Some things aren’t meant to last forever. Much like the often-referred twin flame duo, artists Jhené Aiko and Big Sean.
Many fans of the TWENTY88 pair believed their relationship was eternal, soul-tied with a bond out of this world. Through the ups and downs, fans expected the duo to last a lifetime. But after 10 years of dating, multiple albums, and conceiving a child together, the couple reportedly called it quits in early November. Like in the lyrics from Aiko’s iconic song Spotless Mind: “Change is inevitable, why hold on to what I have to let go of,” sometimes we have to rip off the band-aid and let go. And although the tear leaves you with a nagging sting, it teaches us a lifelong lesson along the way.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane, where the couple reportedly first started dating. Big Sean and Aiko met while they were young in 2012 at a producer’s studio. In 2015, they started dropping hit after hit– classic songs like “I Know,” and later collaborating on the album TWENTY88 (real fans don’t play about this album), where songs “Memories Faded,” “Selfish,” and “Talk Show” were born. Unfortunately, we are NEVER getting that part 2! By 2016, the couple allegedly confirmed their “locked-in status” with a magical kiss on stage. And the rest was history, the pair continued to bless fans’ ears with songs like “Beware,” “None of Your Concern,” and “Body Language.” Later, in 2022, they welcomed their son, Noah Hasani Anderson.
No matter how perfect their relationship looked online, Aiko never missed an opportunity to express her longing for marriage. When the two performed “Beware” during Aiko’s Magic Hour Tour, she fired back with, “What ring?” after Big Sean rapped the line, “I put my phone on silent ever since you got the ring.” Aiko touched on the topic during an Instagram Live in 2020. And when Charlemagne confronted Big Sean about his reasons for withholding marriage, Big Sean said that, like in every relationship, they’ve had their ups and downs, and he’s still navigating through that.
That sounds like a whole lot of excuses!
Despite dropping lyrics about always finding their way back to each other through hardships, the couple never tied the knot, even after nearly a decade of dating. And this heartbreaking reality reinforces the lifeless lesson that our mamas warned us about since the start: if he wanted to, he would. Humans are quite simple; they protect what is precious to them and do whatever it takes to hold on to their gold. Maybe Aiko was never the treasure Big Sean truly wanted.
Love yourself enough to walk away when your partner can’t meet your standards. Although most of us reading this aren’t quite at the marriage stage yet, we all know that person who’s taking their sweet time in that talking stage, hesitating to ask someone out. Whether it’s you or one of your friends stuck waiting, don’t settle for the “what ifs” and “lifeless promises.” Deep down, you know you deserve more than someone who hesitates when it comes to committing to you. Leaving when things feel good is hard, especially when there’s potential for what you want — trust me I’ve been there. But remember: your worth is far too valuable to gamble on uncertainty.