Drake On Pace For Biggest Streaming Year In Hip-Hop History

BY Caroline Fisher
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Drake Biggest Streaming Year
Jun 26, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Canadian rapper Drake poses for photos on the red carpet before the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36. Brad Penner / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Drake continues to rack up streams on Spotify as fans continue to anticipate his ninth studio album, "ICEMAN."

It goes without saying that the past few years have been a rollercoaster for Drake. He was under intense scrutiny during his infamous battle with Kendrick Lamar, but quickly proved that finding commercial success would likely never be a problem for him, no matter how ugly his feuds may get.

Now, Kurrco reports that he could smash an impressive streaming record. Per the outlet, he's on track to have the biggest streaming year ever for a rapper. He's already surpassed a staggering 5 billion streams on Spotify in 2026.

News of Drake's latest milestone comes ahead of his long-awaited ninth studio album, ICEMAN. At the time of writing, the project still has no official release date. It's expected to arrive sometime this year. Earlier this week, the Toronto rapper was spotted at Toronto city hall, recording what many assume is a music video.

When Is Drake Dropping ICEMAN?

Drake
Jan 14, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Canadian rapper Drake attends the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks at FTX Arena. Sam Navarro / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During a recent appearance on The Danza Project, Chris Blake Griffith claimed that Drake is refusing to drop the album until he finally reaches a settlement with Universal Music Group. He's been wrapped up in his legal battle with UMG for several months now. He sued the company last January over Kendrick Lamar's hit diss track "Not Like Us," alleging that they knowingly helped spread the false narrative that he's a predator.

As for where that case currently stands, Drake is in the process of appealing his defamation lawsuit's dismissal. A new amicus brief filed in support of UMG shows multiple scholars and social scientists pushing back against his allegations.

Reportedly, the brief argues that Drake's pursuit could end up setting a dangerous legal precedent that could potentially result in racial bias as well as First Amendment violations.

About The Author
Caroline Fisher is currently a News Editor at HotNewHipHop. Her time at HotNewHipHop began in 2023 when she began writing about music and pop culture full-time. Since then, she has helped cover major stories including the YSL RICO trial, Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s explosive feud, Diddy’s ongoing legal battle, and awards shows such as the BET Awards. Being from Chicago, she also got the opportunity to attend Summer Smash 2024 and review Chief Keef’s historic homecoming show. She additionally covered sets by Flo Milli, Playboi Carti, Bktherula, and more.

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