Highlights
- Drake and Millie Bobby Brown's unlikely friendship faced backlash due to their 17-year age gap.
- Critics raised concerns over Drake's involvement in Brown's life, calling him a creep.
- Both stars defended their friendship against backlash, with Brown emphasizing the guidance Drake offers her.
Millie Bobby Brown has certainly come a long way since gaining global recognition for her portrayal of Eleven in the Netflix science fiction series, Stranger Things. Not only is the 20-year-old actress now a two-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, she's also amassed quite the fanbase, boasting a staggering 63 million followers on Instagram alone.
With such sweeping popularity, it should come as no surprise that Brown has also made quite a number of A-list friends; the most controversial of whom happens to be five-time Grammy-winning rapper and music superstar, Drake.
In this article, we’ll delve into Millie Bobby Brown and Drake’s intriguing relationship, exploring whether they're still in touch, the reasons behind the widespread criticism, and how both stars have defended their unusual connection amidst the swirling controversy.
Is Millie Bobby Brown Still In Contact With Drake After He Texted Her At Just 14?
Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown may have Hollywood heavyweights like Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, and Ariana Grande in her circle, but none of these friendships have sparked as much controversy as her bond with Canadian-born rapper Drake.
CloseThe two first crossed paths in November 2017 in Brisbane, Australia—Drake was on tour, and Brown was promoting the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things. Speaking to W Magazine in July, Brown admitted that Drake invited her to one of his concerts, sparking an instant friendship
“He invited me to his concert,” she said. “And now we talk all the time. I ask his advice.”
In a separate interview with Teen Vogue, Brown gushed about her friendship with Drake, revealing that both she and the Canadian-born rapper were immediately star-struck by each other after their first meeting.
"Drake's my man," she said. "I love Drake! He is amazing. This moment was amazing. I was in his dressing room with my whole family.... I was like, 'Just want to say hi.' He was like, 'Oh, my god.' He was having a fanboy moment; I was having a fangirl moment and a Drake moment."
The two appear to have remained in close contact after their first meeting, with Brown revealing to Access Hollywood in 2018 that she and the 'Hotline Bling' rapper regularly exchange text messages.
"[Drake’s] honestly so fantastic; a great friend and a great role model. We text. We just texted each other the other day and he was like, 'I miss you so much,' and I was like 'I miss you more.’ He's coming to Atlanta and I'm definitely going to go and see him. I'm so excited.”
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As for what they discuss in their text messages, the Stranger Things star revealed: “[He gives me advice] about boys, he helps me. He's great. He's wonderful. I love him."
It remains unclear whether the duo is still in close contact. However, snapshots of them hanging out at Drake's concert in Australia and later at the Netflix Golden Globes after-party are no longer available on Brown's Instagram, suggesting there may have been a rift between them at some point.
Drake Was Slammed For His Unlikely Friendship With 14-Year-Old Millie Bobby Brown
While Millie Bobby Brown might have been ecstatic about her unlikely connection with Drake, fans certainly do not share her sentiments. The now 20-year-old's interview with Access Hollywood, where she gushed about her relationship with the Canadian-born rapper, was met with widespread criticism on social media.
Some fans were rather skeptical about the 17-year age gap between Drake and Brown.
“Why is a grown man texting a 14 yr old girl telling her he misses her? This is all types of wrong,” one fan commented on YouTube.
Others found it rather concerning that the rapper was getting involved in Brown's dating life.
“Not only is texting a 13-year-old weird, but also giving them relationship advice just takes it to another level,” one fan commented.
“Drake is such a weirdo. can never seem to keep a stable relationship going but has these friendships with teenagers half his age. she's 14, what a creep,” yet another fan weighed in.
The criticism hit its peak during Drake's rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. In the explosive diss track, ‘Not Like Us’, Lamar accuses the Canadian-born rapper of inappropriate behavior with underage girls.
“Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young/ You better not ever go to cell block one/ To any bitch that talk to him and they in love/ Just make sure you hide your lil' sister from him… Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophile… Trying to strike a chord, and it’s probably A-minor.”
Although Lamar didn't directly name anyone, Drake made a specific reference to Millie Bobby Brown in his response track, ‘The Heart Part 6.’
“I never been with no one underage but now I understand why this the angle that you really mess with/ Just for clarity, I feel disgusted, I'm too respected/ If I was f***ing young girls, I promise I'd have been arrested/ I'm way too famous for this s**t you just suggested… Only f***in' with Whitneys, not Millie Bobby Browns, I'd never look twice at no teenager.”
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Lamar's diss track and Drake's response reignited criticism surrounding the 'One Dance' rapper's friendship with Millie Bobby Brown. Many fans continue to find it inappropriate that Drake was involved with someone 17 years his junior while she was still in her early teens.
“A 30+ yo man texting a kid under 18 is bad no matter how you try to sugar coat it," one Reddit user weighed in in May 2024. "Even if it’s platonic it’s still a bad look. He should have the discretion and worldliness to understand this. So either he’s extremely immature or worst case he’s low key a lech. Considering he’s done it with other young girls I’d say it’s a bit of both.”
Millie Bobby Brown And Drake Have Defended Their Unlikely Friendship
Drake and Millie Bobby Brown have staunchly defended their connection against widespread criticism. While Brown hasn't directly addressed the controversy stirred by Drake name-dropping her amid his feud with Kendrick Lamar, she did confront the skeptics in a lengthy Instagram post back in 2018.
She wrote at the time: “Why you gotta make a lovely friendship your headline? You guys are weird… for real. I’m lucky to have people in the business extend their time to help me further my career and offer their wisdom and guidance."
She continued: “I’m very blessed to have amazing people in my life. You don’t get to choose that for me. It’s nice to have people understand what I do. Now get back to talking about real problems in this world other than my friendships… jeez.”
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Drake has also defended his relationship with Brown in his music a couple of times. While his comments in his 2024 diss track, ‘The Heart Part 6,’ garnered significantly more attention, the ‘Nice for What’ rapper also referenced his relationship with Brown in his 2023 hit, 'Another Late Night.'
“Weirdos in my comments talkin’ ‘bout some Millie Bobby, look/Bring them jokes up to the gang, we get to really flockin. Or send a finger to your mama in some FedEx boxes/Open up that s**t, it’s jaw droppin’, really shockin.”
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