Drake’s new LP will be released on May 15th. Fans freed the release date from an XL block of ice in Toronto.
Drake’s new album is eagerly awaited by fans. Now the rapper caused a stir with an unusual promotional campaign: He had a huge block of ice erected in his hometown of Toronto.
The release date of his new LP “Iceman” is said to be in the ice installation. Drake posted a series of photos on Instagram showing that he himself was involved in building the ice blocks.
Fans take up the pickaxe
Drake’s fans then tried every means possible to get the release date. They tried to break open the ice block using picks, hammers and other tools. A police spokeswoman explained that they even wanted to use fire to melt the ice “CBC”. On Monday night (April 20th) there were also some fans at the installation. The ice block has been fenced off ever since.
Icy promo series since the summer
It’s not the first icy promotion of the new record. The musician teased his new work as early as summer 2025. In a livestream titled “Iceman Episode 1,” Drake made ice cream and performed the song “What Did I Miss.” On April 12, he froze two seats at the Scotiabank Arena at an NBA game between the Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets.
He also caused a stir when he posted a shot of a cloud of smoke on Instagram on April 18. This is said to come from a planned explosion in Downsview Park, which occurred during a film shoot. That day, Drake reportedly filmed a music video with his son.
Shared reactions from fans
The fans’ reactions seem to be divided. All of Toronto had gathered in the streets to admire and destroy the ice sculpture. Others said they found it very disappointing that he didn’t come up with a better promo idea within 300 to 400 days of preparation. “It’s basically the ice cream version of an hourglass. And if the time is up, it doesn’t mean the album is out yet – we’ll only find out when it’s going to be released… I feel like he’s just buying himself some time,” one person told CBC.
Release date revealed: May 15th
The plan didn’t really work – or the melting took too long for the rapper. Ultimately, the ice sculpture is around five meters high, six meters long and five meters wide. It is estimated that it takes one to three weeks for a block of ice of this size to melt at the given temperatures.
On April 21st, fans finally managed to break the blue package with the release date out of the ice block. Drake then posted the release day before the ice completely melted. The new LP will be released on May 15th.
Now it is questionable whether the block of ice should have only melted that day and the actual plan was to release the album as a surprise. The block of ice is now being melted by the Toronto Fire Department, as can now be seen on TikTok videos.
Drake’s ninth studio album
Fans are definitely excited about the new release. The album will be Drake’s ninth studio album, and listeners are wondering whether the rapper will address his disputes with Kendrick Lamar in his new music. The two have been at odds for over ten years and regularly diss each other on their musical works. Most recently, Drake sued Universal Music Group because Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” go against him.
