expressed that I love the opportunity for a clean slate of thoughts and excitement, and messaging when it comes to the music. What I hate is the redundancy of this formulaic approach that’s [ingrained] in our brains from early label days. Single, video, single, video, album cover post, etc.”
The streams have been well-attended as far as numbers go, although some fans have expressed confusion over the practice considering Drake’s superstar status. But for someone who has been on top for years, the artist born Aubrey Graham is looking for a spark.
“I have been dying to act and have been dying for a challenge,” Drake added. “The game is extremely calm seas right now. Nobody is rocking any boat on the water and so once we discussed a live stream rollout, it just sounded like the perfect mix of risk and reward for me.”
Livestreaming is big business, as evidenced by the meteoric rise of stars like Kai Cenat, IShowSpeed, and PlaqueBoyMax, and Adin Ross, along with grizzled veterans of the space such as DJ Akademiks. Because many millions of views are for the taking in livestreaming, it makes sense Drake made his way to the arena to reach old and new fans.
“I think I am always capable of recognizing when things are shifting and not being weirdly affected by it, not being jealous, not being thirsty, just finding how I can shine light or co-exist or make it a part of our ecosystem,” Drake clarified regarding his entry point into streaming.
Iceman‘s release date has yet to be announced. Check out the full Complex piece here.
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Photo: Getty
