TORONTO — The internet, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and even the White House are frostbitten with hype after Drake dropped his album “Iceman” and two other surprise projects at midnight.
On Friday morning, the White House took to social media to post a doctored version of the “Iceman” album cover featuring a diamond-encrusted glove holding a chain that read “MAGA.”
“ICED OUT,” read the caption on X.
Crowds of eager fans watched as the CN Tower was bathed in an icy blue glow Thursday, as part of a livestream to promote the album’s release. It opened with a track from “Iceman,” and featured Drake reflecting on the past couple of years following his high-profile feud with L.A. rapper Kendrick Lamar.
At one point in the stream, during the track “Make Them Remember,” Drake is shown recording inside an empty Toronto City Hall — even sitting at Mayor Olivia Chow’s desk while wearing her chain of office.
On Friday, Chow took to Instagram to share a note from the Toronto-born rapper thanking her for letting him use the municipal building.
“Thank you my crodi. Crolivia Chow!” Drake wrote, employing Toronto slang that means “close friend.”
“Drake is a big booster of our city. The mayor recognizes Drake’s impact representing Toronto on the global stage,” said Chow’s press secretary, Braman Thillainathan, in an email.
He added that Drake’s team shot the footage at City Hall overnight during Easter weekend, and that the city’s film office and relevant departments facilitated the required permits.
Thillainathan said a member of the mayor’s staff was on site while Drake was filming in Chow’s office and while the chain was being used.
“His team treated the mayor’s office with care and respect,” he said.
The video continues with Drake lounging in the council chamber while Toronto influencer Chromazz sits on his lap.
Two more albums — “Habibti” and “Maid of Honour” — were released Friday.
HATERS STILL HATING
Not all reaction to the rollout has been positive.
American rapper Rick Ross took to Instagram to read negative user comments about Drake’s projects.
“Three albums of trash, two years too late,” Ross read.
“Let’s all leave little mans alone now, man. He did it — he dropped three mid projects,” the “Hustlin’” rapper continued.
“Hey man, it was fun while it lasted. You’re washed.”
Ross and Drake once had a fruitful collaborative relationship, birthing hits including “Aston Martin Music” and “Money In The Grave.” But things soured during Drake’s 2024 feud with Lamar.
Ross joined the dogpile against the “Hotline Bling” artist with the diss track “Champagne Moments,” which took shots at Drake’s appearance and outsider status in hip-hop.
Drake appears to jab at Ross on “Iceman” track “Make Them Pay,” rapping, “Dog, I was aiding Ross with streams before Adin Ross had ever streamed.”
The implication is that Drake helped boost Ross’ career by featuring on many of the rapper’s tracks.
The Toronto rapper appears to reheat his beef with Lamar several times throughout “Iceman.”
On “Make Them Remember,” he seemingly ridicules Lamar’s height by comparing him to a 5’3 former NBA player: “Muggsy Bogues dunked for once, even I’m a bit amazed; someone give the kid a raise.”
SPORTS WORLD REACTS AMID ATHLETE DISSES
Several other NBA players found themselves in Drake’s crosshairs in the new tracks.
On “National Treasures,” he seemingly takes a shot at former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan, who was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard in 2018 — a move that led to the Raptors winning a championship.
Drake seemingly took issue with DeRozan for appearing in the music video for Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.”
“We used to be plannin’ our Mexico trip in the spring / We must’ve been dealin’ in the spur of the moment / ‘Cause why did we think you could get us a ring?,” he raps, pronouncing ”cause why’ like ‘Kawhi.’
Drake has made his issues with DeRozan known. In November 2024, during a broadcast for Vince Carter’s jersey retirement ceremony, the rapper stated that if the team ever gave DeRozan a banner, he would “go up there and pull it down myself.”
Regardless, DeRozan’s close friend and former Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry appeared to support Drake’s latest release, sharing the “Iceman” album cover on his Instagram story Friday.
The NBA team itself also showed support for the project, sharing a photo of Drake’s courtside seats appearing sealed in ice with the caption, “FROZE THE CITY.”
On “Make Them Remember,” Drake appears to diss NBA star LeBron James for seemingly siding with Lamar during the feud, appearing at the Compton rapper’s “The Pop Out: Ken and Friends” concert in 2024.
“I shouldn’t even be shocked to see you in that arena, because you always made your career off of switching teams up,” he raps.
James has been criticized for changing teams — from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat to the Los Angeles Lakers — in pursuit of championships.
Nevertheless, several NBA players voiced their support for Drake’s albums.
“No playoff games cuz Iceman here, respect @NBA,” wrote Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton in an X post.
“Nahhhhh. It’s officially time Drake,” fellow all-star Trae Young wrote in a post.
During Drake’s livestream, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant was briefly shown celebrating with the rapper during a release party for the projects.
Among the early online reactions were K-pop supergroup BTS, who Drake shouts out on “Make Them Cry”: “I’m feeling like BTS ’cause it took the whole career for me to be so discovered.”
Members J-Hope and V posted a video of themselves dancing to the track, and then looking at each other in surprise when their group is mentioned.
The releases capped off a weekslong headline-grabbing campaign that saw the rapper erect massive ice blocks in a downtown Toronto parking lot with the release date for “Iceman” hidden inside.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2026.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
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