A musical, abbreviated history of Drake's 7-year obsession with Rihanna

Drake has been crushing on Rihanna since the two were first spotted together in a bowling alley seven years ago. Now, according to an anonymous source that spoke with People, Drizzy and RiRi are apparently "secretly dating" — and have been for months.

Of course, the couple is famously on-again off-again, so who can really keep track? We tried, using seven years' worth of Drake's lovesick lyrics. Jeva Lange

"Fireworks" (2010)

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Who coulda predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me?

What happened between us that night, it always seems to trouble me

"Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge is a popular bowling alley/nightclub in New York — it is also the first place Drake and Rihanna were ever spotted together." [Genius]

"Made Men" (2011)

One of my baddest women ever, I call her Rihanna

But that's 'cause her name is Rihanna

"Remember, back in June Drizzy confessed that Rihanna left him high and dry after a brief fling. Well, since then they've collaborated on her No. 1 single 'What's My Name?,' and apparently everything's on the up and up." [Entertainment Weekly]

"No Lie" (2012)

Chances are it's what's her name

Chances are, if she was acting up

Then I f----d her once and never f----d again

She could have a Grammy, I still treat her ass like a nominee

"The 'No Lie' verse refers to a female Grammy winner, with Rihanna already having five of the awards to her name, and also seems to refer to Rihanna and Drake's 2011 collaboration 'What's My Name?'" [Capital FM]

"5 AM in Toronto" (2013)

I mean, where you think she at when she ain't with ya?

Wildin', doin' shit that's way out of your budget

"Lines like 'Where you think she at when she ain't with ya?' fuel speculation that the Toronto MC is taking shots at the once-rumored love triangle between him, Chris Brown, and Rihanna." [MTV]

"Views From the 6" (2014)

You must remember wakin' up in Paris with the blunt

You must remember f---in' me like anytime you want

What made us wanna act like we were married for two weeks?

Now we back in California, we don't even speak

"RiRi showed up to L'Avenue, one of Paris' most famous celebrity hotspots, on 23rd of February, to have dinner with her back then on-and-off boyfriend, Drake." [Genius]

"My Side" (2015)

Why you never come to where I'm staying?

Always hiding out in your New York condo

Why you never come to where I'm staying?

If anybody knows, girl, you know I know

"Not only does that Bad Gal live in New York (and probably one of the few people able to afford a condo in NYC), but she and Drake attempted a relationship multiple times and couldn't make it work." [Celebuzz]

"Hype" (2016)

You cannot be here right next to me

Don't you see Riri right next to me?

"Following the release of 'Hype,' the Twitterverse exploded with speculation that Drake is confirming his rumored romance with Rihanna." [ET Online]