Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH  — Some call it Christmas, some call him Santa, Drake’s OVO Fest celebrated it’s fifth year in Toronto as Canada’s most iconic hip hop music festival. It has become the main attraction for the country and its unofficial mayor, Drake Aubrey Graham. Sorry Rob Ford.

 

You know when you have surpassed the prime, or OVO Fest’s line up from Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Nas, Eminem, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem to Snoop Dogg, your expectations begin to grow. Just then “Drake Knows” lights up the amphitheater screen to reassure you, he does.

 

“The way I designed tonight is if you’ve been a fan of music, or a fan of Drake, I’m gonna take you back tonight.” And he did. Drake opened with “Bria’s Interlude” and Sooner than Later (2009). Just when you think he might drop songs that are being repeated on radio, he reminds you, “Tonight is about performing the songs I always wanted to do but never really got to.”

With that, every fan of music is served poetic justice. But of course, Drake proceeded to start the show with the blessings of his mother, who was escorted on a wheelchair to the stage to witness love of over 16,000 fans for her son. “If the owner of the Molson Amphitheatre is here, I should just buy it, because I already own it,” Drake joked. 

 

So what was the line up? He already got the big names and now was the time to reminisce and bring back the classics.

 

“Now look, I told you I wanted to bring people to you that maybe you ain’t never seen before.” And with that, the two-day fantastic celebration of friendship and love for Hip Hop saw OutKast , 50 Cent with his G Unit crew members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Lauryn Hill followed by a line up of his friends and music family including J Cole, Trey Songz, Jhene Aiko delivering sweet nostalgic vocals on ‘’From Time’’), DJ Khaled, YG, Tinashe, OB Brien, Majid Jordan making their first public appearance, Party Next Door serenading his new album. 

 

Drake was definitely on one as he performed “Marvin’s Room”  from a flying disc that soared above the crowd. Just to make sure he interacts with fans who make him who he is. You know, just being Drake.

 

Usher brought back “Climax” and “Confessions” as the audience learned that Drake will appear on Ushers new LP, ‘Everything You Can Imagine’.

 

Drake raised the stakes by shouting out to Kendrick Lamar, who previously took a shot at a few musicians including Drake in his “Control” verse. “He should be standing right here,” Drake said, mentioning the two have made music and performed together in the past. Proving again now the boy is the man.

 

And his next, as-yet-unrecorded album “Views From The 6” will make sure Toronto has another story to celebrate. “I’m letting you know I’m about to go on this tour, and I’m about to come home and make the best I ever made for y’all,” Drake promised.

 

There is a common thread that runs across all his concert reviews and news items you come across everyday. And that’s love for Drake. No matter the observations, jokes or expectations, they all reserve a nonpartisan kind of love for the chosen one you can’t blame them for. After all, miracles don’t come around every day.