Did SZA and Drake date? The relationship history resurfaces after the Super Bowl.
Even though the Super Bowl is long over, the talk still revolves around Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, which featured Serena Williams and SZA.
But was their appearance more than just a coincidence? There were hints that Serena Williams might have been responding to Drake’s diss track “Not Like Us,” after he mentioned her in several songs, even years after their rumored connection between 2011 and 2015.
In 2022, Drake once again referenced Serena Williams in his song “Middle of the Ocean,” rapping: “Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie / He claim we don’t got a problem but / No, boo, it is like you coming for sushi.”
Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, fired back: “The reason I stay winning is because I’m relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do—including being the best groupie for my wife & daughter.”
But what about SZA? While she is well known for her hit “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and their upcoming tour, she also has a hidden link to Drake.
Was this entire situation a reaction to the Canadian rapper?
You might be surprised to learn that they did indeed have a past, but it wasn’t recent. They were connected back in 2008-2009, before SZA (whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe) became a household name in music. This connection was revealed in Drake’s 2020 song “Mr. Right Now.”
“I used to date SZA back in ’08, if you cool with it, baby, she can still play,” he raps in the track.
However, SZA was quick to clarify the details.
“So it was actually 2009 lol,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter) in October that year. “In this case, a year of poetic rap license mattered. Lol I think he just innocently rhymed 08 with wait. Anybody who really knows me and was around during this time can confirm.”
She added, “it’s all love, all peace,” further clarifying, “I just didn’t want anyone thinking anything underage or creepy was happening. Completely innocent. Lifetimes ago.”
Later, she appeared on SNL during the same episode that aired a sketch portraying Drake as the ultimate womanizer, offering compensation to his exes. While she wasn’t sure if the producers knew about their past, she shared her thoughts on the 38-year-old.
“In a strange way, I was like, ‘Did they know?’” she recalled to Audacy, wondering if the SNL writers knew about her and Drake’s history. “But they didn’t ask me to be in it. Nobody said anything.”
She added, “I feel like Drake has a Regina George quality to him where it’s just kind of like, ‘Have you or anyone you know been personally victimized?’ He’s like a cool kid, you know. When you’re the popular kid in school, it’s entertaining. But sometimes you’re also taking losses in the process. I respect his honesty. But I definitely laughed real hard…I cackled.”
By 2023, it seemed their relationship had improved, with SZA appearing on Drake’s tracks “Slime You Out” and “Rich Baby Daddy” from his album For All The Dogs.
However, by 2024, their friendship took another turn when SZA was drawn into Drake’s conflict with Kendrick Lamar. This marked a full-circle moment.
“Pipsqueak, pipe down / You ain’t in no big three, SZA got you wiped down,” Drake rapped on his diss track “Push Ups.”
SZA quickly responded on Instagram, posting a meme from Real Housewives of Atlanta, with NeNe Leakes saying: “Now why am I in this? You see how I get thrown into it? I ain’t even did nothing.”
It seems SZA has shown Drake who’s in control after her Super Bowl performance with Lamar. The duo will soon tour together, and it’s only a matter of time before the next diss track drops.