It's no secret Drake has been a huge Rihanna fan for the last 20 years. Despite their on again off again relationship over the last decade, Drake has gone on the record numerous times claiming how valuable their friendship is and will always come first...but as it turns out, sometimes "moving on" from an relationship is easier in theory than in reality.
Everyone loves Rihanna, there's just no way around it. The "Kiss It Better" Singer is doing better than ever. After welcoming her second child with A$AP Rocky into the world and that iconic Superbowl performance she did in mid-air despite her fear of heights, while secretly pregnant with her first son?? The word "iconic" was truly reserved for her. Sure, Rihanna hasn't released an album since ANTI (2016) and yet, with her cool girl style and billion dollar Beauty Brand FENTY, she's more relevant than ever.
Drake's Lesson In Holding On
But with adoring fans comes haters and sometimes the ones who hate hardest used to be the ones who loved you the most. In the case of Rihanna's new found happiness, it seems like there's one rapper intent to rain on the on the "Umbrella" singer's parade.
There's always two sides to every story, and granted while Drake may not had the reputation as the music industry's most hardcore rapper--we've all been on the bad side of a breakup, and Drake's artistic expression of his pain (if that's what we're calling diss tracks now) is not not relatable.
We've all wished told or been told by an ex, "we wish them nothing but the best" during a breakup speech, and then completely rescinded our well wishes, when we see how well their doing with someone new. It's not malicious, it's just human. The only difference is most of us don't have 143 M instagram followers and refer to ourselves as "champagne papi".
Drake's New Song "Fear of Heights" is About Rihanna
Fans were quick to point out Drake's new lyrics in his new release "Fear of Heights" seem incredibly pointed towards Rihanna, the new mother of 2. The first tip off, was you know the name of the song "Fear of Heights" considering Rihanna's legitimate fear of heights. Rihanna overcame her phobia in order to give the Superbowl performance of a lifetime! The "Work" singer was harnesses and suspended in mid-air for a portion of her set, and her fearlessness earned her significant praise from fans and critics alike.
Song title aside--listening to his lyrics, doesn't help his case that "Fear of Heights" isn't a diss track about everyone's favourite BadGal.
With rhymes like: "Why they make it sound like I’m still hung up on you? / That could never be / Gyal can’t ruin me / Better him than me / Better it’s not me"
It's hard not to think Drake is taking shots at his Gyal (a slang term for a girl of Jamaican descent) ex and her baby daddy, rapper A$AP Rocky. And needless to say, fans weren't thrilled about it.
As much as we all would like to think, we would *never* put our ex on blast like that, the truth is, it's really hard to see someone who hurt you so badly, be so adored.
I'm not Drake's psychologist, but you honestly don't have to be to unpack his pretty obvious lyrics. Even when it came to expressing how they felt about each other--it's clear that Hip Hop's "softest" most meme-able rapper, never held back, describing the Barbadian bombshell as his "ultimate dream girl".
Meanwhile, Rihanna, (no shade to her) has always kept tight lipped their exact dynamic, keeping not only fans...but maybe even Drake himself, guessing.
Drake and Rihanna Over The Years
The "God's Plan" rapper met Rihanna at the start of his career, in 2005 when he appeared as an extra in her music video for Pon De Replay. Though RiRi got a bit of a head start on Drake, the Toronto-native would go on to release his debut studio album "Thank Me Later" in 2010 and continue to make waves in the music industry, but no matter how massive his success got, the "Umbrella" singer left a lasting impression on Drake.
Rihanna was already a household name when the duo did their first ever collaboration on "What's My Name". The track was released on Rihanna's fifth studio album LOUD (2010) and was a huge hit.
The power couple first sparked dating rumours in 2009, when they were spotted getting cozy at a bowling alley together...but instead of bowling strikes, it turns out Drake was striking out. In 2016, Rihanna cleared the air surrounding her mysterious relationship with Drake, which fans were dying to know more about.
In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, Rihanna confirmed her "last real boyfriend boyfriend" was with controversial ex-Chris Brown.
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Even though there were signs the pair may have been together, (like their matching tattoos and onstage kiss at the VMAs) it seemed like for Rihanna is was more work, work, work, work, work, than play.
It's undeniable the dynamic duo can make magic together. "Too Good"? "Take Care"?? "Work"?!? Bangers. It's just maybe "work" is where it ends for Rihanna. And that's ok.
It's A Case Of: "She's Just Not That Into You"
It looks like when Rihanna's in love she's all in. She and A$AP Rocky have 2 kids under 2. She's obviously not a commitment-phobe.
It also seems from his lyrics, that Drake is the kind of guy who can't take a hint.
Did any of us ever think Drake was going to "start a family" with Rihanna? No. Unfortunately though, after birthing two baby boys with another man, Drake is just coming around to this conclusion himself. It undoubtedly stings.
While I can't say whether or not Drake is truly love sick or it's a case of a man who wants what he can't have (I mean, I get it. Who among us!), whatever it is, he's still writing passive aggressive lyrics about it, so he's probably not over it. But--*controversial opinion incoming*--he doesn't have to be, not yet at least.
Drake's Lesson on Letting Go
While we should never endorse low-pot shots written in poor taste, part of being an artist (if we're calling Drake that) is processing pain through artistic mediums. While Drake is by no means Tupac Shakur, his success suggests his lyrics speak into the lives and hearts of so many of his fans. That is a good thing.
Drake is processing his breakup five years too late, but honestly, you get it when you get it. The rule goes both ways. If Rihanna has really moved on with her life (which, it seems like she has) Drake's kvetching shouldn't phase her, and in fact, it probably doesn't. If nothing else, Rihanna probably knows she's a tough woman to lose!
It's painful seeing an ex not thinking about you at all, when all you're doing is thinking about them!
It's brutal when a job you gave so many years of your life to, suddenly kicks you to the curb and finds *a new you* to do your job old job, without so much as a goodbye.
It's hurtful when your oldest friend finds a new group of besties and opts to hang with them while you slowly grow in different directions.
Heartbreak comes in all kinds of forms.
For Drake, it still really hurts, and that's just fine. Time really does heal all wounds. Days pass and that hurt will be a little less and a little less, until one day, he'll (hopefully) be able to look back on lyrics like "xx" and have empathy for the hurting person he used to be. Even farther into the future and--like the rest of us reading old facebook inboxes or diary entries we wrote in high school--he'll probably.
Here's to hoping when that day comes, he'll have a good woman by his side to laugh with him.
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