Rihanna and Drake have been called the Ross and Rachel of hip-hop, and honestly, the title is pretty accurate when we look back at how on-again, off-again their relationship has been since the first time they were spotted together in 2009.
One of the biggest moments in their history was when Drake presented Rihanna with the Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 VMAs. HIs speech included the memorable line, “She's someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old.”
Cut to two years later, Rihanna’s appearing on the cover of Vogue’s June 2018 issue, where she was asked about that night—and her thoughts on his speech weren’t as romantic as Drake may have hoped.
“Waiting through that speech was probably the most uncomfortable part. I don’t like too many compliments; I don’t like to be put on blast.”
Ouch for Drake, but I can see where she’s coming from: standing in front of a huge crowd while somebody declares their love for you and discusses all your accomplishments sounds great in theory, but even the most outgoing people can become a little embarrassed by something like that. And I bet the fact that it was Drake makes things even more complicated, considering Rihanna’s answer when she was asked about their relationship.
“We don’t have a friendship now, but we’re not enemies either,” she said. “It is what it is.”
Of course, Drake and Rihanna could always come back together for another collab like “Work” or “Too Good,” but in the meantime, it looks like Rihanna’s got her attention on another man. Whether she’s moved on for good, only time will tell.