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Grammy nominated rapper Saweetie recently responded to a fan who criticized her for being vulnerable about her relationship with her parents. In an interview with Hot 97 host and mom Nessa, Saweetie has an emotional reaction describing her upbringing. Check out the viral video, read more about Saweetie’s parents and how she is working towards healing their relationship inside.
Saweetie, whose given name is Diamonté Quiava Valentin harper, was born on July 2, 1993 to parents Trinidad Valentin and Johnny Harper. The “Icy Girl” rapper was raised by her family members, specifically her grandmother, while her parents worked extremely hard to provide for her. Saweetie shares that her upbringing forced her to become “really independent,” and still her family remained a source of strength for her.
“And I’m half-Asian, half-Black, so there was a big cultural difference,” Saweetie shared with The Line of Best Fit in 2019, noting that she grew up in the Bay Area and Sacramento, Calif. “It was difficult, but it just made me realize that no two groups are the same.”
Since her childhood, Saweetie has worked to evolve her relationship with her parents, saying that her mom wasn’t given the opportunity to be a mom.
“She worked like three jobs,” the artist added. “She did what she had to do. The beautiful thing about that is seeing my mom grind and be a hardworking woman who inspired me to be a hardworking woman as well.”
Saweetie revealed that her father helped her boost her confidence when she told him she wanted to pursue music and prepared her for life in the industry. The former college football player followed in the footsteps of his father Willie Harper, who played for the San Francisco 49ers. So, he knows a thing or two about the entertainment industry.
In a Hot 97 interview, Saweetie became extremely emotional recalling how hard it was for her growing up without active parents. She broke down with host Nessa, visibly fanning her tears away.
The viral video circulated online and fans reacted with their opinions and criticisms. One fan posted, “This whole press run with her trying to convince everyone she grew up struggling is lame. Everyone goes through things. But she lied about being homeless for years and only now wants to talk about how she wasn’t close with her parents seems fake to me.”
To which Saweetie responded, “And this is why some prefer to appear col and emotionless because vulnerability is mocked.”
Certainly, our readers can relate to healing Saweetie’s challenges with her parents. Healing our inner children and rebuilding our relationships with our parents in our adulthood is not an easy feat, but Saweetie’s doing it and being an example for others to do the same.
We commend it.
Check out the viral clip and her exchange with the critical fan below: