Drake is putting his support behind one of Toronto’s influential rap veterans. The OVO founder is financially backing K-Os’ upcoming album, marking a full-circle moment between two artists whose careers have been connected to Toronto’s hip-hop scene for years.
K-Os, who also goes by Kheaven, is preparing to release his first album in more than a decade. The project is already underway, with the veteran artist recently unveiling “Guns & Roses,” the latest single from the forthcoming record.
According to a collaborative post from K-Os and Complex Canada, Drake is providing the financial backing for the album, while Matte Babel is managing the project. Babel currently serves as chief brand officer at DreamCrew, Drake’s management and entertainment company.
The collaboration carries plenty of history. Long before Drake became one of the biggest names in music, he was a fan of K-Os’ work. Drake reportedly sent songs to K-Os while trying to establish a connection that could eventually lead to a collaboration.
That relationship ultimately resulted in the two artists working together on “Faith,” with both an original version and a reworked version surfacing in the early 2010s.
K-Os has previously spoken about Drake’s involvement in his upcoming era, revealing that the younger Toronto artist encouraged him to return to the studio and make a project that sounded authentically like himself.
The veteran rapper also reflected on how people who admired his earlier work can sometimes help artists rediscover qualities they may have overlooked over the years. In that sense, Drake’s involvement goes beyond simply providing financial support—it represents an artist from a younger generation helping reconnect K-Os with the creative identity that made an impact on him in the first place.
The upcoming album also appears to draw inspiration from K-Os’ 2004 sophomore album, Joyful Rebellion, suggesting that the new project could revisit some of the qualities that helped establish his reputation while introducing a new chapter in his career.
For Drake, the move adds another example of his continued involvement in Toronto’s music community. For K-Os, it marks an important return to the album format after more than ten years away.
With “Guns & Roses” now setting the tone, K-Os’ next project is shaping up as a notable reunion with his longtime Toronto roots—and Drake is helping make the comeback possible.
