Tour Dreams and Cancellations
The Anita Max Wynn Tour—Drake’s first Down Under run since 2017—kicked off February 4, 2025, in Perth, hitting Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane with plans for Auckland, per Billboard. It was a spectacle: slot-machine visuals, a clear walkway stage, and Drake handing out $45K to fans in Melbourne, per Hypebeast. But on February 25, the last four shows (Brisbane March 4, Sydney March 7, Auckland March 15-16) got axed for “scheduling conflicts,” per Rolling Stone AU/NZ. Refunds were offered, but Drake’s team promised rescheduling and extra dates—no word yet on when. X fans were split: “Drake’s dodging Kendrick’s shadow!” some joked, while others begged, “Just drop the new dates!” Despite the hiccup, the tour sold out 16 shows, proving Drizzy’s pull.
Anita Max Wynn: From Cartoon to Livestream Star
Anita Max Wynn debuted in December 2023 on a Kick stream, a playful nod to Drake’s Stake crypto-betting deal and love for high-stakes gambling, per HotNewHipHop. The character—a red-haired girl in a pink top, round glasses, toting a cartoon gun—graced tour merch and trucker hats with dollar-sign flair. Fast-forward to April 13, 2025: halfway through Drake’s stream with Adin Ross, a real woman matching Anita’s look—red hair, pink top, glasses—popped up with shots, per HotNewHipHop. She was a fixture, hyping “max bets” when Drake and Ross went big. “We’ll let you know if we need you for a Max Wynn!” Drake quipped. No diamond chain (fans hoped for that bling reveal), but the vibe screamed calculated rebrand—Anita’s now a living mascot for Drake’s betting era.
Streaming and Stake: Drake’s New Lane
Drake’s leaning hard into streaming, linking with giants like Adin Ross, Kai Cenat, and xQc to grab Gen Z’s eyeballs. His Stake partnership, tied to Anita’s gambling theme, fuels giveaways and flashy bets—think Drizzmas streams with 180K viewers, per Landon Buford. The April 13 stream was peak Drizzy: casual banter, big wagers, and a bombshell—he’s crafting a new solo album. “It’s a slap,” he told Ross, per X posts from @Kurrco, no title or date dropped. With Some Sexy Songs 4 U (his PartyNextDoor collab) already platinum, per HotNewHipHop, Drake’s juggling music and digital dominance. X buzzed: “Drake’s out here streaming like he’s IShowSpeed but still dropping heat!”
Why It Matters
The tour’s abrupt end stung, but Drake’s pivoting fast. Anita Max Wynn—cartoon to flesh-and-blood—ties his Stake-backed gambling flair to a broader game plan: stay relevant beyond rap. The livestream wasn’t just fun—it was Drake selling a lifestyle, from roulette aesthetics to crowd-pleasing bets, all while teasing new bars. Variety notes his tour pulled 1.3M tickets before the cancellations; now, streams with Ross keep the hype alive. Kendrick Lamar’s GNX and Super Bowl glow loomed large (tour announced same day as K-Dot’s halftime gig, per NME), but Drake’s unfazed, betting on platforms like Kick to outshine rivals. That album tease? Fans on X are calling it his comeback shot.
What’s Next?
No word on rescheduled tour dates—The Courier-Mail hints at a possible Europe leg, maybe Wireless Festival in July 2025. For now, Drake’s streaming with Ross, pushing Stake, and cooking that “slap” of an album. Anita Max Wynn’s gone from merch to meme to real-life hype woman—expect her to pop up again. Will the album lean into this gambling vibe or flip the script? Got a guess on what Drake’s cooking?
Drake really had Anita Max Wynn pull up on his stream 🤣💀 pic.twitter.com/hj5YAEoT9R
— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) April 14, 2025
