Drake confirms OVO Fest is returning at Raptors victory parade
Adam Wallis GlobalNews.ca
WATCH: Canadian rapper Drake called on the crowd to show Kawhi Leonard how much the NBA Championship means to them and to tell each other they are the champions.
An estimated two million or more Raptors fans took to the streets of Toronto on Monday morning for a parade to celebrate the team's NBA Championship win last week.
Most of the Raptors players were escorted through the city on double-decker buses, slowly crawling through the packed streets, waving to crowds and interacting with diehard fans for a couple of hours before reaching the overpopulated Nathan Phillips Square at Queen and Bay streets.
Joining them for the ride was global ambassador and superfan Drake, who has actively supported the team since late 2013.
Serving as the city's hype man, the God's Plan rapper took the stage to address the team's victory.
"You deserve this," he told the crowd collectively. "These moments are few and far between."
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard points at his playoffs MVP trophy as he poses with performing artist Drake during the 2019 Toronto Raptors NBA basketball championship parade in Toronto, Monday, June 17, 2019.
Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP
Drake's words were met with an uproar of applause, namely after he yelled: "We are the NBA 2019 champions of the world."
READ MORE: How can we know how many people attended the Raptors victory parade?
However, it wasn't until he confirmed that OVO Fest — his record label's annual music festival — would be returning later this year that the crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and excitement.
"I hope that all these guys will join me this year because we're bringing OVO Fest back so I hope we can go crazy," he said.
OVO Fest has run annually in Toronto since 2010, however it did not take place in 2018, leaving many fans concerned about the festival's future. However, many of the rapper's fans were pleased with the recent announcement.
drake just confirmed ovo fest pic.twitter.com/jX2jXcPp4s
— aliya (@ilovejunhoe) June 17, 2019
Drake announced OVO Fest is back this year
— Dynamics • £ (@theDYNAMICS) June 17, 2019
THIS IS NOT A DRILL DRAKE SAID HES BRINGING BACK OVO FEST LETS GOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/gKlqSOmNuV
— TORONTO RAPTORS ARE NBA CHAMPS 🇨🇦 (@TorixZayn) June 17, 2019
Although no details or additional information regarding the festival have been released, OVO Fest typically coincides with the annual Toronto Caribana festival, which is held on the Civic Holiday weekend.
READ MORE: Drake drops 2 new songs in support of Raptors win
Ahead of the celebratory parade, Drake released and dedicated two brand-new songs, Omerta and Money in the Grave, to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
THE CHIP TO THE 6!!!!!!!!!!!! SEE YOU 2MRW WITH A 2 PACK LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Jun 13, 2019 at 9:50pm PDT
2019 marks the NBA team's first championship win ever. The Toronto Raptors were founded in 1995.
adam.wallis@globalnews.ca
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