Premiering last July on Beats 1, OVO sound Radio has hosted many mixes, and many exclusive records have been premiered in the process. Just this weekend, three new records from Drake made their way out through the show, adding to large catalog of songs the 6 God has shared over the course of his Apple Music run. Of course, it's not only Drake, or even his stable of OVO artists who have shared new music on these mixes, and today we're going back through some of the premieres that impressed us, whether they made a huge impact or flew relatively under the radar. Click through the gallery to see our picks and let us know what your favorite tracks from the radio show are in the comments below.
Wavy
Ty Dolla $ign- Wavy (Feat. Joe Moses) (Episode 13. January 16, 2016)
DJ Mustard guested on episode 13 of OVO Sound Radio, making sure to share some exclusives from his stable of collaborators, including a single from fellow Pushaz Ink founder, Ty Dolla $ign. "Wavy" finds Ty reuniting with Joe Moses, a rapper he's been working with for years, reaching back to his underrated Whoop! mixtape. This time, they've followed Mustard into EDM-informed grooves, not that far off from those Ty predicted with the first Beach House tape. It's a welcome bright point in the typically, dark and moody mix.
Roy Woods
Roy Woods- How I Feel (Episode 17. March 12, 2016)
We heard some new material from Roy Woods during his own set on the most recent episode of OVO Radio, but it wasn't the first time his music has made its debut on the show. In episode 17, Roy's "How I Feel" made its way into the world, using an instrumental that pulls from "Rube," a song by Norwegian electronic, Pandreas. Like most of Roy's best work, the record has a delicate, late-night quality, but also features a defined groove, subtly nodding to the more island-indebted sounds we heard on his most recent record, "Gwan Big Up Urself".
Ladies Hit Squad
Skepta- Ladies Hit Squad (Feat. ASAP NAst & D Double E) (Episode 15. February 13, 2016)
Skepta and Drake's friendship is well documented, to the point that Drake apparently has plans to align with the grime artist's independent BBK label. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Drake premiered "Ladies Hit Squad," one of two songs geared towards North American artists on Skepta's new album, on OVO Sound Radio. The track closed Oliver's opening mix, fitting right in alongside Future's "Perky's Calling" with its murky, late-night feel, assisted by ASAP Nast and D Double E.
Nessly
Nessly- Giddy Up! (Episode 16. February 27, 2016)
Drake's OVO Sound Radio puts on for a range of artists, including those just beginning to pick up traction. Atlanta's Nessly was dropped in the midst of Oliver's opening mix, alongside fellow up-and-comers like NAV and Ramriddlz. His infectious "Giddy Up" surely found some appreciative ears that wouldn't have otherwise found the record, and Nessly has continued to make waves of his own since, dropping his Still Finessin mixtape in May, where the record now lives.
4PM In Calabasas
Drake- 4PM In Calabasas (Episode 23. June 4, 2016)
Anyone following Drake to this point knows that the man loves to self-reference, leading to many callbacks within his work, one of the most obvious being his "[Time] in [City]" formula. These tracks, which began with "9AM In Dallas" in 2010, tend to be a place for Drizzy to vent on an extensive verse, often throwing subliminal shots at his competition and sharing his frustrations with the industry. "4PM In Calabasas" doesn't change that approach at all, but unlike some moments on VIEWS, it sounds fresh and inspired.
Why You Always Hatin
YG- Why You Always Hatin (Feat. Drake & Kamaiyah) (Episode 22. May 21, 2016)
YG's sophomore album, Still Brazy is fast approaching, and "Why You Always Hatin" got the conversation around the album started, pairing the Bompton rapper both with Drake (who previously put a Rappin' 4tay-referencing 16 on "Who Do You Love?") and West Coast newcomer, Kamaiyah. Dropping the blazing G-funk-informed record on OVO certainly poised YG to earn some new fans, and judging by the reaction to it so far, it seems to have served its purpose.
Yamborghini High
ASAP Mob- Yamborghini High (Feat. Juicy J) (Episode 13. January 16, 2016)
A Cozy Boyz set on OVO's January 2016 episode featured a fair amount of Atlanta trap, along with a few ASAP affiliated premieres. "Yamborghini High" closed the mix, bringing the mob back to the sound Rocky first introduced on his debut tape, Live.Love.ASAP. Rocky and Drake have continued to cross paths since the New York rapper joined the Club Paradise tour a few years back, and the Mob mix suggests their respective movements, while each moving in their own directions, are still very compatible.
Just A Rider
PartyNextDoor- Just A Rider (Episode 7. October 3rd, 2015)
Penning two new songs on Rihanna's ANTI ("Sex With me," and of course, "Work"), as well as collaborating with Drake releasing new material of his own, PartyNextDoor has proved himself to be one of the more prolific writers working. On episode 7 of OVO Radio, he seemingly emptied some of his very large stash of works in progress, one of which being "Just A Rider," a collab with Cardo and Yung Exclusive, which stacks vocals liberally and has since become a favorite loosie among fans.
With Me
DVSN- Do It Well (Episode 18. March 26th, 2016)
The first time many heard the mysterious R&B act DVSN was on an episode of OVO Sound Radio, long before it was announced the group, later revealed to be "Hotline Bling" producer Nineteen85 and longtime collaborator Daniel Daley, were signing to Drake's label. While DVSN's first three singles were all played on the show, it wasn't until a few months later when they had their own mix on the show that they premiered a few new records, including "Do It Well". The record ended up making the cut for September 5th, the group's debut album.
Hotline Bling
Drake- Hotline Bling (Episode 2. July 17th , 2015)
The second episode of OVO Sound Radio was one of the most eventful in the show's year-long history. At the time, the focus was mainly on "Charged Up," Drake's first response to criticisms he received from Meek Mill over his use of collaborative writers. A few days later, "Back To Back" would continue the Meek beef as the conversation piece around Drake, while "Hotline Bling" was premiered on the very same episode, gradually becoming what could be argued as Drake's biggest hit to date (despite falling short of number one on the Hot 100). After months of incessant radio plays, it's hard to see "Hotline" as a grower now, but looking back at its premiere on OVO a year or so back, its clear that its success wasn't as immediate as hindsight has made it seem.