Artist and actress Serayah McNeill has announced the end of her engagement to rapper Joey Bada$$, citing repeated infidelity throughout their relationship as the reason for the split. The multi-talented performer shared her decision through a lengthy Instagram statement on Monday, emphasizing that she could no longer remain in a partnership that required her to compromise her own values and integrity.
In her candid message, McNeill reflected on the difficulty of prioritizing herself after investing so deeply in the relationship and the family they had begun building together. She described having loved with conviction and genuine hope for their future, only to confront what she characterized as a painful reality that ultimately forced her to reevaluate the foundation of their commitment. The infidelities, she noted, had occurred during particularly vulnerable and significant periods in her life, making the betrayals especially difficult to process.
The couple's relationship timeline moved relatively quickly. McNeill and Bada$$ met in 2023 at a birthday celebration aboard a boat hosted by mutual friends. Their connection deepened over the following two years, leading to an engagement announcement in July 2025. Just months earlier, in May 2025, the pair had participated in a joint interview with Essence magazine in which Bada$$ discussed his personal evolution regarding commitment and monogamy. At that time, he explained that he had previously embraced a non-monogamous lifestyle and had publicly identified with polyamory as recently as 2021, but claimed to have undergone a significant shift in perspective after meeting McNeill.
During that interview, Bada$$ reflected on how meeting McNeill and purchasing a home together had fundamentally altered his approach to relationships and the type of partnership he desired. He stated that he had transitioned to embracing monogamy and no longer subscribed to the lifestyle he had previously pursued, though he expressed respect for others who chose alternative relationship structures. This public declaration of commitment and changed values now stands in stark contrast to McNeill's revelation about ongoing infidelity.
The couple welcomed their first child together in June 2025, a son who represents McNeill's first child and Bada$$'s second. Despite the birth of their son and what appeared to be a solidifying family unit, the relationship ultimately could not withstand the strain of repeated betrayals.
In her statement, McNeill addressed broader themes about self-worth and relationship dynamics, particularly speaking to women who might find themselves in similar situations. She urged women to trust their instincts when something feels wrong rather than questioning their own judgment or validity. She emphasized that genuine love should never demand that a person diminish themselves or abandon their core values to maintain the relationship. McNeill concluded by stating she will not discuss further details about the former relationship publicly and intends to focus on co-parenting their son and moving forward with her own healing and personal growth.
Source: Essence | Published: Mon, 24 Aug 2026 16:41:17
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