A Comprehensive Timeline of Nicki Minaj and Drake’s Friendship and Romantic Flirtations Over the Years

Nicki Minaj and Drake share one of the most enduring friendships within the rap industry. The pair initially crossed paths at the beginning of their careers when both were signed to Lil Wayne’s label, Young Money, back in 2009.

As the years progressed, their friendship deepened, with each frequently collaborating on tracks and appearing together at live performances. Drake has also suggested he has romantic feelings for the talented female rapper on several occasions.

However, their friendship faced challenges during Nicki’s relationship with fellow rapper Meek Mill, particularly due to a public Twitter feud between him and Drake. Thankfully, their bond was mended once Nicki’s relationship came to an end.

Exploring the Timeline of Nicki Minaj and Drake’s Friendship and Flirtations

June 2010: Drake Confesses His Love for Nicki Minaj in “Miss Me”

Shortly after being signed by Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj grew closer. On June 1, 2010, Drake released “Miss Me,”a track from his debut studio album, Thank Me Later, where he openly professed his affection for Minaj. His lyrical confession included:

“I love Nicki Minaj/ I told her I’d admit it/ I hope one day we get married just to say we f***ing did it/ And girl I’m f***ing serious I’m with it if you with it.”

November 2011: Drake Calls Minaj “The Ideal Woman”

During a November 15, 2011 interview with The Daily Beast, Drake referred to Nicki Minaj as his “ideal woman,”explaining his sentiments:

“If there’s any woman in my life that’s the ideal woman for me, it’s definitely Nicki. I like the stripped-down Nicki. I like Nicki with no makeup, black hair, some casual clothes in a recording booth rapping an amazing verse.”

He further expressed:

“I know some great women, but all jokes aside, Nicki is somebody I could spend my life with because I think we understand each other.”

June 2013: Minaj Refers to Drizzy as Her “Baby”in a Hot 97 Interview

On June 4, 2013, during an interview with Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg, Nicki Minaj fondly referred to Drake as her “baby,”stating:

“Drake is my baby ’cause that’s how we were when we came in, so whenever I think of him, I’ll be like, ‘Oh, that’s my baby.’ Whatever is going on now, obviously we’re all very busy, and you know, sh*t happens.”

She also highlighted the challenges of maintaining friendships across great distances:

“It gets a little hard to have a real connection when people are on different sides of the world and working on different things.”

2015: Minaj and Drake Stop Communicating Due to Drizzy-Meek Mill Feud

Nicki began dating rapper Meek Mill in early 2015, a relationship that continued until January 2017. During this time, tensions rose between Mill and Drake on Twitter (now X), causing a rift between Nicki and Drizzy, resulting in no communication.

In an NME interview on April 12, 2018, following the end of her relationship, Nicki described this period as “one of the hardest parts of my career,”reflecting:

“I was behind the scenes, wishing it wouldn’t happen. I said, ‘Don’t do that.’ I think, as artists, we all look back on things that we shouldn’t have done.”

She added:

“And that was one of those things he shouldn’t have done. But he did it, and it is what it is. What I do know is that Meek and Drake have moved on from that.”

April 2016: Drake Acknowledges Lack of Communication with Nicki Minaj

During this turbulent time, Drake also felt the absence of communication with Nicki. In an interview with Zane Lowe from Apple Beats 1 on April 28, 2016, he shared about their situation:

“I don’t really talk to Nicki. She’s another person I have a lot of love for, a lot of respect for her and the past and what we built. I understand what love is and I understand a personal situation.”

Drake elaborated:

“She dealt with me how I would expect her to – with class. I would do the same, you know. There are times I was sitting there waiting to see, you know, how deep is your love? I have respect for Nicki, but unfortunately, we haven’t spoken.”

2017: Minaj and Drake Reunite After Her Breakup with Meek Mill

Despite the difficulties in their friendship, Drake and Nicki Minaj reconnected following her breakup with Meek Mill. On February 1, 2017, the Barbie World rapper shared a photo with Drizzy on her Instagram, signaling their renewed friendship.

Since that time, the two artists have continued to maintain a close relationship, with Drake contributing to the track “Needle”on Nicki’s 2023 album Pink Friday 2.

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