Toronto rapper k-os says Drake funded his first studio album in 11 years, “BLackneck,” which he began shaping after moving into a quieter, underdog-focused creative space.
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More than 15 years after helping a young Drake find his footing in the industry, Canadian alt-rap trailblazer k-os says Drake has backed his comeback with what he described as a large-money investment.
Speaking at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern, the 54-year-old said Drake poured “hundreds of thousands of dollars” into “BLackneck,” k-os’s first studio album in 11 years.
k-os said he sees the support as more than straightforward generosity, saying, “Sometimes when you lend somebody money, you don't always do it in a charitable way. Sometimes you just wanna see what they're gonna do.”
He added that he believes Drake wanted to test what he would do with the resources, saying, “Because he's kind of a gambler, I think he's kinda like, 'Let's see what this guy does.' It's an experiment.”
k-os said Drake has also made a habit of placing big bets, saying, “Drake gambles all day every day on so many teams. I'm just glad that I had a chance to put it into the music to make something that actually can have some impact.”
The Toronto gathering followed k-os’s account that he and Drake first met in 2009, and later reconnected during the pandemic after not seeing each other for years.
k-os said they exchanged numbers and resumed contact over text, and that Drake asked to hear new material before encouraging him to make “a quintessential k-os record” and offering to bankroll it.
He said the funding gave him the ability to experiment, hire top-tier musicians, and pursue elaborate arrangements rather than work under typical label constraints.
Among the tracks mentioned, k-os said the opener “Still Number One” features a string section and children’s choir, while “i would never.” was produced by Canadian rock figure Bob Rock, whose credits include Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
k-os said much of the album was recorded at his parents’ farm near Whitby, including sessions inside a 1984 camper van.
He said the album title is a play on “redneck,” connecting it to his upbringing in Whitby, Ont., and he described his goal as staying true to his roots, explaining, “Not trying to change yourself is basically what it means,” and adding, “It's remaining true to your roots despite the fact that most people in this music industry shape shift to what they're supposed to be.”
k-os said he believes record labels are increasingly reluctant to fund expensive albums, saying, “Major labels don't spend that money on music anymore,” and, “There's so much music coming out. Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on one record doesn't make sense for them.”
He also said he recorded and accumulated material while living in Vancouver and that leaving Toronto helped him reset after earlier success, saying, “Sometimes when you're known, you feel like you have to continue on from where you last left off,” and, “But if you move away, you can kind of start new.”
k-os said Drake was enthusiastic about the finished album and that Drake expressed surprise in a text reaction to the completed work.
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