The 5 famous women in Drake's life and lyrics

Inbetween picking up a record-breaking 13 gongs at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards (Adele previously held the top spot, bagging an impressive 12 awards), Drake found the time to lay compliments galore at the feet of the evening's host, Vanessa Hudgens.

While collecting an award onstage, Drake dished out some warm words for the former Disney star ("I wanna say that Vanessa Hudgens, you look incredible tonight") with rumoured beau Nicki Minaj looking less than impressed, yelling "Oh excuse me?! What about me?"

Is this Fake Love or will Vanessa and Drizzy soon be making Headlines? It's all TBC, to be honest. All we do know is that the women in Aubrey Drake Graham's life provide a strong and steady stream of are-they-aren't-they speculation and, no doubt, lyrical inspiration. From RiRi to Serena Williams, here are the five stars that Drizzy just can't shake.

Dubbed AubRih (it's like it was meant to be) and loved by the internet at large, the relationship between Rihanna and Drake hasn't been smooth sailing if Drizzy's lyrics are anything to go by.

Supposedly referencing Rih and their first date at Lucky Strike in Fireworks ("Who coulda predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me? What happened between us that night, it always seems to trouble me") and Made Men ("One of my baddest women ever, I call Rihanna, But that’s because her name is Rihanna") among a whole lot more, it seems like it's not completely over for the duo. You can work, work, work, work, work it out, guys. We know you can.

This love is deep and complicated, so we'll keep it short and sweet. Speaking to MTV2 years ago, Drizzy professed his love for Nicki: "I saw Nicki for the first time and, like, literally fell in love. I've always really, actually, really had a crush on her, always really loved her, and she's always just looked at me as, like, her little brother."

What a charmer. Fast forward a few years, a lot of lyrical references, a few saucy music videos, even more saucy onstage performances and, of course, a sprinkling of longtime-admirer-vs-boyfriend beef (Drake and Meek Mill, Nicki's ex-boyfriend, have dished out their fair share of disses) and it seems as though Drake might have turned that former crush into a couple status. Moral of the story: never give up on your dreams.

What exactly went on between these two is still to be confirmed but whatever it was, it caused Rihanna to unfollow JLo on Instagram. Make of that what you will.

After a flurry of cute cuddly photos featuring the two hit social media, the world was convinced that Drake and JLo were dating. Were they? Maybe so. Speaking on the Grammy Awards red carpet, Jennifer had this to say about her possible former fella: "We made a song together. We hung out. We have a great time. He's amazing. I have so much love for that boy."

It started back in 2011 with Drake watching Serena play tennis and ended in 2015 with Drake watching Serena play tennis.

What happened inbetween that time? Oh not much, really. A few lyrical references ("I'm with my whole set, tennis matches at the crib, I swear I could beat Serena when she playin' with her left"), a feud with Serena's ex-boyfriend Common, a couple of kisses captured on camera on a date in Cincinnati and another tennis reference: "The ball is in your court, No defence, nobody’s keeping score, No offence but I’ve played this before, Maybe you can but you just don’t care."

But now? Now it looks like it's nil points for the duo. You played well while it lasted, guys.

OK, so this relationship isn't quite like the others but, in an article about the ladies in Drizzy's life, it would be remiss of us not to mention his mum.

Racking up more musical references than all the stars above combined, there's no doubt that Sandi Graham is the apple of Drake's eye. Rapping on Closer To My Dreams (featured on the Comeback Season mixtape), Aubrey cites his mum as his motivation: "I promise mama, I'm do it 'cause I know I put you through it, And I just want you to sit around the dinner table with ya friends and say 'My baby's famous and I know it.'"

So, there you have it. Drake has One Love and it's almost definitely his mum.