By Jasmine Browley
Kelly Rowland aired her dirty laundry when she released the aptly titled single, “Dirty Laundry,” which was produced by The Dream. The song laid all her burdens bare when she alluded to being jealous of her “sister,” best friend, and fellow Destiny’s Child member Beyoncé, as well as being the victim of an abusive relationship that would make even K.Michelle squeamish. Just like Kelly, the following six artists felt the need to let their circumstances be heard loud and clear … in rhythmic form of course and they allowed their art to imitate their lives.
Alicia Keys – “I’m Ready (Unthinkable)”
Alicia has caught all types of hell for the supposed home wrecking she displayed while in pursuit of happiness with her producer husband, Swizz Beatz. Their courtship started when the producer was still very married to singer Mashonda, who even went on to write an open letter in which she explained her efforts to keep her marriage intact and asked Ms. Keys to step aside. Welp, shortly after, Alicia sang about her difficult circumstances with her lover man in the song “Im Ready (Unthinkable),” which was penned by Drake:
“I was wondering baby
Could I make you my baby
If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy?
If you ask me I’m ready”
Never the less, Swizz and Alicia’s relationship survived — thrived even — with a beautiful son and perhaps another child on the way.
Usher/Jermaine Dupri – “Confessions Part II”
We all remember what an adorable couple R&B singer Usher and former TLC member Chilli made way back, but we never really knew why they went their sudden separate ways. We finally got our answer, sort of, in the wildly successful album Confessions, particularly in the song, “Confessions Part II.” In it, Usher sings of his foolish and lustful proclivities, causing the loss of his true love, and an unwanted baby by his unwanted side chick:
“Now this gon’ be the hardest thing I think I ever had to do.
Got me talkin’ to myself askin’ how I’m gon’ tell you
‘Bout that chick on part 1 I told ya’ll I was creepin’ with, creepin’ with.
Said she’s three months pregnant and she’s keepin’ it.”
After that, Chilli named infidelity as the reason for the couple’s breakup, and it was only a matter of time before we started searching for the aforementioned love child.
However, there were also rumors swirling that the song depicted Usher’s mentor Jermaine Dupri’s predicament with a pregnant stripper, causing his and then-girlfriend Janet Jackson‘s breakup.
Since then, Usher has been married, divorced, and supposedly in love again with his current girlfriend.
Justin Timberlake – “Cry Me a River”
In the late ’90s, our blue-eyed boyfriend (in our head) had the pop world in the palm of his hands, with chart-topping singles, fresh dance moves, and then-reigning pop queen Britney Spears as his lady.
After an abrupt breakup, with no explanation other than “we grew apart,” fans were forced to come to their own conclusions. Then, “Cry Me a River” was released:
“You don’t have to say, what you did, I already know,
I found out from him. Now there’s just no chance, for you and me,
There’ll never be. And don’t it make you sad about it?”
The Scott Storch-produced track depicted a vengeful man in love with a cheating woman; the creative visual accompaniment featured a Britney lookalike, right down to the bad hair extensions, thus causing cheating rumors to run rampant. Although the “Suit and Tie” singer denied Britney’s connection to the thinly-veiled song at first, he later admitted it in 2012.
Since then, the talented singer has moved on to marry actress Jessica Biel.
Nas – “Goodbye”
Nasir Jones is never one to hold his tongue about the intricacies of his multi-layered life. His love life is no exception. His latest Grammy-nominated album, Life is Good, was basically a journal set to music, with tracks depicting his relationship with ex-wife Kelis from the honeymoon phase to divorce court. Besides “Daughters,” arguably, no other song was as personal as “Bye Baby”:
“Bye baby, I guess you know why I walked away.
When we walked to the altar that was an awesome day.
Did counseling, couldn’t force me to stay.
Something happens when you say I do, we go astray.
Why do we mess it up, we was friends we had it all.
Reason you don’t trust men, that was your daddy fault.”
Since the release of the long-awaited album in 2012, the pair have been spotted looking quite friendly while co-parenting their adorable son. The rapper even went on to say in an interview that he wanted to make love to his ex “one more time.” OK, Nasty Nas!
Lauryn Hill – “Ex Factor”
The fiercely private singer may have had her tax troubles recently plastered all over the web, but her former relationship with fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean, who was married at the time, were subtly woven into the song “Ex Factor” years ago.
“But you’d rather make it hard.
Loving you is like a battle. And we both end up with scars.
Tell me, who I have to be? To get some reciprocity.
No one loves you more than me. And no one ever will.Is this just a silly game.
That forces you to act this way.
Forces you to scream my name.
Then pretend that you can’t stay.
Tell me, who I have to be. To get some reciprocity.
No one loves you more than me. And no one ever will.”
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a happy ending for Lauryn and Wyclef. She hooked up with Bob Marley’s son Rohan and was left with a tribe of kids, a pile of debt, and news of Rohan’s marriage to Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana. Womp, womp.
Marvin Gaye – I Want You
Upon first listen, I Want You bore a stark contrast to Marvin’s other work. The album could easily be equated to a soundtrack for the life of a man obsessed with love, lust, and sex. Around the time of its 1976 release, a married Marvin was immersed in a longtime passionate affair with the young and beautiful Janis Harper, who later became his second wife.
While his previous work could be classified as “classic doo wop, sweet and soulful,” I Want You can be summed up in one word: Erotic.
The album, a direct reflection of Marvin’s mental state, depicted deeply intimate occurrences of love, obsession, passion, and fear. One of the songs, “Come Live With Me Angel,” highlights Marvin’s aspirations to please his muse:
“I wanna be your lover.
I want to understand your mood baby.
I wanna be your lover …Let me explore all your treasures.
I’ll turn you on to all of those freakish pleasures.
Good experienced company.
Like me who knows all the ways
Is what you need baby.
Just you and me locked up for days.
After we eat breakfast in bed.
Turn on the music for our head.”
Janis was reportedly in the studio for the entire production of the sexy album.
After the project was released and met with mixed reviews, years passed and he went on to write a few more masterpieces, have two children with Janis, and eventually get divorced before his untimely death at the hands of his father, Marvin Gay, Sr.
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