Drake is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world, with millions of fans across the globe eagerly awaiting his next concert in their city. As a Philly native, Drake has a special connection to the city of Philadelphia and his live shows there are always highly anticipated events. In this article, we’ll take a look back at all of the times Drake has brought his hits to Philly and rocked crowds with his signature sound.
Drake’s Early Shows in Philadelphia
Though he hails from Toronto, Drake has long had ties to the hip-hop scene in Philadelphia. Early in his career before releasing his debut album, Drake appeared at several smaller venues around Philly to promote his mixtapes. According to reports, some of Drake’s first performances in Philadelphia include:
- October 2008 – Drake performed at the Barbary in Philadelphia during Howard University’s homecoming weekend. He was still a relatively unknown artist at this point.
- February 2009 – Drake held a release party for his So Far Gone mixtape at Transit Lounge in Philly.
- April 2010 – Drake kicked off his first headlining tour with a show at the Trocadero Theatre in support of his debut album Thank Me Later. The show sold out completely.
These early Philly shows helped generate buzz for Drake as he was starting to make a name for himself in the rap game. Though he was performing in small venues at this point, it was clear even then that Drake had the talent and fanbase to become a huge star.
Major Philadelphia Shows After Drake’s Rise to Fame
Starting with the release of his smash hit single “Find Your Love” in 2010, Drake’s popularity skyrocketed him to hip-hop superstardom. His 2011 album Take Care cemented him as one of the top artists in the music industry. As Drake’s fame grew, so did the size of his live shows. Once he was able to consistently sell out arenas, Philadelphia became a regular stop on Drake’s touring schedule. Here are some of the major shows he has brought to Philly since becoming a worldwide celebrity:
- August 2012 – Drake performed with guests 2 Chainz and J. Cole at the Wells Fargo Center on his Club Paradise Tour. The arena show drew around 15,000 fans.
- December 2013 – Drake returned to the Wells Fargo Center for his Would You Like A Tour? This time he performed in front of a sold out crowd of 20,000 people.
- September 2015 – Drake and rapper Future teamed up for the co-headlining Summer Sixteen Tour, which packed the Wells Fargo Center again for another unforgettable concert.
- November 2016 – Drake launched his Boy Meets World Tour with a stop at the Wells Fargo Center supported by opener Roy Wood$. He performed hits off his chart-topping album Views.
Clearly the Wells Fargo Center, with a maximum capacity of 21,000, has become Drake’s preferred Philly venue for his major arena tours over the past decade. Each show grows more massive and is met with incredible fan enthusiasm.
Notable Performances at Philadelphia Music Festivals
In addition to his own solo tours, Drake has been known to make surprise appearances at music festivals in Philadelphia to delight fans. The crowds at these Philly festivals are not exclusively Drake supporters, so when he hops on stage, it creates pandemonium. Here are some of his most epic festival performances in Philly:
- June 2012 – Drake made a surprise guest performance during J. Cole’s set at the Roots Picnic held at Festival Pier. He did their collaboration “In the Morning” much to fans’ delight.
- September 2015 – Drake appeared unexpectedly at Made in America festival, joining Future for several of their joint hits. The performance took place on the main Rocky Stage.
- September 2017 – In another surprise, Drake popped up during Cardi B’s Made in America set for their song “Bodak Yellow.” Festival-goers went crazy for the Drake sighting.
Drake seems to love showing Philly crowds love by making unannounced appearances at their favorite festivals. Given his popularity, he always receives a hero’s welcome whenever he decides to hop on stage alongside another act.
Drake Brought His Assassination Vacation Tour to Philadelphia
In 2019, Drake launched his massive Assassination Vacation European tour in support of his 2018 album Scorpion. After completing the European leg, Drake brought the tour to North America for a run of arena shows in major cities across the United States and Canada. Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center was of course included as a prominent stop on the itinerary. On August 21, 2019, Drake played the Wells Fargo Center for a packed crowd of over 20,000 die-hard fans. The Assassination Vacation Tour featured Drake performing solo on a minimalist stage focused entirely on him with no backing band. He rattled through hits from across his entire catalog, later calling the Assassination Vacation Tour one of his “favorite runs ever.” Highlights from the Philly show included Drake bringing out special guest Lil Baby to perform “Yes Indeed” and later being joined by Meek Mill for their collab “Going Bad.” The surprise appearances by Lil Baby and Meek Mill sent the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy and have gone down as some of the most memorable moments from Drake’s 2019 tour.
Setlist from Drake’s 2019 Philadelphia Show
Here is the full setlist Drake performed during his August 21, 2019 Assassination Vacation Tour stop at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia:
| Song | Album |
|---|---|
| 8 Out of 10 | Scorpion |
| Mob Ties | Scorpion |
| Started From the Bottom | Nothing Was the Same |
| Wu-Tang Forever | Nothing Was the Same |
| I’m Upset | Scorpion |
| Elevate | Scorpion |
| Emotionless | Scorpion |
| God’s Plan | Scorpion |
| Yes Indeed (with Lil Baby) | Harder Than Ever |
| Headlines | Take Care |
| Controlla | Views |
| Heartless | Scorpion |
| Finesse | Scorpion |
| Nonstop | Scorpion |
| HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right) | Take Care |
| Laugh Now Cry Later | Non-album single |
| Life is Good | Future collab |
| The Motto | Take Care |
| Going Bad (with Meek Mill) | Championships |
| In My Feelings | Scorpion |
| Forever (with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Eminem) | Non-album single |
| Nice for What | Scorpion |
| Girls Want Girls | Certified Lover Boy |
| Passionfruit | More Life |
| Hold On, We’re Going Home | Nothing Was the Same |
| Fake Love | More Life |
| Look Alive | Bloom EP |
| Laugh Now Cry Later | Non-album single |
| Best I Ever Had | So Far Gone |
| Jumpman | What a Time to Be Alive |
| Energy | If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late |
| Hotline Bling | Non-album single |
This extensive setlist highlights the very best of Drake’s catalog from 2009 through 2019. Philadelphia got a true taste of Drake’s entire musical journey over the last decade from this one concert alone.
Conclusion
From clubs to arenas to festivals, Drake has made Philadelphia a key tour stop ever since he broke onto the hip-hop scene in 2009. His live shows in Philly have gotten bigger and better each year as his stardom has grown. From surprise appearances to sold out arena dates, Drake is clearly one of Philadelphia’s most beloved musical artists. His August 21, 2019 Assassination Vacation Tour stop stands out as one of his most epic Philly concerts where over 20,000 adoring fans got to see Drake deliver a masterful arena show packed with his chart-topping hits. Based on his longtime connection to Philadelphia, music fans can likely expect many more legendary Drake shows in the city for years to come.