Fact Check: Did Taraji P. Henson and Drake date? Rumor explored as actress performs 'Not Like Us' parody at the 2024 BET Awards

Taraji P. Henson kicked off the BET Awards 2024 by performing a parody of Kendrick Lamar's Drake diss track, Not Like Us. This is Henson's third time hosting the ceremony, which took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

Dressed in jeans and a red hoodie, an outfit similar to the one Lamar wore during his The Pop Put Concert, Henson changed the lyrics of the song to celebrate black culture and inclusivity. "Taraji on the beat, she began," changing the chorus to:

"This about us, this about us," she sang.

As videos from Taraji's opening performance at the ceremony went viral, some internet users brought up an early 2010s rumor that Taraiji P. Henson dated Drake. Here is a post by X user @XTIANemiliano, who shared and re-tweeted Henson's performance with the comment:

"This is extremely hilarious when you release (sic) Taraji P Henson is Drake ex, and he cheated on her with Serena Williams. This is a layered performance."

However, the Color Purple actress has previously denied ever dating Drake.

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @XTlANemiliano)

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"I couldn’t because he is seven years older than my son"- Taraji P. Henson on speculations about her dating Drake

Rumors of Taraji P. Henson and Drake's relationship date back to 2010, when paparazzi spotted the two together several times. Speculations began in June 2010 when Drizzy was seen together with Henson at a BET Awards after party. Later, the celebrity gossip site Bossip shared an article claiming the pair was seen shopping together, followed by dinner in the Hotline Bling singer's hometown.

However, the pair never officially confirmed they were dating. In a November 2011 interview with Vibe, the Empire actress, when questioned about her history with the rapper, told Vibe:

"Drake was a friend. It was cute because I knew he liked me and I kept looking at him like ‘If you were ten years older, boy whew’ but no. I couldn’t because he is seven years older than my son."

Later, during the same interview, Henson stated, "Okay, I’ll tell you the truth, Common and I did date. All the rest, no." At the time, Taraji P. Henson was referring to speculations surrounding her dating life involving Tyrese, Common, Terrence Howard, and Drake.

In addition to her rendition of Lamar's diss track, Taraji P. Henson also appeared in a video about voting with Vice President Kamala Harris, where they both quoted "Not Like Us" several times. During the show, the Oscar-nominated actress also recapped 2024 and important events across each month. When the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef was mentioned, she remarked:

"I don't need to say anything there."

The feud escalated earlier this year, with both rappers exchanging diatribes aimed at each other. This included Drizzy's The Heart Part 6 and Dot's Euphoria. While beef fizzled out by early May, it continues to spark discussions about broader themes within the hip-hop industry that the rappers reflect.

Lamar's Not Like Us, which many believe won him the rap feud, accused Drizzy of being insensitive to black culture and history, calling him a "colonizer."

Drake has yet to react to Taraji P. Henson's opening performance at the time of writing this article.