After once professing he was “in love with” Rihanna since the day he first met her, Drake apparently now thinks she’s nothing special.
Drake, 36, appeared to diss Rihanna, 35, and the father of her two children, ASAP Rocky, on “Fear of Heights,” one of the songs on his new album, For All The Dogs (released Friday, October 6). “Why they make it sound like I’m still hung up on you?” Drake seemingly sings to his ex. “That could never be / Gyal can’t ruin me / Better him than me / Better it’s not me.”
“I’m anti, I’m anti,” continues Drake, seemingly referring to Rihanna’s 2016 album ANTI. Drake’s use of “Gyal,” a Caribbean pronunciation of “girl,” could also be a nod to Rihanna’s Barbadian background, per Genius. From there, Drake fires the biggest diss at his ex: “Yeah, and the sex was average with you / Yeah, I’m anti ’cause I had it with you.” He also says, “And I had way badder bitches than you, TBH / Yeah, that man, he still with you, he can’t leave you / Y’all go on vacation, I bet it’s Antilles.”
Drake would also reference ASAP Rocky, 35, on “Another Late Night,” another track off For All The Dogs. “I ain’t pretty flacko, bitch / this sh-t get really rocky?” he rapped, referring to both Rocky’s stage name and his nickname, “Flacko.”
These perceived Rihanna comments would be the first time Drake has addressed the lack of relationship between him and his ex. In 2018, Rihanna told Vogue that she and Drake “don’t have a friendship now, but we’re not enemies, either. It is what it is.”
She also spoke about how Drake made a surprise appearance at the 2016 MTV VMAs to present her with the Video Vanguard Award. “We love the music, which could change styles from album to album. We love the videos, which change their artistic vision from year to year. But most of all, we love the woman who hasn’t changed since day one.” he said on stage. “She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world.”
Unfortunately, Rihanna didn’t enjoy Drake’s public declaration of love. “Waiting through that speech was probably the most uncomfortable part,” she said. “I don’t like too many compliments; I don’t like to be put on blast.”
Shortly after that Vogue interview, Drake unfollowed Rihanna on Instagram. The two would reunite in January 2020 following her split from longtime boyfriend Hassan Jameel, but right as Rihanna’s relationship with Rocky began to pick up.
Rocky and Rihanna would go on to announce their first pregnancy in January 2022. They welcomed a baby boy in May. At the 2023 Super Bowl, she revealed she was pregnant for the second time. She gave birth to her and Rocky’s second child, another boy, in August.
