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Darkie

@darkiemade

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Toronto Based Illustrator / Designer
@mandemcc
twitter.com/darkiemade

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here’s the origin behind drake’s so far gone cover art

the artwork was done by toronto illustrator @darkiemade. he got the gig through oliver, drake’s longtime ovo partner

oliver gave him free reign and picked an old economist ad to flip by @non.format - darkie swapped the text for drake so far gone and replaced the spider the kid was reaching for with money and hearts

drake said the whole tape traces back to a late night talk with oliver about how they were treating women. oliver texted him right after: are we becoming the men our mothers divorced
that’s the cover. a kid chasing love and money

this is context behind cover art // follow for more

via @complexmusic @champagnepapi @oliverelkhatib

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Offence All Year 🙌🏾

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We’re going to Disney !!!!!!!!! @beis

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X2 Canada Kit
World Cup 2026
@nocta @nike @canmnt

Big love to the team:
@ben_dorado @darkiemade @ronanmcgee @ethanpews

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Objects in motion

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@shaymitchell will see you now.

So grateful to work with people who expand, enhance, and build upon crazy ideas. From the entire BÉIS team who poured their heart and soul into redesigning these bags to our creative collaborators who didn’t hesitate to get weird with us. Every single person who touched this campaign made it better.

And of course our lead doctor in charge thank you @shaymitchell for not only always making every idea better, bigger, crazier but for creating a space where we get to giggle and do what we love.

I could go on allllllll day but to make a long story short- I ❤️ our @beis team

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Embody Aubrey: How’d I do @bestbuy @thejetmag @darkiemade @oliverelkhatib @ovo40 @boi1da? OTD in 2010, Drake released his debut solo album Thank Me Later, which went #1 on the Billboard 200 & sold over 400K during its first week. This project meant so much to me back in middle school. I can recall crying to “Fireworks” ft. Alicia Keys in the back of my mama’s Jeep, hoping for a better life away from our working class poverty in Lowcountry SC. BET’s 106&Party New Years Eve 2010 with Young Money, “Better Than Good Enough” documentary on MTV about the making of the album, the CD signing days at Best Buy (Please bring back the Meet & Greets during tour time, @champagnepapi. Take our $$$! All I ever wanted is a picture. You already seen me before, my nigga). Drake’s “Over” v. Nicki Minaj ft. Sean Garrett’s “Massive Attack” battling daily for the #1 & #2 spot on 106&Park. All the industry collabs like Jeezy, Tip, Hov, Swizzy, & others on his debut. Dude man had Mary J Blige on that VMA stage with him (We really wanted that music video, @anthonymandler). The red “Miss Me” OVO jacket scavenger hunt contest on All Things-Fresh.net. I remember it all as a young fan

It was still light out. They’re about to announce Best Male Rapper at the 2010 BET Awards. My fingers are crossed that Drake wins. When his name is announced, I just jump up for joy! Nicki also win Best Female Rapper in her respective category (A dominating lock on wins that she’d have for years as the top women MC). YMCMB meant everything to me. I’d go to YoungMoneyHQ for news on the crew & LilWayneHQ to know what’s up with bossman. OVO Blogsite, Datpiff, WorldstarHipHop, 2DopeBoyz

I remember when the second “Who the fuck are y’all?” on the hook for “Over” slipped out on my clean CD version of TML that I bought from Walmart & seeing my parents disgust (Despite them cursing like a sailor in front of us as kids). “Fancy” beat change still got me in a chokehold from childhood to adulthood. “Shut It Down” played at the end of T-Rex’s NOSTALGIA karaoke event in Toronto that I went to in Oct 2024 when we were going through the photo montage. He was still green on this project but man… The future was bright, kid

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Health apps been worried

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here’s the origin behind drake’s cover art for thank me later. it’s way crazier than you think.

the cover was inspired by hezbollah’s propaganda war, a militant group known for putting giant portraits of their leaders across buildings and streets in lebanon.

but what makes it hit different is what’s inside the album. drake dedicated it to his childhood friend cory mintz, who passed away july 3rd, 2008.

// follow for more

source @darkiemade @complex @oliverelkhatib

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VAULT ENTRY 007: 📂Tape: So Far Gone❣️ (2009) Artist: @champagnepapi 🍾👨🏽 THE ARCHITECT🖋️: @darkiemade

In 2009 a young Canadian actor named Aubrey Graham, professionally known as Drake, dropped a mixtape that would fundamentally change the landscape of hip-hop and R&B. So Far Gone isn’t just a project; it’s a cultural phenomenon that cemented the “emotional rapper” archetype and blurred the lines between singing and rapping forever.

Released just ahead of Valentine’s Day, So Far Gone became the definitive soundtrack for late-night thoughts, complicated relationships, and the existential angst of a generation finding its voice online. It broke free from traditional regional sounds, creating a universal mood that resonated from Toronto basements to global forums. This tape didn’t just showcase Drake; it introduced a new sound, a new aesthetic, and a new way to interact with music in the digital age.

THE VISUALS: The visual architecture of So Far Gone was handled by @darkiemade, who subverted the era’s “rapper-on-the-cover” cliché with high-concept minimalism. Inspired by an ad from The Economist, Darkie’s silhouette of a child looking up at cascading hearts and money was a direct response to Drake and @oliverelkhatib conversations about family and ambition. By merging high-brow publication aesthetics with street-level transparency, Darkie transformed a digital zip file into fine art, setting a minimalist standard that would dominate the blog era for years to come.

FAVORITE FILES: We couldn’t choose! Let us know which ones are your favorites in the comments! 👇

THE VAULT VERDICT: 📂📂📂📂📂

So Far Gone is the undisputed Big Bang of the blog era, marking the exact moment R&B-infused rap became the world’s dominant currency. Its DNA is peerless; it didn’t just join the culture—it redefined it, proving a free digital zip file could carry the weight and polish of a multi-platinum album. As a Valentine’s entry, it remains the ultimate holiday essential, balancing romance and ambition that still feels fresh nearly two decades later.📂💎🔥

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@beis was my MVP

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Ovo STARTED in the LOUNGE 🦉

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How did something so SMALL the shop measuring under 400 sq feet birth one of the most successful businesses in Canadian history 🇨🇦
What it lacked in size it made up for in influence and connection as it was our #Thirdspace

Some 🔑 s from @oliverelkhatib's “Journey” moderated by the multi-hyphinate @bryanespiritu 🫡 via the groundbreaking @theremixproject 6️⃣

. Take care of your mental & physical well-being 1st

. Take a break here and there to detach, rebuild regroup

. You need a passport and the ability to travel to chase your dreams

. Internships are good even without $

. Picking up packages @canadagoose led to the relationship that turned into the 1st collaboration for #ovo

If you have ever visited put your 🙌 up

#SoFarGone
#OctobersVeryOwn
#LoungeAcademy
#ripstress
#ripbishop

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