Drake's camp reportedly tried and failed to get Kendrick Lamar's Toronto shows canceled in hopes of booking OVO Fest

Almost a year after their rap feud, GNX rapper Kendrick Lamar performed in Drake's hometown, Toronto, on June 12 and 13, 2025. While Drizzy didn't comment on Lamar's concert in Toronto, an Instagram page called @the6takeover invited fans of the One Dance rapper to join an "OVO Takeover."

The OVO Takeover was supposed to entail Drizzy fans playing the rapper's music outside Rogers Centre, where Kendrick Lamar's concert took place. The takeover attendees were also encouraged to wear OVO gear and bring "signs repping the 6ix."

Additionally, as per Andscape's report dated June 16, 2025, sources mentioned that attempts by Drake's camp to have both of Kendrick's Toronto shows canceled or postponed reportedly took place in hopes of booking the OVO Fest. However, paperwork for Kendrick's concert was already filed with Rogers Centre, and no other venue in Toronto could hold a similar capacity.

For the unversed, the OVO Fest is an annual music festival that takes place in Toronto and is founded by Drizzy and his record label. It is worth noting that the last OVO Fest took place in 2022.

Moreover, despite garnering significant attention and support, the OVO Takeover failed to materialize and ultimately resulted in cancellation. According to HotNewHipHop's June 12, 2025, report, the takeover's organizers took to social media to inform potential attendees:

"Unfortunately, we have to cancel the OVO Takeover. We genuinely just wanted to bring people together, have some fun, and create good vibes for the city. But unfortunately, some people decided to report us, falsely claiming we were planning to "start trouble" or cause chaos. Because of those reports, police were already on high alert and were quick to shut down anything that even looked like a crowd forming - including us."

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Canadian politician issues apology after Drake called him a goof for attending Kendrick Lamar's concert

Kendrick Lamar's concert in Toronto witnessed the presence of an interactive crowd that screamed "one more time, one more time!" when the rapper performed his diss track against Drake, Not Like Us.

However, footage of the former leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, attending one of Lamar's shows in Toronto went viral on the internet and reportedly caught Drake's eye as well. As per Billboard's June 16, 2025, report, Drizzy posted a screenshot of his DMs with Jagmeet Singh on his Instagram Story.

In the screenshot, Drizzy texted the Canadian politician, "You're a goof." Shortly after taking note of the backlash from Toronto natives and the Passionfruit rapper, politician Jagmeet Singh took to his IG Story to issue an apology.

“I went for SZA, not Kendrick. I was born in this city. I love this city. But real talk, I get it. I shouldn’t have gone at all. OVO and Drake have lifted up this city and [Canada]. For me it’ll always be Drake over Kendrick,” the Canadian politician wrote.

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In other news, as per Billboard's report from May 2025, Drake made a surprise guest appearance at Central Cee's concert on May 24, 2025, in Toronto. At the time, Drizzy told the crowd that OVO Fest was going to be back in 2025, adding that Central Cee would be needed at the event as well.

Edited by Somava