Drake is putting numbers on the board and not just with his album sales. Reports from Canada state the 6ix God is responsible for 5% of the city’s tourism economy. Vice reports Toronto marketing and branding consultant Gordon Hendren states Drake makes up for $440 million of the economy of $8.8 billion.
“We did some calculations that suggest that he’s worth $440 million to the Toronto economy.” He said, “There are a number of factors that play into that calculation but we gave Drake 5% of that $8.8 billion. Why? Because he’s helped rebrand the city. He’s kind of made himself the same as Toronto.”
It’s hard to argue against Hendren’s point. Drake has aligned himself with the Toronto Raptors and utilizes his rap star power to highlight the city in verses and even attract people to hop north of the border for events like his annual OVO Festival.
The impact of Drake in the 6ix doesn’t solely reside in entertainment. Michael Tompson, a Toronto councilor stated the presence of Drizzy alone brings interest in the city, such as tech conference the city as attempting to secure.
Since we are talking about Drake’s numbers he is already sitting on a platinum release in his latest album Scorpion, a feat he achieved in one week. In the streaming world, he crushed numbers and records and Drake also left the 6ix to stimulate the Miami economy by hosting a private party for his OVOSound staff to celebrate the album’s success.
Check out the Vice News feature on the Toronto economy below.
