Many words and much emotional energy has been devoted to the on-again, off-again romance between Rihanna and Drake, but one thing’s for sure — come hell, high water or a rumored fling with J. Lo, there’s no denying that the one and only Champagne Papi still has lots of love for the penultimate bad gal.
Drake’s ever-ardent admiration for Rih was on full display during his concert in Dublin on Monday where he gave a shoutout to his former flame on her birthday.
In a video captured by a fan, Drake asks his concertgoers to help celebrate Rihanna’s birthday with a very special song: their ubiquitous dancehall-flavored single together, “Work.”
“It’s somebody’s birthday today—somebody I have a lot of love for and a lot of respect for,” he said. “So, instead of singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ though, we just going to do this in Dublin. Instead of singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ we’re going to set it off just like this…”
If Drake’s birthday salutation seems a little extra, remember that this is the man who declared to the entire world at the MTV Video Music Awards last year that Rihanna was “someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22-years-old.” AubRih forever!
Watch Drake have all the feelings in the clip below.
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Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com