See? Robin Thicke's been blurring lines long before Miley twerked up against him.

OK, so we can understand how someone miiiight have been shocked by Miley Cyrus' tongue-out twerking during her VMA performance -- if they had never seen her "We Can't Stop" video and, like, had been living under a rock since her Hannah Montana days. But Robin Thicke, Miley's partner-in-crime/ Beetlejuice stand-in? No shock there. These 2007 photos with Rihanna serve as a helpful reminder that dude's been getting ever so nasty for years.

Though we haven't really thought about this GQ photo spread since we covered it back in 2007, seeing early hints of the "Give It 2 U"'s kinkier side (right around the time of his American pop breakthrough with "Lost Without U," FYI) are suddenly FASCINATING in the wake of his passive participation in last Sunday's twerk-a-thon.

See the Robin Thicke and Rihanna Throwback Thursday photo spread after the jump.

Semi-related: These Terry Richardson-shot pics have gotta be some of the last before Rihanna gave herself her iconic "Umbrella"-era hair chop, back when she was in the beginning of her Good Girl Gone Bad transformation. If these photos were taken today, we feel like instead of casually slinking herself across Thicke's lap, the "Stay" singer would be at the other end of the couch, staring off and filing her nails, or something -- because, as One Direction's Harry Styles can tell you, Rihanna gives zero effs.

Not how we'd usually sit on a couch, but whatever works.

You don't know, maybe he's just helping her fix a fallen strap!

A nasty motel room? Rihanna? Robin Thicke? WHERE DO WE SIGN UP?

Photo credit: GQ