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Jeezy Confronts Childhood Trauma, Including Sexual Abuse, In Candid One-On-One With Nia Long

Jeezy Confronts Childhood Trauma, Including Sexual Abuse, In Candid One-On-One With Nia Long

Published Wed, November 8, 2023 at 10:45 AM EST

In a transparent, candid conversation with actress Nia Long, Jeezy detailed his experiences growing up and how it's affected his outlook, career, and personal relationships as he's matured.

It's the kind of conversation that makes you appreciate where Hip-Hop has finally landed – in a space where grown folks are comfortable having real discussions about issues that affect our everyday lives, from intimacy and and family relationships, to childrearing, love, and ambition. Throughout the interview, definitions of words like "forgive," "trauma," and "fear," flash on the screen, guiding the conversation along. Early on in the conversation, Jeezy says he was sexually abused as a child, and considers how that informed his decisions and relationships later in life.

"I left with a babysitter who was older and her touching and doing things to me that don’t normally happen to kids," Jeezy says.

He also detailed how witnessing a neighbor be shot by her husband impacted him, as well as his complicated relationship with his "hard" mother who passed away during covid after suffering from dementia. He admits he didn't "send her off" right, and says that during a meditation session, had a vision that prompted him to seek forgiveness for internalizing her sometimes cold demeanor and projecting it onto her and others.

He also talked about his divorce from TV host Jeannie Mai, saying that while he doesn't want to disparage her character, it hasn't been "an easy journey" and he's "saddened" and "disappointed."

It's a winding, healing conversation that falls in line with the themes of his new album, I Might Forgive ... But I Don't Forget.

 I Might Forgive ... But I Don't Forget dropped last week and was released through his own CTE New World imprint. I Might Forgive… features production from ATL Jacob, Ricky Polo, Cubeatz, Hendrix and more, while But I Don’t Forget is produced entirely by powerhouse production unit, The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. The news of fresh music comes on the heels of the release of his New York Times bestseller, Adversity for Sale, where he says therapy helped him come to terms with his past trauma so that he could move forward with his life, and "reflects on the trauma, obstacles, and personal growth he has experienced on his journey to stardom, success, and independence."

Watch Jeezy's interview with Nia Long above.

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