Melyssa Ford's boyfriend timeline: A look at her romantic relationships over the years

From the video sets of Jay-Z and Usher to the mic at The Joe Budden Podcast, Melyssa Ford has spent nearly three decades in the public eye, and her relationships have drawn almost as much attention as her career. Her name resurfaced in 2025 when Drake referenced her by name on his album, reviving old questions about their brief romance. Here is what is actually confirmed about Melyssa Ford's boyfriend timeline, and where she stands today.

Key takeaways

• Melyssa Ford is a Canadian media personality best known for her years as a music video model and for co-hosting The Joe Budden Podcast from December 2022 until her departure in September 2025.
• She is presumably single as of August 2026 and has no confirmed current boyfriend. Her last high-profile relationship, with rapper Flo Rida, was on-and-off between 2008 and 2012.
• The media personality was romantically linked to Drake in the late 2000s, around the time of his debut album. Drake referenced her by name in his 2025 song Gimme a Hug.
• In the mid-2000s, Melyssa Ford was linked to former NFL running back Reggie Bush.
• She now hosts her own podcast, Hot and Bothered with Melyssa Ford, launched in November 2024.

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Profile summary

Who is Melyssa Ford's boyfriend?

As of August 2026, Melyssa Ford is presumably single. She has kept a tight lid on her romantic life for years, and no confirmed current partner has been publicly identified.

Melyssa Ford's ex-boyfriends: Her relationship timeline

Because of Melyssa Ford's high-profile status in American entertainment, speculation about her romantic history runs deep. Here is what is actually documented about her past relationships.

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Flo Rida (2011 - 2012)

Between 2008 and 2012, Melyssa was in an on-and-off relationship with American rapper, singer, and songwriter Flo Rida. The relationship, which she termed 'doomed', ended in 2012. In a 2014 interview on The Breakfast Club, Melyssa revealed that it broke down because they had nothing in common.

Drake (2009 - 2010)

Melyssa Ford and her fellow countryman, Aubrey Drake Graham, are rumoured to have been romantically linked for a brief period between 2009 and 2010. Speaking on the Drink Champs, she expressed her admiration for Drake but refuted any claims of a romantic relationship.

Toccara Elaine Jones, a former America's Next Top Model and media personality, further strengthened the allegations. She acknowledged the relationship and alleged that she dated Drake at the same time. She told Carlos King:

She was just telling me about her situation with the guy that she was dating, and she went on to tell me it was Drake. Instead of me telling her right then and there, I wanted to go talk to him first. This wasn’t the first time that Melyssa and I had seen or talked to the same guy.

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Reggie Bush (2005 - 2006)

Melyssa allegedly dated former NFL player Reggie Bush between 2005 and 2006. The video vixen acknowledged the relationship during an episode of her podcast, I’m Here for the Food.

She admitted to being in a relationship with Bush while discussing an incident between her and Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star, Kim Kardashian. The incident occurred during a humanitarian trip to Haiti by Rev. Marcia Dyson.

Ray Benzino (Unspecified)

Ray Benzino, or simply Benzino, is an American television personality, rapper and record producer. He is a veteran black actor known for his roles in I Spy, Original Gangstas, On Da Run, I Want Her, and The Best Day of Your Life.

While detailing the nature of the relationship in The Art of Dialogue, Benzino revealed that the encounter was brief. He describes the encounter as "nothing to write home about" and adds humour to the situation by referencing the term "dry" and comparing it to "Canada Dry" (a soda brand).

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However, Melyssa has not confirmed or denied the allegations of a relationship with the Rock the Party hitmaker.

Melyssa Ford and Joe Budden: the podcast

Melyssa Ford joined The Joe Budden Podcast as a co-host in December 2022, alongside Joe Budden, Ish, Ice, QueenzFlip, and later Marc Lamont Hill. Her appearances became increasingly sporadic through much of 2025.

She officially left the show in September 2025 after roughly three years as a co-host. Joe Budden later addressed her exit publicly on Jim Jones's Artist 2 Artist podcast, denying that new co-host Mona Love had replaced her and thanking Ford for her time on the show.

Since leaving, Ford has focused on her own show, Hot and Bothered with Melyssa Ford, which she launched in November 2024 to discuss wellness and lifestyle topics for women over 40. Speaking with Charlamagne Tha God on her own podcast about her time around the Joe Budden Podcast's largely male cast, she reflected on the toll of the environment:

I’ve had my own experiences being around a certain group of men who have exhibited groupthink.

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She added:

And that groupthink tends to lean very misogynistically. It has an effect on you as somebody who is just kind of absorbing it, simply just because I’m a woman and I’m the woman in the room.

She has also weighed in on being caught between Drake and Joe Budden's public feud, telling comedian Lil Rell Howery on the All In podcast in January 2026 that she felt used as a 'pawn' in the dispute given her past ties to both men.

More about Melyssa Ford

Melyssa Ford is a Canadian media personality, actress, and prominent former video model. She rose to fame as one of the most recognisable video vixens of the hip-hop music video era in the late 1990s and 2000s.

How old is Melisa Ford?

Melyssa Ford's age is 49 years as of August 2026. She was born on 7 November 1976, and her Zodiac sign is Scorpio.

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What is Melyssa Ford's nationality?

Melyssa Ford is Canadian. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, and holds Canadian nationality, though much of her career has been based in the United States.

Where does Melyssa Ford currently live?

The video vixen moved from Los Angeles back to the New York metropolitan area in 2022, where she has largely been based since, alongside her media and podcasting work.

What is Melyssa Ford best known for?

Melyssa Ford is best known for her career as a music video model in the late 1990s and 2000s, appearing in videos for artists like Jay-Z, Usher, and Alicia Keys, and more recently for co-hosting The Joe Budden Podcast from 2022 to 2025 and now hosting her own podcast, Hot and Bothered with Melyssa Ford.

Melyssa Ford's music videos

Ford was discovered in 1997 by music video director Little X while bartending in Toronto, and made her music video debut that year in Glenn Lewis's The Thing to Do.

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She went on to appear in videos for artists including Jay-Z, Usher, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, and Sisqo, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of the early-2000s music video era and earning the nickname Jessica Rabbit for her figure.

In a 2008 CNN interview about whether music videos objectify women, Ford was direct about her own reservations:

Yes, I definitely have to say that. I would definitely have to say that now, yes.

Melyssa Ford's movies

On screen, Melyssa Ford's movies include Think Like a Man, Three Can Play That Game, Hunting Housewives, and an appearance in Entourage.

She also documented her move into real estate on the Bravo reality series Blood, Sweat & Heels from 2014 to 2015, and lent her voice and likeness to the 2007 video game Def Jam Icon.

What is Melyssa Ford's net worth?

Melyssa Ford's net worth is estimated at $2 million. Most of her wealth comes from her long-running career in the entertainment industry.

Who is Melyssa Ford's husband?

Melyssa Ford is not married and has no publicly confirmed husband.

Does Melyssa Ford have kids?

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Melyssa Ford has no publicly confirmed children as of August 2026.

FAQs

• Who is Melyssa Ford? Ford is a Canadian entertainer, actress, model, and former video vixen.
• What is Melyssa Ford best known for? She is best known for appearing and modelling in music videos by artists such as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Usher.
• How old is Melyssa Ford? As of August 2026, the former music video model is 49 years old.
• Who is Melyssa Ford dating now? The podcast host is presumably single at the time of this writing.
• Who is Melyssa Ford's husband? The Joe Budden Podcast co-host is not married.
• Who are Melyssa Ford's children? The podcaster and video vixen does not have any known children as of August 2026.
• Who has Melyssa Ford dated? She has been romantically linked to Drake, Flo Rida, and Reggie Bush.
• When did Melyssa Ford and Drake date? The Canadian entertainers reportedly dated between 2011 and 2012.
• What does Melyssa Ford do for a living? She is a media personality and real estate agent who hosts The Joe Budden Network and the Hot & Bothered podcast.
• What movies did Melyssa Ford play in? She acted in Think Like a Man, Three Can Play That Game, Hunting Housewives, and Entourage.

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Melyssa Ford's boyfriend timeline, from Reggie Bush to Drake to Flo Rida, has followed her for two decades. She exited from The Joe Budden Podcast and has a podcast of her own built around the conversations she wants to have. Fans hoping for an official relationship announcement will likely be waiting a while longer, as Melyssa Ford continues to keep that part of her life firmly off the record.

Legit.ng recently published Kiernan Shipka's boyfriend timeline. Kiernan Shipka, known for memorable roles in movies and TV shows such as Mad Men, The Silence, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, is currently single and focused on personal growth.

The actress reportedly shifted from prioritising dating to cultivating deeper friendships. Fans, however, remain curious about her previous romantic links to Charlie Oldman, Christian Coppola, and John Mayer.

Source: Legit.ng