Is Drake about to announce a UAE concert?

The hitmaker last performed in the country back in 2016.

Rapper Drake is a huge fan of the UAE. On his 2021 hit, Lemon Pepper Freestyle, he proclaimed, “Dubai embrace me like an Emirati,” while the Kanye West assisted Glow in 2017 contained the line “We the new Abu Dhabi.” Now it looks like a concert could be on the cards.

A recent Instagram post by the former Degrassi actor turned hitmaker has social media abuzz. On Saturday, 16 March the rapper posted a photo on his Instagram feed depicting an envelope from the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in Houston, Texas, to his 146 million followers. The caption reads, “Shouldn’t have involved you”, and rumours of a potential live show in the UAE are now rife. 

The rapper has made frequent visits to the UAE over the years, having performed at an F1 after-party and the nightclub BOA in November 2016. However, his only full concert in the country took place at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in March 2015.

Born Aubrey Drake Graham, the Canadian artist gained momentum with his early mixtapes “Room for Improvement” (2006) and “So Far Gone” (2009) which established his signature style – introspective raps laced with smooth vocals and introspective lyrics. Yet, it was the rapper’s debut studio album, “Thank Me Later” (2010) that cemented his place in the mainstream. It included radio favourites like “Find Your Love” and “Fancy.”.

Subsequent albums “Take Care” (2011),” “Nothing Was the Same” (2013), “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” (2015), “Views” (2016), “More Life” (2017), “Scorpion” (2018), “Certified Lover Boy” (2021), “Honestly, Nevermind” (2022) and “For All the Dogs” (2023) have shown his ability to bridge the dance, hip-hop and R&B genres and solidified his status as one of the greatest rappers of all time.

Drake isn’t the only hip-hop heavyweight hinting at a show in the UAE. In February, Kanye West posted an InstaStory indicating that he would perform two shows at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on 29 and 30 November 2024.

Drake is currently on tour in the US with fellow rapper J Cole. The “It’s All A Blur” tour began on 2 February in Tampa, Florida and will wrap up with a show in Newark, New Jersey, on 5 April. 

Could Abu Dhabi or Dubai be next for the rapper? Check in with FACT for the latest news.

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