“Bambi” singer Jidenna has confessed his faults against the women he wronged and shared his regrets for his actions.
The R&B star made this revelation during a discussion on the premiere episode of the podcast, “What’s Underneath: Masculinity with Man Enough.”
Within the first nine minutes of the interview, the 38-year-old talked about his “horrific” habit of playing women up to help them feel better about themselves.
On the show, Jidenna expressed regret for the way he had treated the women in his life, even acknowledging that he had robbed some of them of “their baby-making years,” according to HipHopdx.
He said, “I robbed some women of their baby-making years, dragging them along. They built me up. Look at me now! And look at them! If you were a creative, I folded you into my artwork. If you were in my artwork, I gave you a job. I gave you a job, I mastered your life. I gave you a house, food. Everything you needed, I protected and provided for you. I did what men are ‘supposed’ to do.”
He added, “I remember different quotes I said. Just really manipulative things like, ‘No one is gonna love you the way I do.’ Oh my god! I’m ashamed of it! and that’s what makes me angry when I see my brothers do that. We can’t do that to the women who have done so much for us to even exist. And I saw myself for the first time — all the things I’m saying now? Woo, horror.
“Bit by bit I stripped myself of my former self and I swore that the next relationship that I would get in, I would work as hard at love as I have worked in my career.”
However, some fans seemed unmoved by his confession, according to the Atlanta Black Star. One person commented, “Might be the hater in me, but this feels manipulative (and performative) too.”
Another said, “You could’ve looked in his light brown eyes and seen he’s just an evil light skin n***a with a suit and cane. Like which good man walk around in a 3 piece suit every day for no reason??? (He is good looking though).”
Jidenna told Ebro Darden for Apple Music in May that he had moved on from his past of manipulating women, according to The Shade Room. It “was a wrap” the moment he and his current partner met on the beach, he revealed, adding that he is in love with her.
Despite their history of polyamorous relationships, Jidenna stated at the time that they were exclusive.
“So that process, from going from an amazing hoe phase in 2019 to 2020 where I’m trying to date a little more intentionally, then landing with this beautiful companion. It was what I was going through [that inspired the album],” he told Hiphopdx, while sharing his motivation for his album ME YOU & GOD.