Drake loves Aaliyah. Period. Ever since he dropped out of the sky and into a swirling storm of fame, Drake has made it abundantly clear that he will admire the late Aaliyah Dana Haughton until the day he himself leaves this earth. While she passed at the age of 22 in 2001, that hasn't stopped Drake from keeping her memory alive, via constant reminders of his undying love for her. He's shouted her out on wax; he's gotten her actual face tattooed on his actual back; and he's honored her via various interpolations and musical homages. There's so much more—but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Over the past near decade, Drake has managed to diversify his love for Aaliyah in creative ways that seem impossible until he's already done it. If that's not commitment, I don't know what is. And in some cases, one miiiight even call it obsession. But that's neither here nor there. Read on to find out all of the ways Drake has pledged his allegiance to the Princess of R&B.
November 2009: Drake References "Are U That Somebody" On "BedRock"
June 2010: 40 and Boi-1da Sample Aaliyah for "Unforgettable"
August 2010: Drake Pens a Letter to Aaliyah
On the ninth anniversary of her death (Aug. 25, 2001), Drake took to Rap Radar to pen a letter to Aaliyah and addressed her by her middle name.
Dear Dana,
I’ve never lost a parent, a friend, or a lover but I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. I remember getting the news that you had passed and it connected with my heart like a clean shot from Muhammad Ali. I was crushed. Not only was I one of your biggest fans but I was truly in love with you. I loved the way you carried yourself, the way you dressed, the confidence with which you addressed passion and relationships in your music. I said to myself that even if we never met, I wanted a woman in my life just like you. I am pained that we will never get to connect now that music ended up being my career path. But you should know, we all listen to you everyday and we remain inspired and moved by all that you’ve given the world. I hope I make the right life choices so I can end up in heaven where I know you rest your head. I’ll continue to make music in your honor until the day we finally meet. Dinner’s on me!
Love you always and forever,
Drake
January 2011: Drake Talks Aaliyah's Influence on His Life and Music
November 2011: Drake Shouts Out Aaliyah on "We'll Be Fine"
November 2011: Drake Cops an Aaliyah In-Ear Monitor
When Drake tweeted about having Aaliyah in his ear at every show, it wasn't 100 percent clear what he meant.
RIP Baby Girl...in my ear at every show letting me know the next move I should make. Love you.
— Drizzy (@Drake) August 25, 2011
That was, of course, until photos like the one above surfaced, showcasing what appears to be an in-ear monitor with Aaliyah's face on it.
November 2011: Drake Interpolates Aaliyah's Flow on "The Real Her"
Perhaps as a means of showing that we know it's real, Drizzy got a tattoo of Aaliyah on his back.