Drake’s Homecoming: The Lost Footage, a concert film comprised of footage featuring a 23-year-old Drake performing at Toronto’s Sound Academy in 2009, screens for one night only on Thursday (March 19) in nearly 350 movie theaters at 7:30 EST. But Drake is distancing himself from the project. On Monday (March 16) morning, the rapper tweeted, “The Drake Homecoming film is not something OVO or Drake have any part in. I feel it is my responsibility to inform and protect my fans.”
The Drake Homecoming film is not something OVO or Drake have any part in. I feel it is my responsibility to inform and protect my fans.
— Drizzy (@Drake) March 16, 2015
The source of tension? Jas Prince, CEO of Young Empire Music Group, who discovered Drake before he ultimately signed with Lil Wayne’s Young Money — and, by extension, Cash Money. With Lil Wayne currently embroiled in his own $51 million legal battle with Cash Money over the release of his upcoming The Carter V album, Jas Prince has reportedly filed his own lawsuit against Cash Money claiming unpaid royalties for his role in Drake’s career.
Reps for Fathom Events and Prince declined comment, but both provided statements in a press release announcing the film on February 25. “When I first listened to Drake I had no idea he was on a hit show, I just fell in love with his sound and talent,” Prince said in the release, referencing Drake’s early-career fame on Canada’s Degrassi: The Next Generation. “It was unique and like nothing I had ever heard before. I told him during our first conversation I would make him a star. This film documents the beginning of that journey.”
Fathom Events vice president of programming Kymberli Frueh-Owens added in a statement, “Drake is an incredibly talented and dynamic performer. We are extremely pleased to bring this newly unearthed concert footage to movie theaters nationwide. The exciting part of this piece is that it features Drake at a breakthrough moment in his young career in the rarified air and company of his hometown fans in Toronto.”
UPDATE: Drake issued a new statement via Twitter on Tuesday (March 17), writing, “James Prince and I stand together on not supporting the Drake Homecoming footage in theatres. #protectingthefans.” Spokespeople for Prince and Fathom Events were not readily available for comment and could not confirm whether Prince’s newly unified stance with Drake would impact his role as the film’s executive producer.
James Prince and I stand together on not supporting the Drake Homecoming footage in theatres. #protectingthefans
— Drizzy (@Drake) March 17, 2015