A clip from a recent interview with Drake has gone viral on social media with many expressing their anger and frustration with the way he addressed his work with Chris Brown.
The clip, revealed by Complex on Wednesday, showed Drake contradicting himself with his comments on “respecting” Rihanna but also going on to working with her abuser.
Drake on Rihanna and linking up with Chris Brown:
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) December 25, 2019
“That person that was kind of in the middle of us is no longer a part of either of our lives…I have the utmost love and respect for her.”
[via @ElliottWilson‘s #RapRadarPodcast] https://t.co/clJa8EqIeF
“Like that person that was kind of in the middle of us is like no longer a part of either of our lives currently,” he says at the beginning of the clip, shared in a Twitter thread by Complex with snippets from the whole interview. “And I have the utmost love and respect for her. I think of her as family more than anything and I felt… I actually had like kind of a moment of hesitation before because I didn’t want her to ever feel disrespected by me linking up with him.”
He goes on to say that he was happy to have put this “childish” issue behind him—it’s not clear if the issue is Brown’s violent abuse of Rihanna, or Drake’s own relationship with her, or both, but given the weight of all those situations, it was frustrating for many to watch him reduce it to “childish shit.”
“But I also know how many nights she knows that me and him have both been consumed by this issue,” he goes on to say, “and I think she is a good person with a good heart that would rather see us put that issue to bed than… continue like childish shit that could end up in a serious situation so I decided to go ahead with it.”
People are angry he would reduce it to something so light.
Drake equates Rihanna’s abuse to “childish things” ugh Drake you’re a punk https://t.co/CsjJAYCdy6
— jonny kandell (@JonnyCandle) December 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/smallBBQgrill/status/1210012782055362560?s=20
https://twitter.com/MrZwaneThe5th/status/1210237420408627201?s=20
her TRAUMA isn’t “childish shit” YOU feel the need to “put to bed” because its getting in the way of you collaborating with some abusive ass fool. get fucked. https://t.co/Lx7Fxe3Mcd
— dee🪷 (@songofasystole) December 26, 2019
People are furious, for, fundamentally, his comments about respecting and loving Rihanna but still working with her abuser.
Drake says he didn’t know if Rihanna would be happy if he got cool with Chris Brown again but believed she would be supportive.
— King Wow (@wowthatshiphop) December 26, 2019
it’s like he’s begging to be booed off of another stage https://t.co/3BPkJ0hyP0
— b. (@evannbuckley) December 26, 2019
Watched this Drake interview because I’m bored and it’s clear these dudes in the industry are childish and immature as fuck. Drake really trying to blame Rihanna and Nicki Minaj for his fall outs with Meek and Chris Brown….nah you the common denominator nigga lol maybe… pic.twitter.com/egGNKJztcu
— BAKARI (@danisbabysitter) December 26, 2019
if u have respect for someone then u wouldn’t be friends with their abuser but hey what do i know https://t.co/FhDAANMYYD
— im buggin (@tennisshelbow) December 26, 2019
There are also other issues with his statement. Claiming Rihanna is a “good person” who would want them to bury these issues adds to the sexist perception that it’s a natural course of action for a woman to forgive her abuser, and equates having a “good heart” with someone who can put something like this behind. But the year is 2019, and we’re not here for that trope any longer.
Many are speculating that Drake just can’t get over his romance with Rihanna.
If it was up to Chris he would be with Rihanna lmao hell if it was up to any of her exes they would be with her so since drake and Chris realized she wanted neither they were able to be cool again😭 https://t.co/XpQcjFARWt
— 🦋11:11 (@bigleagueness) December 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/90sSuccubus/status/1210126024962428928?s=20
https://twitter.com/dyingsince97/status/1209996984431587329?s=20
Drake: I just love you so much, Rihanna. Please love me back, I’m begging you, I am baring my soul in a “serious” moment front of millions of ppl on this show rn
— Mars (Like the planet, yeah) (@MarsinCharge) December 26, 2019
Rihanna: pic.twitter.com/82RZErnnfV
Because, frankly, it looks like he is just obsessed with her.
https://twitter.com/luco_zain/status/1210232648989233152?s=20
https://twitter.com/MeanMug_Mamii/status/1210059556316803072?s=20
“I was trying to date Rihanna so I didn’t work with Chris Brown. When she curved me, I took my hurt ass & worked with him bc I didn’t actually care that she was an abuse survivor & just wanted in her pants” – drake, basically https://t.co/mWDMwgDROP
— kt (@vkharv) December 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/mad___boi/status/1210240821620092928?s=20
https://twitter.com/luco_zain/status/1210232648989233152?s=20
Also, Rihanna is just so much bigger than either of them.
https://twitter.com/FentyAzalea1/status/1210032861039996928?s=20
Many took it as a reminder that Drake has been at the heart of controversies this year surrounding his relationships with young, female celebrities like Billie Eilish and Millie Bobby Brown, which have been accused of exhibiting grooming behavior.
https://twitter.com/jckprry/status/1209373302030000128?s=20
https://twitter.com/kirradoll/status/1210020131247677446?s=20
https://twitter.com/girlofurmemes/status/1210232135409426437?s=20
READ MORE:
- No, Drake did not shoot his shot with Billie Eilish on Instagram
- Billie Eilish turning 18 brings out the memes—and creeps
- Instagram is melting down trying to prove Drake and Kylie Jenner are dating
