Drake: Song About Nicki Minaj

Before the speculation went viral, there was this Thank Me Later deep cut. The line is now infamous in Drake lore: “Always promised that I’d take ‘em to the top / I guess that Nicki Minaj is the only thing I got.” At the time, fans saw it as a label shoutout. But in hindsight, given their undeniable closeness, it reads like a young artist admitting who his real anchor was.

This Take Care track is a heartfelt letter to the important women in Drake’s life—his mother, his grandmother, and… Nicki Minaj. He raps: “Nicki, I’ll tell you this on the road / I just hope that you know that I’d give you the world / If you wasn’t the one that already had it.” It’s a respectful, almost bittersweet admission of admiration that goes far beyond “colleagues.”

While not a love song, the music video for HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right) is a time capsule. Drake and Nicki share a charged, playful energy during their scenes together. The song itself isn’t about her, but Drake’s body language and the way he looks at her in the visual cemented the “shippers” theory for good. drake song about nicki minaj

Drake & Nicki Minaj: A Hip-Hop Love Story (Told Through His Songs)

On For All the Dogs , Drake drops a line that reignited the rumor mill: “I had a crush on Nicki Minaj / But that was back in the day.” For years, he deflected and hinted. Here, he finally says the quiet part out loud. It’s casual, almost throwaway, but it confirms what fans always suspected: at some point, the Young Money duo had a real, albeit unresolved, spark. Before the speculation went viral, there was this

This one is complicated. On the surface, “Only” is Nicki’s song about female empowerment and sexual freedom. But Drake’s verse feels deeply personal: “You know we got that chemistry, the lab just called / You know I’m pussy-whipped, the cat just called / A real ni**a, that’s the only thing I never been / Let me be the only thing you never let him.” Many fans believe he’s speaking directly to Nicki—referencing their real-life chemistry and hinting at unspoken boundaries.

For over a decade, Drake and Nicki Minaj haven’t just been labelmates—they’ve been one of hip-hop’s most compelling “what if?” dynamics. Their chemistry, both in the booth and in interviews, has sparked endless fan speculation. While neither has ever fully confirmed a romantic past, Drake has certainly left a paper trail of lyrics that seem to point directly at the Queen of Rap. Here’s a look at the most notable Drake songs where Nicki Minaj is the clear, or rumored, muse. This Take Care track is a heartfelt letter

Drake has never written a full, explicit “Nicki Minaj diss track” or a “love letter ballad” titled after her. Instead, he’s woven her into his catalog like a recurring motif—admiration, longing, playful jealousy, and finally, nostalgic confession. Whether it was ever a full relationship or just a deep friendship with tension, Drake’s songs suggest Nicki Minaj was never just a labelmate. She was a muse. Want more deep dives into hip-hop’s most intriguing relationships? Drop a comment below!