Drake Retains a Stake as Authentic Acquires Majority Ownership of OVO

Drake looks down while wearing a black OVO hoodie and diamond jewelry.

Drake's October's Very Own brand is entering a larger corporate structure without cutting its founder out of the picture. Authentic Brands Group announced Thursday that it acquired a majority stake in OVO's intellectual property. Drake will retain significant ownership and continue shaping the label and lifestyle company's creative direction, according to the official announcement.

The Authentic majority stake in OVO separates ownership of the brand's intellectual property from day-to-day apparel operations. Vince Holding Corp. has acquired OVO's operating business and will oversee design, product development, merchandising and retail stores. Authentic describes Vince as the brand's core apparel licensee, while OVO's existing leadership and identity remain central to the growth plan.

Drake framed the deal as an expansion of a company built with Oliver El-Khatib and Noah “40” Shebib. In the announcement, he described the founders as the same kids with bigger dreams after two decades. That language matters because OVO has always sold proximity to a specific Toronto story, not simply an owl logo placed on seasonal clothing.

Authentic's portfolio model is built around licensing, international commerce, content and experiences. For OVO, that could mean new categories and markets without asking the original team to operate every piece alone. The challenge will be preserving the scarcity, music connection and black-and-gold visual language that made the brand desirable while increasing its reach.

The company says OVO now has 12 flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce presence. Vince operates 42 full-price stores and 12 outlets of its own, giving the partnership a deeper retail machine. No purchase price was disclosed in Thursday's announcement, so the immediate story is strategic control rather than a confirmed valuation.

PowerPage's report on the 2026 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards showed how songwriting, publishing and ownership sit behind the records listeners hear. OVO's new structure brings that same business conversation into fashion and brand equity. Drake keeps a meaningful seat at the table, but the next phase will test whether a creator-led company can scale without sanding away the culture that gave it value.