Serayah says she has ended her engagement to Joey Bada$$ after what she described as repeated infidelity throughout their relationship.
The actress and singer shared the news on Instagram Monday, August 24, confirming that she was ending both her engagement and romantic relationship with the father of her child. The announcement was direct about her reason for walking away, while also making clear that she does not plan to turn the situation into an ongoing public dispute.
In the statement, Serayah wrote:
“There comes a point in a woman’s life when choosing herself is no longer an option, it becomes necessary…After much thought, I have made the difficult decision to end my engagement and relationship with the father of my child, Joey. I loved deeply, believed wholeheartedly in the life we were building, and wanted nothing more than to protect our family. Unfortunately, I also had to face a painful truth: there had been repeated infidelity throughout our relationship, including during some of the most vulnerable and meaningful moments of my life.”
She continued, “I share this not for sympathy, retaliation, or to publicly tear anyone down. I share it because too many women are taught to question themselves before they question what is happening right in front of them. If your intuition is telling you something is wrong, listen to it. Don’t make yourself smaller to keep someone else comfortable. Don’t compromise your values because you’re afraid of losing the future you imagined. And don’t allow someone else’s choices to become a referendum on your worth.”
The announcement closes a relationship that had developed publicly over several major chapters in both stars’ lives. Serayah and Joey first crossed paths at a mutual friend’s birthday party on a boat in 2021. They did not immediately become a couple, but reconnected later before romance speculation took off in March 2023 when Serayah appeared as Joey’s love interest in the music video for his song “Show Me.”
Joey initially described the two as friends when questions about their chemistry surfaced. By June 2023, however, he publicly confirmed their romance during a trip celebrating Serayah’s birthday, referring to her as “my love” in an Instagram post. Their relationship became increasingly visible through trips, red carpets, and other public appearances.
The breakup comes after the couple expanded their family in 2025. Serayah revealed her pregnancy in February 2025 while walking in Adore Me’s New York Fashion Week show. It was her first pregnancy, and she told the outlet at the time that she and Joey were excited about growing their family together.
In May 2025, Serayah and Joey appeared together for an Essence cover story while preparing for their baby boy. The feature traced their relationship back to that 2021 meeting and detailed how they were preparing for parenthood and creating a family home in New York. Joey was already a father to a daughter from a previous relationship, making the couple’s son his second child.
That interview is especially notable in light of Serayah’s new allegations. Joey had previously spoken publicly about practicing polyamory before his relationship with Serayah. While discussing how his outlook had changed after falling in love, buying a home, and committing to the family they were creating, Joey said, “So I’m very much monogamous now.”
The couple welcomed their son in 2025, and Serayah later used a July 21 Instagram post to reflect on becoming a mother and confirm another major development. She described herself as two months postpartum, displayed a diamond ring, and repeatedly referred to Joey as her fiancé. She also praised his support during the transition into motherhood.
There had been public speculation about trouble before their engagement and baby news. In March 2024, footage circulated showing Serayah and Joey in an emotional conversation on a Los Angeles street. Joey responded by pushing back against the conclusions being drawn from the footage, arguing that outsiders did not know the full story behind the moment. The two remained together after that incident and went on to announce their pregnancy and engagement.
The split also arrives less than two months after she spoke publicly about what she expects from a relationship. During a July 2026 conversation about her dating history and the importance of clarity between partners, Serayah told “The Jason Lee Show” that she believes in leaving when two people are no longer aligned. She said, “And if we’re not on the same page, then I need to exit.”
Those comments carry new weight following her decision to end the engagement, although Serayah has not publicly connected that interview to the allegations she made in her breakup statement.
She concluded her statement by sharing, Love should not require you to abandon yourself. I will always respect the fact that we share a beautiful son, and my priority will be protecting his peace, privacy, and relationship with both of his parents. For that reason, I won’t be discussing the intimate details of our relationship publicly beyond what I have shared here. This chapter did not end the way I prayed it would. But endings can also be beginnings.”
After years that included a friendship turning romantic, a public relationship, parenthood, and an engagement, Serayah is moving into the next chapter by choosing herself.
