Drake has just confirmed a long-suspected theory about one of his hit songs ...

as the rapper has dropped never-before-seen footage from the studio. The hitmaker released a bunch of archival footage from the last several years ..

. including one telling video, where he makes a big confession about his 2016 anthem, "Too Good," featuring Rihanna . Watch the vid .

.. as Drake dishes to his mother -- who is off camera -- that he wrote the song with former flame Serena Williams in mind.

As his mom questions the intention of the song -- as it's about being "too good" for a lover -- Drake defends he's making the track both about the tennis champ ...

and for her. He adds ..

. "If I'm gonna talk about [women], I'll at least do them the justice of making them a song that they like. So, I know Serena very well and I know that she'll hear it loud and clear.

" Per Drake, he doesn't think Serena will "hate" him for the single ...

since it's lighthearted. Drake's mom appears to needle her son a bit during the conversation, reminding him that Serena has already moved on to someone else ..

. likely referring to SW's relationship with future husband Alexis Ohanian , who she began dating in 2015. TMZ broke the story .

.. longtime friends Serena and Drake were confirmed to be a couple after they were caught locking lips in a Cincinnati restaurant.

They quickly became inseparable, attending everything from New York Fashion Week to restaurant openings. However, they burned out as quickly as they heated .