Olivia Chow, the Mayor of Toronto, gave a shout-out to Drake and expressed her excitement for his upcoming album, ICEMAN, during a press conference on Wednesday morning. Despite doing so, she supported the fire department's decision to take down the rapper's ice sculpture.
“The fire chief made the decision last night, and I support his decisions. His responsibility is people’s safety,” Chow told reporters in a clip circulating on social media. “Folks climbed it. I've seen them doing all types of things. It is our responsibility to make sure people are safe.”
She continued: “Drake is a big supporter of our city, and there’s so much excitement across our city towards this new Drake album, The Iceman. I’m excited too.”
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Drake's "ICEMAN" Release Date
Fire Chief Jim Jessop confirmed that he would be taking down Drake's installation under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act due to "dangerous and unsafe activities." "As Toronto’s Fire Chief, my top priority is keeping Torontonians safe," he said in a statement caught by CBC News. "Large numbers of individuals [had] gathered to attempt to melt the ice using flammable liquids, and open flames in an uncontrolled environment which results in an immediate threat to life."
Drake unveiled the art piece in his hometown on Monday morning. Shortly afterward, he announced that the release date of his new album, ICEMAN, was buried within the ice blocks. In turn, fans rushed to the scene with ice picks, torches, and other tools to help speed up the melting process.
Eventually, live streamer Kishka found a blue bag containing the release date. Drake will officially be dropping the project on Friday, May 15. He hasn't confirmed any other details about the tracklist, but he did release three singles in 2025. Those included "What Did I Miss?," "Which One" featuring Central Cee, and "Dog House" featuring Yeat and Julia Wolf. ICEMAN will mark his first solo album since feuding with Kendrick Lamar in 2024.
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