When Drake dropped a verse on the 2020 track "Mr. Right Now," the internet basically hit a wall. He rapped a line that felt like a glitch in the simulation: "Yeah, said she wanna f— to some SZA, wait / 'Cause I used to date SZA back in '08." Wait, what?
People were doing the math instantly. In 2008, Solána Imani Rowe (SZA) would have been 17 or 18. Drake was already making waves with Degrassi fame and a bubbling rap career. The "creepy" allegations started flying before the song even finished its first play on Spotify. But honestly, as with most things in the Drake-verse, the truth was a little less scandalous and a lot more "youth vibes."
When Did SZA Date Drake? Setting the Record Straight
The short answer: they dated in 2009.
SZA didn't let the 2008 rumor simmer for long. She hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to give everyone a much-needed reality check. She confirmed they were a thing but clarified that the year was actually 2009. According to her, Drake just used "08" because it rhymed with "wait."
It’s called poetic license. rappers do it all the time to keep the flow, even if it messes with the historical record.
SZA was very specific about why she spoke up. She didn't want anyone thinking something "underage or creepy" was happening. By 2009, she was safely 19, and Drake was around 23. In the grand scheme of celebrity age gaps, it was pretty standard. She described the whole thing as "completely innocent" and "lifetimes ago."
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The "Childish" Fling vs. The "Regina George" Energy
If you're looking for a tragic love story or a messy breakup, you're going to be disappointed. SZA has been pretty vocal about the fact that this wasn't some deep, soul-shattering romance.
In a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, she called the relationship "childish."
"We were really young," she told the magazine. "It wasn't hot and heavy or anything. It was like youth vibes."
Basically, they were just two kids in the industry hanging out before the world knew SZA as the R&B powerhouse she is today. At the time, she was spending a lot of time in New York City and hadn't even released her debut EP, See.SZA.Run. Drake, meanwhile, was right on the cusp of global superstardom with So Far Gone.
Interestingly, SZA has also compared Drake's personality to Regina George from Mean Girls. She told Audacy that he has that "popular kid" quality where he’s entertaining but also someone who might "victimize" you in a lighthearted, social way. She cackled through an SNL skit that poked fun at Drake’s long list of exes, even though she wasn't invited to be in the "United Tingz of Aubrey" sketch.
A Timeline of the SZA and Drake Connection
To understand how we got from a quiet 2009 fling to a #1 hit in 2023, you have to look at the breadcrumbs they left over the years.
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- 2009: The actual dating period. It was low-key, private, and mostly forgotten by everyone but them.
- 2018: Drake name-drops her real name, Solána, in "Diplomatic Immunity." He raps, "I just pulled up on Solána show, the girl's a natural / I knew her way back when Hollywood was international." Most people missed the romantic subtext back then.
- October 2020: The "Mr. Right Now" verse happens. SZA unfollows Drake on Instagram briefly, which set the blogs on fire. She later clears the air about the "08 vs 09" timeline.
- September 2023: They finally collaborate. After years of being "the exes," they dropped "Slime You Out." It was the lead single for Drake's album For All The Dogs.
- 2024: Things get weird. SZA finds herself caught in the crossfire of the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef. Drake mentions her in his diss track "Push Ups," saying Kendrick isn't even in the "Big Three" because "SZA got you wiped down." SZA’s reaction? A meme of NeNe Leakes asking, "Now why am I in this?"
Why the 2009 Date Matters for E-E-A-T
When we talk about celebrity history, accuracy is everything. Google's focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) means we can't just repeat the lyrics.
The fact is, SZA was a student at the time. She had graduated high school in 2008. She was just starting to find her voice. Drake was already working with Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. The power dynamic might seem skewed in hindsight, but SZA has consistently maintained that it was a peer-to-peer "youth vibe."
She even defended him when the "grooming" whispers started, noting that anyone who knew her back then could confirm it was "all love all peace."
The Professional Evolution
Seeing them transition from a 2009 "situationship" to 2023 musical collaborators was a full-circle moment for fans. "Slime You Out" wasn't just a song; it was a statement. It proved they could move past the awkwardness of a public name-drop and actually create art.
The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was SZA's second chart-topper after "Kill Bill."
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Even though they've had their moments—like SZA being annoyed that Drake used an unfinished version of her vocals for the single—they seem to have a mutual respect. She’s praised his "honesty" in his songwriting, even if it means her business gets aired out every few years.
What to take away from the SZA and Drake saga
If you're trying to keep your celebrity trivia straight, remember these three things:
- The Year: It was 2009, not 2008. The lyric was for the rhyme scheme, not the calendar.
- The Vibe: It was casual. "Childish" and "youth vibes" are the exact words SZA used.
- The Status: They are professional peers now. Despite being dragged into the Kendrick beef, SZA and Drake have successfully navigated the "exes to collaborators" pipeline better than most.
If you're curious about how SZA's past relationships influenced her music, you can look into the stories behind her album SOS. She’s admitted that many of those tracks were actually about an 11-year relationship with a former fiancé—a fashion designer—rather than her brief stint with the 6 God.
Next Steps for Music Fans:
You can verify the timeline yourself by checking SZA's archived tweets from October 2020 or reading her full cover story in the October 2023 issue of Rolling Stone. For a deeper look at their musical chemistry, listen to "Rich Baby Daddy" to hear how their styles evolved since those early 2009 days.