Drake Keeps 44% of OVO’s Brand IP as Authentic and Vince Take New Roles

Drake looks down in a black OVO hoodie, with braided hair and necklaces.

Drake’s OVO is entering a new business chapter, but the rapper is not walking away from the owl. Authentic Brands Group has acquired a majority stake in the lifestyle brand’s intellectual property, while Vince Holding Corp. has taken over its operating business. Drake retains a substantial ownership position and a role in its creative direction.

The companies announced the deal on August 27. According to Vince’s transaction breakdown, OVO’s brand IP now sits in a company owned 51% by Authentic, 44% by Drake, and 5% by Vince. Those percentages describe the brand’s intellectual-property company, not a three-way split of every business associated with Drake.

There are two different jobs here. Authentic’s announcement places the brand inside its global licensing network. Vince becomes the core apparel operator, overseeing areas such as product development, merchandising, and retail. The distinction matters: the transaction is about the OVO lifestyle business, not an announced sale of Drake’s recordings.

For fans who know OVO through clothing drops and its owl logo, the next question is what changes on the rack. Vince says its growth plans include more U.S. stores and e-commerce, plus a wholesale push using its department-store relationships. These are expansion plans, not completed openings or a newly announced collection.

The company says OVO’s existing team will remain in Toronto and that OVO and Vince will keep separate creative teams and brand operations. Authentic also says Drake will continue helping shape OVO’s creative vision. That leaves the recognizable face of the brand involved while larger partners take on more of the machinery behind it.

The challenge is balancing wider distribution with the identity that made people want the clothes in the first place. A bigger retail footprint can put a brand in front of more shoppers; it does not automatically reproduce the connection built through its founder and community. That is the part of this deal worth watching next.

Catch up on PowerPage’s hip-hop coverage while OVO’s next moves take shape. For now, the confirmed change is in ownership and operations—not a finished picture of what its next collection will look like.