Police intervene after Drake fans use blowtorches on block of ice to discover album release date

Police were called to a car park in Toronto over the weekend as Drake fans attacked a 25-foot-tall block of ice with pickaxes and blowtorches, with the promise to find the release date of the rapper’s next album inside.

The stunt was set up by Drake and his team to promote his forthcoming album ‘Iceman’, a long-teased project that will mark his ninth studio album to date following 2023’s ‘For All The Dogs’.

The rapper shared a series of photos of ice blocks being built into a monolithic structure in a Toronto car park on Sunday (April 19) writing in a caption alongside its location: “Release date inside”.

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The post threw fans into pandemonium, with hundreds of passers-by, news journalists, streamers, influencers and locals heading to the site to witness the chaos.

The New York Times reports that fans used blowtorches to melt the ice, while others used pickaxes and other sharp tools to hack away at the million-pound structure.

Fire crews and police were called to the site as it became a safety risk, and posters were reportedly placed around the area to warn the public against touching the ice.

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In a statement to NYT, the city’s fire chief, Jim Jessop, said: “Large numbers of individuals have gathered to attempt to melt the ice using flammable liquids and open flames in an uncontrolled environment, which results in an immediate threat to life.”

After police interventions, Twitch streamer Kishka discovered a signed bag inside the block with the release date inside, as well as wads of cash and an invitation to Drake’s house.

Drake has since confirmed that ‘Iceman’ will be released on May 15.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X