Pardi Who? What We Know About Megan Thee Stallion's Alleged Soccer Star Bae Romelu Lukaku
Could a new romance be brewing for Megan Thee Stallion?
The rapper's dating life took center stage recently after she was captured on various occasions sharing intimate moments with Belgian soccer player Romelu Lukaku as the pair attended a wedding for his close friend and teammate Lautaro Martinez in Lake Como, Italy.
During the event, which occurred over Memorial Day weekend, Megan and Romelu were spotted getting close and holding hands. Although neither party commented on the recent images, it sent shockwaves on social media as it circulated online because many assumed that the "Her" emcee was still dating her longtime partner Pardison "Pardi" Fontaine.
\u201cFound another video of Lukaku and Megan Thee Stallion at Lautaro's wedding \ud83e\udee1\u201d— Lili \ud83d\udd2e\u2728\ufe0f (@Lili \ud83d\udd2e\u2728\ufe0f) 1685398844
Megan and Pardison have been together for over two years. Rumors about a supposed split arose in early 2023 when the "Savage" lyricist allegedly unfollowed Pardison on Instagram. To date, Megan and Pardison have seemingly wiped all posts of one another on their respective Instagram pages and have yet to confirm their split.
In light of Megan's new alleged romance with Romelu, xoNecole digs deep into the 30-year-old's life and shares a few facts many may not know about the soccer star.
Who Is Romelu Lukaku?
Romelu, who is Belgian and Congolese, has played soccer professionally since 2009 and is currently a forward for the Belgium national team and Inter Milian.
Earlier this month, Megan appeared to have attended one of his games after uploading a photo dump on Instagram. On May 2, while informing her fans about what she has been up to, including sightseeing and shopping, Megan shared an image of a soccer field.
Romelu Comes From A Family Of Athletes
Romelu's passion for soccer began early on due to his family's background. The star's father, Roger Lukaku, is a former soccer player and participated in numerous Belgium clubs as a forward before retiring in 2007. In addition to his father, Romelu's younger brother Jordan Lukaku and cousin Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo are also professional soccer players.
The last team Jordan played for was SD Ponferradina. At the same time, Boli is a defender for KV Mechelen.
Romelu Lukaku Was One Of The First Big Premier League Players To Sign To Roc Nation Sports
\u201cJUST IN: Jay Z\u2019s Roc Nation Sports has signed their first big Premier League player: Manchester United\u2019s @RomeluLukaku9. Joins @JB17Official as soccer clients.\u201d— Darren Rovell (@Darren Rovell) 1524139645
Although there are limited details of how Romelu and Megan may have met, many could assume it's due to their Roc Nation connection.
In 2018, the father of two made headlines after signing with Roc Nation Sports. The commotion mainly occurred because Romelu was one of the first big premier league players to sign with the company. A year later, Megan joined the Roc Nation team.
Romelu Starred On Reality Television As A Teen
Prior to his success on the soccer field, a teenage Romelu and his classmates starred in a reality television seriesDe School Van Lukaku, for the Dutch Network Eén.
The show followed the students' lives as they dealt with various struggles, including love and friendship, while attending Saint-Guidon Institute in Brussels. During that time, Romelu was playing for the Anderlecht youth team.
Romelu Stands Up For Racism
Over the years, Romelu has showcased he isn't afraid to fight for what is right. In 2021, during an interview withCNN, the star disclosed why he felt taking a knee before the start of the game in protest of police brutality and racism wasn't enough.
Romelu told the news outlet that even with the particular gesture, it wouldn't stop others from treating people like himself or his family poorly. Romelu went on to add that he would continue to fight this battle head-on because it needs to be done to create a change for the future generation.
"I think we can take stronger positions, basically. Yeah, we are taking the knee, but in the end, everybody's clapping but… sometimes after the game, you see another insult. I have to fight, because I'm not fighting only for myself. I'm fighting for my son, for my future kids, for my brother, for all of the other players and their kids, you know, for everybody," he said.
Toward the end of the conversation, Romelu shared that the game of soccer, also known as fútbol in other countries, should be an "enjoyable" experience for all and not a place where people feel unsafe due to the "opinion from some uneducated people."
"At the end of the day, fútbol should be an enjoyable game… You cannot kill the game by discrimination. That should never happen," he stated. "Fútbol is joy, it's happiness, and it shouldn't be a place where you feel unsafe because of the opinion from some uneducated people."
Romelu's Past Relationship With The Mother Of His Child
Before dating rumors between Romelu and Megan went rampant online, the soccer star was romantically linked to Belgium model and entrepreneur Sarah Mens.
News outlets are reporting that Romelu and Sarah met in 2016 while she was interning in Miami. Following their brief encounter, the pair would ultimately become a couple. Romelu and Sarah, who share a son Romeo Lukaku, reportedly dated for five years before calling it quits in 2021. Years following their breakup, Romelu would welcome another son Jordan Lukaku with an unidentified woman.
Despite the limited information about Megan and Romelu's alleged new romance, one thing is for sure it will indeed be a hot girl summer for the rapper.
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Exclusive: Dreka Gates Talks Farm Life, Self-Mastery, And Her Wellness Brand
Dreka Gates is making a name in wellness through authenticity and innovativeness. Although we were introduced to her as a music manager for her husband, Kevin Gates, she has now carved out her own lane outside of music as a wellness entrepreneur. But according to Dreka, this is nothing new.
In an xoNecole exclusive, the mom of two opened up about many things, including starting her wellness journey at 13 years old. However, a near-death experience during a procedure at 20 made her start taking her health more seriously.
“There's so many different levels, and now, I'm in a space of just integrating all of this good stuff that I've learned just about just being human, you know?” Dreka tells us. “So it's also fun because it's like a journey of self-discovery and self-mastery. That's what I call it. So it's never-ending.”
Courtesy
If you follow Dreka, then you’re familiar with her holistic lifestyle, as she’s no stranger to promoting wellness, self-care, and holistic living. She even lives part-time on a Mississippi farm, not far from her grandmother and great-grandmother’s farm, where she spent some summers as a child.
While her grandmother and great-grandmother have passed on, Dreka reflects on that time in her life and how having a farm as an adult is her getting back to her roots. “So the farm was purchased back in 2017, and it was like, ah, that'll just be a place where we go when we're not touring or whatever,” she said.
“But COVID hit, and I was there, and I was on the land, and I just started remembering back to going to my grandmother's during the summertime and freaking picking peas and going and eating mulberries off the freaking tree in the bushes.
“And she literally had cotton plants. I know some people feel weird about picking cotton and stuff. She had cotton plants and I would go and pick cotton out of her garden. And she had chickens, and I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots.”
"I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots."
You can catch glimpses of Dreka’s farm life on Instagram, which shows her picking fruit and vegetables and loving on her animals like her camel Eessa. Her passion for growing and cultivating led her to try and grow all of her ingredients for her wellness brand, Dreka Wellness. However, she quickly realized that she might be biting off more than she could chew. But that didn’t stop her from fulfilling her vision.
Watch below as Dreka talks more about her business, her wellness tips, breaking toxic cycles, becoming a doula, and more.
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Exclusive: Jordin Sparks Shares Emotional Story Of How Husband Dana Isaiah Saved Her Music Career
Jordin Sparks is living life with no restrictions, and her latest studio album is proof in the pudding.
The singer first rose to fame after winning the sixth season of American Idol in 2007. With almost two decades of experience in the music industry under her belt, Sparks's new album, No Restrictions, intentionally represents a very particular time in her life. Most of the songs on the project were written while the world was on lockdown, making the project not only very personal but one that showcases Sparks' ability to defy being categorized under one genre.
“There’s a song on the album called ‘No Restrictions,’ which is a whole different meaning, but I was just so drawn towards the title because I feel like that’s just where I am in my life,” Sparks tells xoNecole.
“I’ve stepped into my power as a wife, a mother, a friend, an artist, a songwriter, a woman, a human, and I just feel like sometimes there are times when other people try to restrict you and put you in a box. But sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy, and you can do it to yourself. You can hold on to outdated versions of yourself. You can hold on to things that were said that don’t apply to your life anymore.”
“That’s the space I’m in,” she continues. “I’m dropping all of those things. The ball and chain of people’s opinions because everybody’s going to say what they’re going to say. I feel like I’ve always had pretty thick skin, but now I’m just like…and?”
"I’m dropping all of those things. The ball and chain of people’s opinions because everybody’s going to say what they’re going to say. I feel like I’ve always had pretty thick skin, but now I’m just like…and?"
Moreover, if it wasn’t for her husband, Dana Isaiah, Sparks would have walked away from music as a whole. She recalls having the U-Haul packed and ready to head out until their paths crossed.
“This music would not be happening without him,” reveals Sparks. “I really was, like, my house was up for sale. I had a storage pod halfway packed, and then he came into my life and said, ‘Why are you running?’ And I was like, sir, I do not know you well enough for you to ask me this. I didn’t say that, but I did laugh in my head. He was right, and I was running because I was just tired of the games. I was tired of all the craziness, and he really loved me back to life, to be honest.”
She adds, “He helped remind me who I was, like, ‘No, we need your voice. Your voice needs to be heard.’ It took me a second to be like wait, Oh yeah, I did that. He’s really put me on his shoulders. He has elevated me to levels that I never thought that I could be.
"And in terms of a relationship, to have the freedom to just be myself and to do the things I love and go for what I’m doing without the fear of anxiety, like this is going to cause a fight, or this is going to do this or whatever the fears we can get within relationships can be. I never have that. I’m very much like, alright, babe, what do you think about this one? I fell in love with his mind and I fell in love with his heart, so I’m always asking his opinion and asking what he thinks.”
For Sparks, it's important for their son to see his mother not only being loved out loud but also having the freedom to flourish and just be.
“It’s important as a woman and as a mother for your child or children to see you living your most authentic self and doing things because you love to do it and because it makes you happy and it fulfills you,” says the “No Air” singer.
“It may not happen at the time you think it’s going to happen, but for me, I’m always like what’s meant for me will never miss me. I’m just really happy that he has parents that are like that because my husband’s that way, too. He’s very much like I’m going to do my own thing. He knows what he wants, and so I’m really grateful that he’s got parents that have that kind of mentality to just speak up.”
Sparks and hubby Dana Isaiah tied the knot in 2017, and when a position for management came open on her team, she knew that he was the only one who could fulfill the job she needed at the time.
"It’s important as a woman and as a mother for your child or children to see you living your most authentic self and doing things because you love to do it and because it makes you happy and it fulfills you."
“It was an easy decision because I was like, nobody knows the story of what I’m trying to do more than he does, so if I want this to be put out the right way, what better way than to have somebody who is, every single day, knows who I am. He knows my heart. He knows my dreams, my goals, and he just wants to see me achieve them. That just made it an easy decision.”
“It’s been a couple of years, and he never took that spot to be permanent, so I now have a manager. His name is Silas White, he’s amazing,” Sparks continues.
“So Dana now does like day to day and Silas does the overall, which has been great because I get tired of it being about me all the time. We’re always together, so once he came into that position, it was like everything we talked about outside of it was always like work or something that I needed to do, so I was just like, I’m ready for this not to be about me.”
Outside of music, these days, Sparks finds enjoyment in, of course, the family time that she shares with her husband and son, but also her spiritual development and spending time to be one with nature.
“I always imagined that I’d get there, but now I’m here, you know?” says Sparks. “I’m in the space where I can see the signs very clearly. I’m very clear with my path and what I’m supposed to be doing, and I know I’m supposed to be here singing and bringing joy to people and healing people, making them feel something, through my music. So with that being said, it applies to having no restrictions as well. It makes things very clear and simple.”
No Restrictions is now available for streaming on all digital streaming platforms.
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Feature image by Parsons