Drake is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world, selling out arenas and stadiums whenever he goes on tour. As one of the most in-demand performers, Drake often has other popular artists join him on tour to open his shows and get the crowd hyped up before he takes the stage. Here’s a look at who has opened or is opening for Drake on some of his recent and upcoming tours.
Summer Sixteen Tour (2016)
Drake’s Summer Sixteen Tour with Future was one of the highest grossing hip-hop tours of 2016. For the North American leg of the tour, which spanned nearly 60 shows, the following artists opened for Drake and Future:
- Roy Woods – Toronto R&B singer signed to Drake’s OVO Sound label
- DVSN – R&B duo also signed to OVO Sound
- Clams Casino – Hip-hop producer and songwriter
Allowing OVO Sound artists like Roy Woods and DVSN to open shows gave them exposure on a huge tour, while Clams Casino brought his established producer credentials.
Boy Meets World Tour (2017-2018)
Drake’s Boy Meets World Tour promoted his 2017 “playlist” project More Life. This massive world tour included multiple legs across Europe, Australia, and North America. Some of the support acts who got to open for Drake on this tour included:
- Playboi Carti – Atlanta rapper who was gaining popularity at the time
- Baka Not Nice – OVO Sound rapper from Toronto
- Rae Sremmurd – Popular hip-hop duo
- Tory Lanez – Toronto rapper and singer
- Lil Uzi Vert – Philadelphia rapper coming off hit mixtapes
A key theme was Drake promoting fellow Canadian artists like Baka Not Nice, while also giving exposure to the next generation of stars like Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Tory Lanez.
Assassination Vacation Tour (2019)
In support of his 2018 album Scorpion, Drake launched the Assassination Vacation European tour in early 2019. The opening acts who warmed up the crowd for Drake on this tour leg included:
- Tierra Whack – Rising Philadelphia rapper
- Radiohead – UK rock legends (opened 2 shows in Amsterdam)
- Jorja Smith – English R&B singer
- Lil Baby – Popular Atlanta trap rapper
Drake aimed to bring both established stars like Jorja Smith and Radiohead as well as newer artists like Tierra Whack and Lil Baby to provide a range of sounds and experiences for the European crowds.
Assassination Vacation North American Tour (2019)
After Europe, Drake brought the Assassination Vacation Tour to North America in the summer of 2019. The opening acts who got to perform before Drake for this leg of the tour included:
- Slim Jxmmi – One half of Rae Sremmurd
- Chris Brown – R&B superstar who often collaborates with Drake
- Tory Lanez – Return engagement from the Boy Meets World Tour
Drake mixed it up by having Chris Brown, one of the few artists as popular as him, open some dates, while also giving his Toronto protégé Tory Lanez another big look.
The Boy Meets World Tour 2 (2021)
After pandemic delays, Drake announced he would be finishing his Boy Meets World Tour with a North American leg in the summer of 2021. Support acts included:
- Lil Baby – Back for more after opening the European Assassination Vacation shows
- Lil Durk – Popular Chicago rapper
- OVO Sound artists like DVSN and Smiley
Lil Baby has blown up to become one of the biggest rappers in the game after opening for Drake in 2019. His return, along with the addition of Lil Durk, showed Drake is still eager to showcase rising talents even as an established global superstar.
Upcoming Tour Openers
Even though he just finished a massive world tour, Drake has already announced another joint tour with rap legend Kanye West subtitled “Free Larry Hoover.” The tour kicks off in December 2022 and will include these support acts so far:
- Playboi Carti – Returning 3 years after opening Boy Meets World Tour
- Ice Spice – Upstart Bronx rapper and viral star
Drake is once again sharing the stage with young talents like emerging female rapper Ice Spice and veteran tour opener Playboi Carti. Fans can likely expect more big names to be added to the lineup as well.
Conclusion
From stalwart collaborators like DVSN and Roy Woods to legendary artists like Kanye West and Radiohead to rising talents like Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and Ice Spice, Drake has provided a launching pad for both established and up-and-coming artists through his tour openers. On each tour, he hand-picks support acts that provide the right energy and presentation leading up to his hugely anticipated headlining set. Drake’s openers are often great performances in their own right and he has helped break new artists by giving them exposure to his massive audience.
