Even though she’s no longer in the rap game, Iggy Azalea is back in the headlines after a recent appearance on the Dinner’s On Me podcast. The interview covered a lot of ground, including Azalea’s cryptocurrency ventures and her advice to those who have felt like an outsider. But the most buzz has been around her statements on motherhood.
Azalea was vulnerable when discussing her fractured relationship with Playboi Carti, the father of her 4-year-old son, Onyx. This wasn’t her first time discussing their dynamic publicly; she had opened up about their split in a 2023 episode of High Low with EmRata, sharing how he was unfaithful to her and even refused to sign Onyx’s birth certificate. The relationship, as Azalea has described, was volatile – so much so that she left their relationship in order to protect their newborn baby.
When Playboi Carti was arrested on a felony assault charge for beating his pregnant girlfriend, Azalea tweeted, “Imagine having a pregnant girlfriend and pretending they don’t exist until it comes out you like to abuse them too– [and] rarely visiting your actual son unless [it’s] because you’re running from whatever problems [you] got going on in Atlanta & the press with your serial abuse of [women]”.
In the Dinner’s On Me podcast, she confronts the situation and updates fans on her journey. “I’m very much a single mother,” Azalea said. “I’m very much the only parent, no disrespect, but yes, I am not co-parenting really, and that’s just the reality of it. It’s one, it’s 24/7.” She went on to open up about her own childhood and mentioned that her parents had a volatile relationship that impacted her negatively. Azalea explained that was a huge influence on her decision to raise Onyx on her own, adding “I don’t want him to ever learn this, I don’t want him to be exposed to this.”
It’s important to highlight that Iggy Azalea’s situation with her ex shouldn’t be seen as tabloid fodder. The truth is, Azalea’s experience is one that many women face. Being a single mother – for any reason, let alone because of an abusive partner – is not something to be shamed. Azalea is brave enough to continually share her story, which is so crucial when it comes to raising awareness about partner violence.
In light of Azalea’s Dinner’s on Me appearance, we’d like to take a moment to debunk three popular myths about single motherhood and domestic abuse.
1. Women seek out aggressive men
Domestic violence is a very common and often insidious reality. Many perpetrators appear charismatic and charming at first, and are later abusive to their partners in private.
2. Single moms have “failed” in their relationships
Some women just want to be mothers without being in a relationship! In fact, more than half of single moms have never been married. Those moms are totally valid, and so are widowers, domestic abuse survivors, or any woman who had a divorce for any reason. There’s a stigma around single parenthood, especially when it comes to divorce, but all of those ideas are rooted in misogyny. If you’re not happy with your partner, don’t stay because of societal pressures! Last time we checked, a woman having autonomy to be on her own if she chooses is a success.
3. Relationships that are volatile between the parents don’t impact the child
In reality, children who are witnessing domestic violence are exposed to lifelong trauma that will impact their mental and physical health. They additionally are more likely to be involved in abusive or unhealthy relationships of their own.
Here’s what we should take away from Iggy Azalea’s recent interview: parenting isn’t a monolith. People raise their children in many different ways, and every family is different. For Azalea, the best thing for her and her child is for her to be a single parent. All the power to her – and to all the single moms everywhere.
If you or someone you know needs resources to get out of an abusive relationship, consider accessing the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or by texting BEGIN to 88788.
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