Oliver El-Khatib

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

El-Khatib's journey began in his teenage years, drawing inspiration from skateboarding culture while visiting Toronto record stores like Play De Record. He studied album notes and listened to 88.1FM on Saturday mornings to discover new music. After leaving school in his later teens, he interned at the now-defunct clothing store Lounge, where he first met Drake. In grade nine homeroom, he had already connected with Noah James Shebib (40), another future OVO co-founder. By 2007, El-Khatib was a buyer for Unitedfront, overseeing menswear boutiques Ransom, Goodfoot, and Nomad. The following year, he assumed blogging duties as the sole writer for October's Very Own, promoting music and fashion outlets that interested the crew.

In Their Own Story

In 2011, after Drake fired his management team, El-Khatib stepped in to manage the artist's career. He immediately began expanding OVO beyond a blog into full seasonal clothing lines and a record label. In 2012, he formed OVO Sound alongside Drake and Shebib. His influence extended into the studio as well; for the song "The Resistance" on Drake's 2010 album *Thank Me Later*, El-Khatib suggested using a drum sample from Tears for Fears' "Ideas as Opiates." He also served as an executive producer on the 2017 playlist *More Life*. In 2015, he co-founded October Firm with Drake and launched OVO Sound Radio on Beats 1, airing its first episode on July 11 of that year to premiere new music and showcase Toronto talent. He later secured partnerships with Air Jordan, Canada Goose, and Roots, helping the brand expand internationally with online stores in the UK and EU, plus a brick-and-mortar location in London.

Reader's Guide

To understand El-Khatib's impact, look at his hands-on approach from 2008 to today. He started as the only blogger for OVO, writing about fashion and music before managing Drake's entire career path. A key turning point was 2015, when he partnered with Apple Music's Beats 1 to create a radio platform dedicated to industry trends and local talent. His production credits on *Thank Me Later* and executive role on *More Life* highlight his dual focus on business and sound. While often described as a self-proclaimed worker who spends little time in the spotlight, his strategic moves—like forming October Firm in 2015 and securing major brand deals—have defined OVO's trajectory from a Toronto blog to an international fashion and music powerhouse.

Did You Know?

• Oliver El-Khatib met his future OVO co-founder Noah "40" Shebib in grade nine homeroom.
• He interned at the now-defunct Toronto clothing store Lounge, where he first met Drake.
• El-Khatib suggested the specific drum sample from Tears for Fears used on the song "The Resistance."
• OVO Sound Radio launched with its very first episode airing on July 11, 2015.