10 Times Drake Was Alluding to a Celebrity Girlfriend (Probably Rihanna) in His Raps

Drake is a bleeding heart. No matter how many grade-A diss tracks he drops or how much he sheds his softer aesthetic for a harder, cynical, tough-guy edge on projects like If You're Reading This, It's Too Late, he will always have a reputation for simping on wax. It's hard to shake drunk-dialing an ex on record, fam. With that said, of course his stabs at romance graduated from various women across the map, from Toronto to Houston to Courtney at Hooters on Peachtree to women that match or even outpace his celebrity. He's lusted after labelmate Nicki Minaj since his formal introduction to the game. He's probably dating Serena Williams now. And then there is Rihanna, the great One That Got Away turned reliably off-and-on partner. They're two emotional maelstroms that inevitably collide every now and then, getting the shippers' hopes up for a successor-couple to Jay and Bey before they drift apart again.

But since he's gotten hip to the game, Drake's dialed back on his transparency, instead referencing Rih and the other two women in his life in a slightly more subtle fashion. But now that Serena's in the picture, it throws newer verses into question. Before we always assumed Rihanna, and for the time being, we'll assume Serena. But it may not always be that cut and dry. So let's break down Drake's biggest references and assign it to the proper girls in question.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "Who could've predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me?"

Ah, debut Drake was so earnest. He wore his heart so plainly on his sleeve. It only takes him one verse on his first official album before he's addressing his first high-profile relationship. Little did he know how many times he'd go on to discuss it, but rarely would he be so blatant. Lucky Strike—as in the bowling lounge—was, randomly, the first place Drake and Rih were spotted together and where the relationship rumors would first spark up. As a brand new dude in the industry cavorting with one of its most alluring women, the Boy was very understandably caught up, while the more seasoned and probably cynical Rihanna treated it less seriously. In "Fireworks," Drake sounds lightweight heartbroken but grateful for the experience. But, of course, he too would soon become very cynical.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Maliah Michel

Most telling line: "Someone tell Maliah I'm on fire, she should work tonight"

Drake really caught feelings everywhere during his first year or so in the game. First Rihanna, then he pulled a T-Pain and really fell in love (or in lust, at least) with a, uh, "dancer." She also co-starred in his "Find Your Love" video. Shockingly, it was short-lived.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "One of my baddest women ever, I call her Rihanna/But that's 'cause her name is Rihanna"

No analysis needed here! The flex is in the shameless blatancy. Drake bounced back from sounding hurt on "Fireworks" to casually referring to the fling while trading boast-bars with Rozay. It's a safe bet that he recorded this during one of their "off" phases.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "Fuck them hoes, you got the award already/You go to Chanel and get rewards already"

Dropping around the time of Drake's European tour leg, which coincided with the European leg of Drake and Rih's sprawling on-and-off romance (she definitely did wake up in Amsterdam with the Boy), everyone assumed this was an ode to Rih off the rip. It samples her song "Stay," while Drake sings (then raps, very well) out his musings on whether they should make things official. It literally sounds like a late-night drive on wax. Then when he performed this at OVO Fest images of a woman strongly resembling Ms. Fenty's likeness flashed on the screens beside him.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "Where Jen and Melissa, tell the squad I said whatup"

​Wow, this is the most blatant Drake's ever been. The signs all point to Rihanna, and then he goes and underlines it with asking for Jen and Melissa, as in Rih's two best friends and leading entourage members, Jennifer Rosales and Melissa Forde. And the state of their on-again/off-again relationship has never been made clearer than the devastating, "What made us want to act like we were married for two weeks*/Now we're back in California, we don't even speak." Damn, these two are never going to make it work officially, huh?

(*Probably alluding to Drake's touring stint in Europe where Rih attended a handful of shows and the two were spotted coupled up all over.)

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "Ex-girl, she the female version of me"

A commitment-phobic, strip club-loving, regular breaker of the other gender's hearts? Yeah, how is this not Rihanna, lmao.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "She said, 'I heard you back with you-know-who'/I told her, 'Girl, I'm always back with you-know-who'"

Well, if Mama Champagne can't get a hold of her son and has to resort to Google alerts to keep tabs on his life, who the hell else could this bar possibly be about? There's only one woman in Drake's life who qualifies to be referred to in Voldemort fashion.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Serena Williams

Most telling line: "You got your trophies/I know how you like to show 'em off and shine 'em up, and line 'em up"

Given the timing and the theme, this has to be about the current reigning woman in Drizzy's life. He sings about a girl who put things on hold a while ago and suddenly wants to resume, which would fit the chronology of his relationship with Serena. Rumors swirled around the two as far back as late 2011/early 2012—hence Common's reaction and subsequent ethering on "Stay Schemin"—but then talk cooled until now. Clearly ya boy was hurt and a little dubious, but it looks like they've gotten past that.

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Nicki Minaj

Most telling line: "Rumor has it I either fucked her or never could/But 'rumor has it' hasn't done you niggas any good"

In just one of many cold, calculated jabs at Meek Mill, Drake takes the Internet speculation that Meek outed the existence of Quentin Miller out of jealousy regarding Drake and Nicki Minaj and throws it right in his face. This, just months after "Only," where the Young Money triumvirate made a gleefully perverse and meta song addressing longtime rumors that they've hooked up. Foreshadowing for the even bigger spotlight he'd cast on their relationship in "Back to Back."

Maybe, sort of, definitely about: Rihanna

Most telling line: "Live from Berlin"

Twist! At first glance it would seem Drake's talking to Serena. The verse starts with a ball and court reference, and though they seem to be up and running now, rumors have been swirling since 2011 (re, the Common beef), which definitely ties into the verse's themes of timing and being ready. BUT, the detectives at KanyeToThe have pointed out that the live from Berlin line heavily implies this verse was recorded during the Would You Like a Tour? European leg, the same time Rihanna appeared at several tour stops. "Tell Your Friends" is rumored to have been a beat Drake's had in the vault for at least a year, which would line up with his romantic life. Or maybe the forums are reading too deep into shit again and the trophies mentioned refer to the champ he's currently dating. Either way, no matter which rich and famous dime this 16 was aimed at, she surely wasn't very impressed lmao. The sentiment is sweet, but this shit sounds like bad slam poetry at open mic night, straight up. #Evoooooolve.