Drake Speaks Out As Authentic Brands Group Buys Majority Stake In OVO Brand

BY Ben Atkinson
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Jan 14, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Canadian rapper Drake attends the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks at FTX
Jan 14, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Canadian rapper Drake attends the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Authentic Brands Group has just acquired a 51% stake in Drake's OVO brand, allowing Drake to control creative direction.

A big move has just been announced for Drake and his OVO brand. Authentic Brands Group has picked up a 51% majority stake in the intellectual property behind October's Very Own.

Drake is staying involved though. He will maintain a 44% stake and remains in charge of creative direction, so the actual look and feel of OVO isn't going anywhere. Vince Holding Corp. will also step in as the global licensee, handling design, merchandising, and retail moving forward.

Drake spoke on the deal himself, calling it a natural next step for something he and his team built from scratch in Toronto years ago. He framed Authentic and Vince as the right partners to help OVO keep growing from here.

Right now, OVO runs 12 flagship stores along with its e-commerce operation. That's a solid footprint already, but it's nowhere close to what Authentic typically works with across its portfolio.

For a brand that started as a hoodie and a logo, this deal marks a real turning point. OVO isn't just Drake's side project anymore, it's becoming part of a much bigger retail machine.

Authentic Acquires Majority Stake In OVO

Authentic Brands Group runs a portfolio worth around $38 billion, covering everything from fashion labels to entertainment brands. Plugging OVO into that system gives it access to serious retail infrastructure it didn't have before.

Now, OVO goes from a somewhat niche, celebrity-driven streetwear label to something built for actual global scale. More stores, wider distribution, and stronger backend operations are all suddenly on the table.

The tricky part will be keeping OVO feeling like OVO through all of this growth. Drake staying on as creative lead should help with that, even as the business side gets a lot bigger behind the
scenes.

Either way, this deal changes what OVO can realistically become over the next few years. It opens the door for expansion into markets and retail formats the brand couldn't easily reach on its own before. For fans, the real test will be watching how much of that original OVO identity survives the growth.

About The Author
Benjamin Atkinson is a sneaker content writer at HotNewHipHop, where he has been covering the latest sneaker releases and industry news since 2023. With a deep understanding of the sneaker market, Ben regularly reports on exclusive sneaker drops, collaborations, and trends shaping the footwear world. From covering the return of top Nike releases to writing about Travis Scott's famous Air Jordan collaboration, Ben delivers in-depth content for the sneakerhead community. He also brings valuable insights from his former sneaker reselling business, Midwest Soles, which sharpens his expertise on the market.

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