Drake adores Jennifer Lopez, but is threatened by her ex boyfriend Casper Smart

Drake and Jennifer Lopez welcomed 2017 together and reportedly took to the dance floor in Las Vegas, further fueling romance rumours. According to Hollywood Life, the rapper adores the 47-year-old singer, but is "threatened" by her ex-boyfriend Casper Smart.

A source told the gossip website, "[Casper] may be absent from JLo's life right now but Drake feels like at any moment, he can show up in the night, and his relationship with JLo could potentially be a wrap."

Lopez and Smart dated on and off for several years before calling it quits in August 2016. The insider added that the Hotline Bling singer knows that he cannot compete with what Jennifer had with Casper. The source continued, "Casper knows JLo's buttons. He knows her body. He knows her heart. He knows every inch of her and that makes Drake nervous. Plus, the two of them have this weird on again, off again love connection and Drake knows he can't compete."

The source noted that Drake would never tell Lopez about how he felt about Smart because he does not want to come off as a jealous person, "but in the back of his mind, he knows Casper the ghost is still hovering over JLo's head and lingering in her heart".

The One Dance rapper and the Shades Of Blue actress recently sparked dating rumours after the latter posted an Instagram photo of them cuddling on a sofa. Previously, People magazine had reported that Lopez was "smitten" by Drake.

A source had told the magazine, "Jen [Jennifer Lopez] is looking forward with excitement to the new year. She keeps hanging out with Drake, and he has visited her house. She has nothing but nice things to say about Drake.

"Jen loves the attention and she seems very happy to be spending time with him. Drake is very charming. He treats Jen with lots of respect. She seems very smitten."