Drake Professes Love For Rihanna While Presenting Her Video Vanguard Award At MTV VMAs [Full Text]

While presenting Rihanna with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Drake professed his love for the singer.

Drake Speech About Rihanna At VMAs

It had been known for awhile that Rihanna would receive the Video Vanguard Award at this year’s VMAS. And, in the end, it was Drake who had the honor of presenting the major award to her. Drake began his speech by recounting the first time that he laid eyes on Rihanna – when she was already a star and he was on Degrassi, playing music at a restaurant on the side. He went on to talk about not just Rihanna the singer who tops the charts and rakes in the awards, but the person he knows. Drake finished his speech by admitting that he’s been in love with Rihanna since he was 22.

“The first time I met Robyn Fenty was 2005. She was shooting a music video at a restaurant called Avocado in Toronto. The song was ‘Pon de Replay’ and the director of the video was Little X. I was introduced to her as a kid who played background music at the restaurant as people ate their dinner. It’s hard to believe that 11 years later all three of us would come together for a visual for a song called ‘Work.’ Today, the world knows Little X as Director X. They know me as Drake and not the kid singing while you order pasta. But 11 years later, we still all know Rihanna as the one and only Rihanna.

Captivating from day one, the iconic being that is Rihanna was already at a place where most artists only dream of going. For them, that’s often the peak, but for her, that was a starting point and she has kept ascending to an untouchable level ever since. When it comes to music, she relentlessly takes over the charts with every release. When it comes to performance, they swarm in masses just to be in her presence, obviously. And when it comes to fashion and style, she makes it seem so effortless until you try to do it yourself, which is when it gets a little awkward.

What’s most impressive isn’t the endless list of stats, awards and accomplishments. What’s most impressive is the person. Some artists need to play a character to achieve success. Some need to downplay their own natural instincts to blend in. She succeeds by doing something that no one in this music industry does, which is being herself. This woman has surpassed all competition while still being the same girl from Barbados, surrounded by the same friends, speaking with the same accent and never missing a Crop Over unless it’s to come perform at OVO Fest.

We love the music, which could change styles from album to album. We love the videos, which change their artistic vision from year to year. But most of all, we love the woman who hasn’t changed since day one. She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life, I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me. She’s a living breathing legend in our industry. Ladies and gentlemen, the recipient of the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award for 2016: Rihanna.”

After the speech, Rihanna and Drake kissed on the cheek and held hands exiting the stage. While rumors have been flying about a romantic relationship between the two, neither has confirmed them.