Key Takeaways

• Jadakiss challenges the assumption that a two-parent household equals privilege.
• He shares that his family faced real struggles, including his father’s addiction.
• The rapper critiques how Hip Hop often links hardship to authenticity.

Jadakiss is pushing back on a growing narrative that’s been circulating online — that because he had both parents at home, he somehow had it easy.

On a new episode of “Joe & Jada,” released Monday (Aug. 25), the Yonkers rap veteran addressed the misconception head-on. The topic came up while co-host Fat Joe discussed the Finesse2Tymes situation involving a GoFundMe started by the rapper’s mother. “Most of us in Hip Hop grew up poor, struggling. [Until] this day, I got family members that live in the projects,” he said.

That’s when Jadakiss jumped in. “I gotta cut you off before that, ’cause it’s some a**holes in the comments that think I grew up like the Huxtables,” he snapped. “I don’t know what the f**k is wrong with these people… Coming from where we come from, it’s a beautiful thing to have both of your parents.”

Jadakiss went on to explain that growing up with a mother and father didn’t shield him from hardship. “Do that mean we wasn’t in the street? No. Do that mean our household had gold spoons? No. My moms… she busted her a**. My pops was on drugs. He was able to shake back,” he said. “I was outside doing s**t… Just ask the people. Just ask the cops. Just ask any f**king body you wanna ask.”

He continued, “For some reason… you can’t be standing up to your word if you have both of your parents. Are you some type of a**hole? It’s a blessing to have both of your parents if you can have both of your parents.”

Both of Jadakiss’ children attended HBCUs

Beyond the mic, Jadakiss has been just as vocal about family. Earlier this summer, his daughter Jaidyon graduated from Morgan State University. “Congratulations to my beautiful daughter @itsjaixo,” he wrote on social media.

He’s long supported HBCUs, too, telling AllHipHop last September, “My son actually went to Clark Atlanta, and we need more kids enrolling in these schools. With all the focus on NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), D1 programs and big schools, a lot of kids are being persuaded to go elsewhere. So anytime I can support, whether it’s hitting the stage or doing a panel, I’m going to be there.”