You don't know that for sure, tons of smaller artists right now have spoken about how they're struggling financially because the music business is in shambles nowadays

Idk what infrastructure you're referring to exactly, I'm assuming you're speaking straight $?

Drake could get billion dollar investments from soooo many people, private equity firms, family offices, etc.

That's why I wrote they seem happy. Of course I don't know that for sure.

wait so he owed three albums back when he was renegotiating when FATD dropped? and then he dropped $$$? Why was he renegotiating 4 albums early? I thought ICEMAN was the last album he owed. so confused.

To be fair, if true, Drake is the golden goose, and has been since 2010. He can renegotiate whenever he wants. Now he may not always the terms he wants, but he has an unimaginable leverage position. The only pushback I can imagine getting from UMG is to tip the scale in their favor regarding ownership of past releases

But I imagine at this point, that’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul

If he wants to do his own thing truly, he wants as few people in the kitchen as possible interfering with his work and the internal team he’s built up over his career.

We don't know for sure obv but this is my guess

But it FEELS like he's aiming for either independence or like, a much bigger bag than UMG is willing to give.

It makes sense to me that 1 album left can turn into 3 when you're asking for 800M advance or like, to be completely let go from the label.

When you're working with UMG and it's a long term home, sure we can count Her Loss and $$$ and even farther back like Dark Lane we can count those as albums.

When you're trying to leave, or trying to re-negotiate, and you're being a d*** with these absurd lawsuits, and you're asking for an absurd amount of bread, things change

I don't know about that tbh

Because from most prognosticators pov, Drake in 2026 is very lucrative but he's past his commercial peak.

or so we thought

Because this Iceman s*** is surprising everyone, myself included. I thought these days commercially were behind him lowkey

Sampha, Lykke Li and Peter Bjorn & John features incoming

I’m hype for him and Lykke Li on a track again fr

The interpolation on Janice was just a layered hint of what’s to come

Blood Orange, Caroline Polachek

Drake could be angling towards independence, but that doesn't pass the smell test and he's never moved that way. His overhead is way too high.

No one in any business uses their own money when they can use others, that's hustling backwards. Especially when the 'Drake' entity is so damn commodifiable and lucrative.

He can so easily make hundreds of millions of dollars that an entity like UMG has no real issue fronting 300M, 400M, to him in a 360 deal and if you're Drake, you'd be foolish to pass that up that's like free money you're making that back and then some.

OPM is how the super wealthy move, including Drake. That's why he's never been independent.

It 'feels' like this is an independent play but I disagree. I feel like he created a lot of turmoil w/his label by asking for a ridiculously high amount for an advance, the battle, the lawsuits, etc.

And w/UMG owning the good stuff of Drake's catalog, at this point Drake needed to prove that he was worth the high price tag moving forward because there's no real reason to pay Drake that much money when 1)You own the good stuff and 2) No other label is going to pay Drake that much to get the backside of his career, thus no real leverage or threat of leaving.

This all turned into a bet on himself.

That this Iceman arc / era would create enough leverage to get UMG to pony up the 700M - 800M advance that he's seeking.

He talking like he going indie but sure lol
Umg gonna offer a billi and he taking it

took that as they don't see him leaving

literally just did it this rollout

Nah bro they all sad

Cause ppl on this site know their inner thoughts

I live in the city and have it on good authority that things are not what they seem. OVO sound is so stable shoutout Mr Morgan.
It is what u think straight Bs on the table

I don’t think Drake was asking for way too much though. He is one of the few artists who could ask for that much and it be a fair negotiating point. Taylor Swift (probably a notch above him popularity wise), BTS, etc should get these numbers. He drops and tours often enough for labels to recoup easily.

I don’t think Drake is going to get the 1bn deal he wants because that’s too big of a jump from his last deal but his next deal won’t be too far off imo. I predict it will land 700-850mm. To get that 1bn deal, Drake would have to give up some rights to his music that he doesn’t want to.

I think UMG and Drake are going to stay together because it still makes the most sense. You don’t have to love your business partner. But I could see some other label making some great offer and Drake trying to use that as label. Drake has a history of making amends of people he beefs with if it will benefit him business wise.

Drake needs to keep this momentum and go crazy over the next year then he will get closer to that deal he wants.

I’m not saying that eye don’t think he deserves it

I’m saying that I’m guessing UMG doesn’t agree with Drake’s sentiment of 400Ms being a low ball (see her loss lyrics)

If they own the good stuff why would they agree to an even bigger advance?

I see what you saying. I could see both parties perspective honestly. Sidenote, I thought the number was 500mm? But who really knows.

UMG probably feels like Drake is at a max contract like an athlete. But this isn’t the NBA, there is no cap so he automatically feels like he should get a higher number. He has to prove there are others “teams” (aka labels) who will pay him 600-1bn with comparable deal structure.

I don’t think UMG wants to lose him though. Even if they have his old catalog, labels like having the most popular artists in their lineup and there isn’t an upcoming rappers who will be close to Drake. They will find some common ground and make a deal within the year I bet.

I don’t think Drake was asking for way too much though. He is one of the few artists who could ask for that much and it be a fair negotiating point. Taylor Swift (probably a notch above him popularity wise), BTS, etc should get these numbers. He drops and tours often enough for labels to recoup easily.

This is what I've always wondered regarding Drake wanting such a big number from UMG. If the biggest artist in the world right now isn't even getting that, why does Drake think that he should?

He's undoubtedly incredibly valuable. You don't willingly allow his types to walk out the door.

But everything's a negotiation. If you don't have to pay him 800Ms then why would you?

I'm of the belief similar to you that UMG and Drake were always going to reconcile, settle out of court, and reup on something that both sides agree to. The whole lawsuit was theatrics to get UMG to blink and between that, and how well Iceman appears to be performing, common ground will be found.

Both sides need each other.

Taylor Swift is signed to UMG under Republic records I believe.

I’m sure his team knows how much she got and is basing it from there. I feel like we need to know how big of a deal she got to see what is reasonable because Drake should probably have a deal 10-30% lower than her.