Who is Naomi Osaka’s Boyfriend YBN Cordae?

People across the world have always been interested in the personal lives of the people they admire, and the celebrities they follow. The same is the case for tennis stars, who have been popular in the circuit for some time.

The same goes for Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion. Curiosity about her life is already quite high given how well-known she is both on and off the court. There is quite a bit of interest in knowing who she is associated within her personal life, and her romantic attachments as well. Here’s all you need to know!

So, who exactly is Naomi Osaka dating?

Much like her Osaka’s boyfriend, Cordae also began making a name for himself as a 16-year-old rapper, who’s ahead of his times. Around that time, when Osaka was making her professional debut at the Stanford Classic, Cordae, hailing from Maryland, also released his first mix tape.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Naomi Osaka and YBN Cordae attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Washington Wizards at Staples Center on December 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)The couple is quite private about their lives but it is evident from their interactions and few social media posts that they are very supportive of each other’s works!

Cordae and his music career

By 2017, he had released two more, titled “I’m so anxious” and “I’m so anonymous” under the stage name Entendre. It was in 2018 finally that he rebranded himself YBN Cordae, after joining the YBN collective. He also collaborated on the YBN mix tape. The following year, he released his debut solo album, titled “The Lost Boy”. The album promptly started getting the attention it deserved and was nominated in two Grammy categories- Best Rap Album category and in Best Rap Song for the track, “Bad Idea.” Not only did it peak at number 6 on Billboard’s top rap albums chart it was also praised alike by critics and fans alike.

In the same year, he was also named a member of the XXL Freshman Class of emerging rappers. This list also included other popular names like DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. When asked by Billboard about what adjective he would ascribe to these initial years of his career, the young rapper said, “‘Prequel,’ because it’s just the beginning of my long journey. I still have so much more shit I’m about to do, so much more shit I’m about to accomplish, so many more barriers that I’m about to break through. I’m just tapped into my shit.”

Is he still known as YBN Cordae?

In 2020 Cordae dropped two groups Monika from a stage name sitting that is required to concentrate on his solo work full stop the group the collective soon disbanded back in August 2020. His first song after dropping the YBN moniker from his name was “Gifted”, a song created in collaboration with Roddy Ricch.

In January 2022, he released his latest album, “From a Bird’s-Eye View”. If you have been following Naomi Osaka’s matches, you will remember her writing “FABEV” on the camera-glass after her second-round match at the Australian Open 2022. While at first glance it might look like a rather cryptic message, it is reality is just an abbreviation of her boyfriend’s latest album!

Naomi Osaka and Cordae’s relationship

The two youngsters seem to be extremely respectful of each other’s careers and successes and that is probably one reason they can continue to excel in their own fields.

Where did the two meet?

According to GQ Naomi and Cordae met in 2019 and exchanged numbers. Their first date was at Los Angeles Clippers game at the Staples Center.

“I just remember seeing that there were so many people who wanted to take a picture with him,” Osaka said when asked about their first date. “And I just thought it was really cool how friendly and welcoming he was with everyone,” she added.

TMZ Sports first reported they were dating back in April 2019. The rumour mills about the two dating really started running when Cordae was spotted in Naomi Osaka’s players’ box at the 2019 US Open. Subsequently, they started appearing on each other social media profiles for a while before making their first public appearance in December, at yet another Clippers game.

When did their relationship status become public?

Their relationship status was super-private until the US Open 2019. However, in the month of September, Naomi Osaka posted a picture on her Instagram with Cordae. The couple was standing near the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, USA.

“Very grateful you’re in my life, always learning from you, always inspired by you. Also, always VERY entertained by you lol. Love ya kid,” Osaka posted.

Following that Cordae commented on the photo, “Love ya more nugget head and yes, I am here for it!”

Also read: ‘She Gets Criticised for Whatever’- Naomi Osaka’s Boyfriend Cordae Opens Up on his Relationship

They like to keep their relationship private

Both of them are private people, and they both said, how they both like to keep their relation out of the curious public’s eyes. Cordae especially talked about this, and said how he treats a relationship as sacred, and other people’s invasion of that privacy, hampers the sanctity of that .“We kind of move very reclusively. We don’t really post intimate moments, because I feel as though they’re sacred.” he said.

“Like, you know, Naomi was born in Japan. So she has a very worldly perspective. My perspective has always been being a young Black man in America. But she thinks more worldly. I’ve only been traveling the world the last two years,” he said. “We’d be recommending each other books and movies all the time. So, you know, just always feeding the brain,” adding to why the tennis star was the one for him.

He also opened up about why Naomi was perfect for because their wavelengths matched and they were on the same frequency.

They share the same values

Naomi Osaka is a name often in the news for issues not related to tennis. One such thing was her activism for the Black Lives Matter movement as well as her opinions anti-Asian hate. Osaka made headlines during the 2020 US Open, held during the time peak of the BLM movement. She chose to showcase her support by wearing the compulsory face masks with the names of some of the victims written on them.

Her boyfriend, Cordae, also shared Osaka’s belief about the movement. After the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, one can see Cordae wearing a sweatshirt, which said “defund the police”. He was also one of the 87 people who were arrested for protesting outside of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s home. The group was there demanding justice for Breonna Taylor. He also was one of the people in the group of 87 who were arrested while opened the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards, and his piece was a passionate freestyle about‌ racism and police brutality.

Is Naomi the first listener for Cordae’s music?

In the GQ interview Osaka also opened up about how she has to convince Cordae a lot before he lets even her listen to her music. But, Cordae said that Naomi is quite “musically inclined” and has a “widespread” and “worldwide” ear.
“Eventually he let me listen to his music, which I feel really grateful and honored about, to be honest. He’s a perfectionist, and I think that’s sort of what I am too. So maybe that’s why we get along,” Naomi Osaka said.

Also read: ‘Don’t Change Yourself Change the World’ – Naomi Osaka’s First Ever Nike Ad Gives Goosebumps

They are extremely supportive of each other

Osaka also talked to GQ about how it was fun for her to go on tour with Cordae, for 2-3 weeks if her schedule permitted. Osaka who is fascinated by Cordae’s songwriting process also said that he has managed to introduce her to a lot older music, which she recalls her parents listening to. Cordae also appreciated it saying it was quite a romantic thing for her to do, because oftentimes she would be the only woman, on the already cramped tour bus.”He knows the whole catalogue of everyone… I feel like the knowledge that he has about his craft and his passion is so much more vast than mine,” she said.

But Cordae did say that watching Naomi play at a match was a different kind of experience for him. “My elementary school, middle school, high school was 99.9 percent Black. Kids who look like me. It just felt really weird for me being in that space. That was my first tennis match ever,” he said.

They also share cute birthday posts for each other, a testament to their love for each other and their youth. On Osaka’s 22nd birthday, Cordae wrote a sweet post wishing her! “Happy Bday to my lil Supahstar @naomiosaka , you inspire me in more ways than you know. Happy to have a real one,” his caption said.

Naomi similarly wished Cordae on his birthday, this august. “I always feel so lucky to be in your life and to be continuously learning from you. I‘m so grateful that I can talk to you about anything and ask for advice (cause you know I need all the help I can get lol). I love that you lay down and wait for me to go to sleep before you go record. Etc because the list goes on forever… I hope you’re having the best birthday, I’m sad I can’t be there but I’ll make it up to you 😖 happy 23rd, I love you @cordae ❤️,” she posted.

Their sweet romance

It is evident that the two are extremely in love from the way they act with each other. Mark Anthony green who conducted the GQ interview, recalls that while their individual interviews went smoothly enough, their joint one was a riot. For the first ten minutes, they just kept giggling.

Naomi Osaka also recalled how Cordae has always been by her side, in times, good and bad. She opened up how he had helped her get through the 2020 US Open. Osaka travels with her team and her father, who she says helps keep her on track, with his light-hearted quips. But this year’s quarantine rules prevented him from travelling with her.

She complained about this to him over the phone to Cordae, feeling down and lonely, quarantining all by herself. But to her surprise, he flew down to New York, and completed the necessary quarantine to be by her side, and encourage her. This Osaka said was the most romantic thing Cordae had done for her.

Being with Naomi is making Cordae swing the racquet

Before dating one of the biggest active tennis players, in terms of popularity, Cordae admits that he did not know much about the game. In fact, before they started dating, he was not even aware of the great success his future girlfriend had had on the court.

“It’s not my sport. If you asked me about tennis, before being immersed in it because of Naomi, I could only give you Venus and Serena Williams, you know? Because they’re just a part of the culture,” he said in an interview with GQ.

However, now that they are together. Cordae is finding more and more ways to appreciate the sport his girlfriend is so good at. He was spotted extensively during the 2019 and 2020 US Open. Not only that, in a video posted by the tennis star, he was also seen trying to hit a few balls across the court to Osaka who was also filming the ordeal.

Naomi Osaka won her Australian Open and fourth Grand Slam the Australian Open last, in 2021, against Jennifer Brady. In 2022, her performance so far has not been what we are used to seeing from her, but she seem sgeared up for next next appearance at Indian Wells.