Drake and Rihanna’s fiery musical collaboration seems to have hit a sour note, with the Canadian rap sensation throwing some serious shade at his former flame during the opening night of his latest tour.
The “Started From the Bottom” hitmaker, 37, shocked fans in Tampa, Florida, as he outright refused to perform their mega-hit duet “Work” on stage. Instead, he left the singing duties to the audience, slyly stating, “I don’t sing this song anymore. You can sing it for me.”
Drake and Rihanna, 35, have a long history of musical partnerships, churning out chart-topping tracks like “What’s My Name?” and “Take Care” that set fans’ hearts ablaze with speculation of a deeper connection.
The love story that never was
Yet, despite Drake’s public declarations of admiration for Rihanna, including a confession of love at the 2016 MTV VMAs, their relationship remained platonic, according to the Barbadian beauty.
However, rumors of lingering feelings and unresolved tension between the two resurfaced with Drake’s 2023 track “Fear of Heights,” where some speculated he took veiled jabs at Rihanna.
Now, with Drake’s latest move to snub their collaborative anthem “Work” on tour, fans are buzzing with speculation about his intentions.
Fans may have a point
While some believe it’s a petty attempt to reignite old flames, others question the timing and purpose of keeping the song on the setlist if he had no intention of performing it.
“Drake is such an interesting character because why tf did he add it to the setlist in the first place,” one user wrote in X, while someone else asserted, “He easily could’ve just removed the song from his set.”
Another user wondered, “Nobody asked. Why would he have it on the setlist if he wasn’t gonna perform it?”“Rihanna is happily married with two kids, and he’s still trying to be shady like high school kids?” stated one more.
As social media erupts with reactions, one thing is clear: Drake’s shady move has reignited the age-old debate surrounding his relationship with Rihanna, leaving fans buzzing with curiosity and skepticism about his motives.