American rapper-singer Jidenna, better known by his stage name “Classic Man,” is speaking out about how he once treated ladies in romantic settings and noted how he was not proud of how some of the relationships turned out.
The Bambi crooner said that he was sorry for being “manipulative” while relating with some ladies in his life.
During a special guest appearance on Man Enough’s podcast, “What’s Underneath Masculinity,” Jidenna stated:
“I used to lie for sport just because it was fun,” he admitted to the outlet, adding that he was unaware that he “just enjoyed manipulation.” As “an excellent manipulator,” the artiste acknowledged that in the past, he had no idea “how to relate to women in a way that wasn’t exploitative”.
“You know, I remember different quotes I said. Just like really manipulative things to say like, ‘No one’s going to love you the way I do.’ My god, how could I do that to black women? I’m ashamed of it, and that’s what makes me angry when I see my brothers do that. I understand it, but I can’t have that anymore. We can’t do that to the women who have done so much for us even to exist,” the 38-year-old confessed.
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“I robbed some women of their baby-making years by just dragging them along. They build me up. Look at me now, and look at them. If you were creative, I would fold you into my artwork. If you were in my artwork, I gave you a job,” Jidenna said, describing his past behavior.
He claimed that numerous heartbreaks followed the breakup, which left him feeling unworthy of love. However, the singer had a polyamorous relationship, at which point he reached “rock bottom” and had a realization.
Jidenna went on to say that going through heartbreak made him rethink what it meant to be a man. He asserted that his transformation resulted in his current personality.
He talks to himself a lot more these days and spends a lot more time thinking through what he could do better in his relationship. Jidenna’s apology to his former girlfriends is not being accepted by the fans.
Some responses to the artiste’s confession were not as accepting when the X community heard a little of it.
“Maybe it’s just the hater in me, but this feels manipulative (and performative) too,” someone tweeted.
Another X user implied that a man is a guaranteed player if he looks or dresses like Jidenna.
Nevertheless, a few commenters praised Jidenna for owning up to his errors and seeking closure for the affected partners.