Drake’s ambitious new rollout for his album Iceman has pushed his team into completely new creative territory. According to Matte Babel, DreamCrew’s chief brand officer and a key member of Drake’s management team, producing the first episode of the theatrical live-stream series came with intense challenges and uncertainty.
“Episode 1 was probably the most nerve wracking of the three because we had never done it before,” Babel says to Complex. “In hindsight, we were also a little naive about some of the complexities. There was no roadmap. We did not know if it would work technically, or even logistically. The goal was to introduce the Iceman and What Did I Miss in a fresh and innovative way.”
The team was learning in real time as the first episode came together. Babel says the process leading up to the debut involved nonstop troubleshooting. During rehearsals, they repeatedly lost signal, raising concerns about whether a live broadcast would hold up. The initial plan was to go live on Thursday, but they ultimately delayed by 1 day to ensure stability.
“That decision likely cost us a No. 1 debut. The song landed at No. 2, but it was the right call,” he explains. “The extra day gave us a level of confidence we needed to pull it off.”
Drake also insisted on a level of realism that raised the stakes even higher. To bring the Iceman character to life authentically, the team avoided using staged security or police escorts. Instead, Drake drove live on camera with no controlled environment, intensifying the stress and unpredictability of the moment.
“It made the drive a little more nerve racking and unforgettable,” Babel adds.
Despite the hurdles, the launch set the tone for a rollout that aims to push the boundaries of what an album release can look like. For Babel and the team, Episode 1 was a breakthrough that proved their high-risk, high-imagination concept was possible.