“It was pretty crazy”- Iceman Toronto co-owner opens up about collaborating with Drake for his new album rollout

Drake's latest stunt has transformed Toronto's humble ice warehouse. In a spontaneous move that’s both clever marketing and hometown pride, Drake dropped into Iceman Toronto for a surprise live stream, “ICEMAN EPISODE 1,” promoting his forthcoming album. Jake Silva, who runs the family-owned ice business alongside his father, had no clue what he was signing up for when Drake’s team called just two days prior—turns out it was pretty crazy, to quote Silva.

What started as a simple request to use the warehouse blitzed Iceman’s phones with over 200 calls from coast to coast. But beyond the buzz, it’s a collaboration brimming with genuine respect for a small business and a strategic boost for the Iceman Toronto brand. That’s plenty of drama wrapped in ice, and it’s all part of why Drake’s album rollout is turning heads.

---

How Iceman Toronto and Drake joined forces

Drake’s crew reached out to Iceman Toronto on a Wednesday afternoon, requesting warehouse access—and of course, permission for Drake to cruise through downtown in an ice truck emblazoned with “ICEMAN.” Silva recalls,

“During the actual livestream, it was pretty crazy … People from all over North America started calling us”.

Over 200 calls popped in as the stream rolled, and Silva’s dad’s phone had a meltdown. More than the chaos, Silva was struck by the professionalism:

“They were very respectful of the fact that we were still running the business while this whole thing was taking place.”

That respect has become part of the narrative: Drake spotlighting a local mom-and-pop without trampling over their day-to-day operations. And yes, this collaboration feels like fate more than coincidence. Jake hints that Drake’s camp had been dropping subtle nods for a while:

“I have a few friends… that have worked with Drake’s team before… hints for a while that he was working on some sort of project that bears the name … Iceman.”.

But still, a full-blown takeover of a warehouse? Not exactly on anyone’s bingo card. The payoff: “ICEMAN EPISODE 1” culminates in the surprise drop of “What Did I Miss?”—a new Drake single that cruises toward No. 1 on both Spotify and Apple Music and likely heralds the album’s theme. As for Iceman Toronto, suddenly their pickup trucks and warehouse are spreading across billboards above Yonge‑Dundas and Insta‑feeds worldwide. Silva sums it up:

“You don’t get your logo up on the big screens… unless you’re paying a lot of money,” and in this case, they paid zero.

---

Drake’s album rollout: What’s Iceman all about?

The Drake album rollout has been a masterclass in calibrated hype. It kicked off with teaser billboards in Toronto’s busiest squares, followed by cryptic Instagram shots, then the hour-long “ICEMAN EPISODE 1.” The one-take livestream opened in the Iceman freezer and featured Drake driving the branded truck through city streets, fielding jeers and cheers, before dropping “What Did I Miss?” straight into listeners’ ears.

The single itself is stirring heat. Produced by heavyweights Tay Keith, OZ, London Cyr, FNZ, and others, it doesn’t just restart Drake’s solo era; it lands with subliminal lyrical shots aimed squarely at past adversaries from the Kendrick Lamar feud. With lines like

“Last time I looked to my right… how can some people I love hang around p**sies who try me?”

Drake makes it clear this won’t be syrupy cruise music—this is an icy bite with heat inside. What’s next? Drake has yet to pin down a release date for the ICEMAN album, but given how polished and theatrical the rollout has been, it’s inching closer.

Fans speculate the next “episodes” could include pop-ups in other cities, exclusive merch drops, or even tie-ins with local Toronto businesses. Bottom line: this rollout is playing out like a mini-series, and we’re all staying tuned.

 

---

Drake’s alliance with Iceman Toronto isn’t just a fresh twist on album marketing—it’s a cinematic moment of synergy between global superstardom and small-town hustle. Jake Silva and his father got a crash course in viral fame, while Drake recentered his rollout around something real: home, ice, and respect.

As ICEMAN builds momentum, it’s one thing to drop a single and another to freeze a city’s attention by turning an ice warehouse into the stage. And that, in short, is collaboration done right.