AceShowbiz - The family-owned company Iceculture Inc. has unveiled the intricate process behind building the massive ice installation that took center stage in downtown Toronto as part of Drake’s promotional campaign for his upcoming album ICEMAN.

Based in Hensall, Ontario, Iceculture produced over 3,500 individual ice blocks, each weighing around 300 pounds. These were transported via 20 trucks to assemble the towering 25-foot structure at 81 Bond Street. The sculpture prominently displayed the release date for Drake’s ninth studio album, captivating the attention of fans and passersby alike.

Heidi Bayley, president of Iceculture and daughter of the company’s founder, detailed the specialized production technique used to create the crystal-clear ice. The blocks were made using directional freezing, a process that expels air bubbles during formation, resulting in exceptionally hard and visually stunning ice.

The installation quickly became a hotspot on April 20, drawing large crowds eager to uncover the album’s release date hidden within the ice. Some fans resorted to unconventional and hazardous methods, including pickaxes, sledgehammers, blowtorches, and even setting fires atop the blocks in an attempt to reveal the secret message.

This escalating chaos prompted the Toronto Police Service to intervene around 11:30 p.m. that night to ensure public safety and prevent injuries caused by falling ice fragments. The situation remained volatile until Tuesday evening when Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop ordered fire crews to take action under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act. He cited the “dangerous and unsafe activities” and an “immediate threat to life” as justification for the intervention.

Firefighters arrived with aerial trucks and sprayed warm water on the monument through the night and into the next morning, according to CBC News. While the removal was necessary for safety, Bayley expressed disappointment, saying it was “hard to watch it being melted” and that she had never witnessed such a reaction to an ice installation in her decades of experience.

Following the fire department’s efforts, an industrial cleaning company named Prime Mobile Wash took over the process of dismantling and clearing the remaining ice.

Michael Gingerich, owner of Mawg Design — the marketing firm collaborating with Drake’s team — acknowledged that the overwhelming fan turnout surpassed all expectations. Although the campaign aimed to make a bold statement about the album release, the intensity of public enthusiasm caught everyone by surprise.

Bayley highlighted Iceculture’s extensive expertise in handling large-scale ice projects and managing massive quantities of ice, which made them an ideal partner for this high-profile activation. The company’s past projects include ice lounges in Thailand and Greece and a drivable ice truck for Canadian Tire to promote cold-weather batteries. Their work involves advanced tools such as chainsaws, chisels, CNC machines, and bandsaws.

The mystery inside the ice was finally solved on Tuesday afternoon when a streamer named Kishka found a blue folder embedded in one of the blocks. The folder revealed that Drake’s ICEMAN album is set for release on May 15, 2026, marking his first solo project since 2023’s For All the Dogs.

Drake confirmed the release date on his official Instagram account the same evening, officially ending the suspense created by the monumental ice installation.