

Celebrity couples have a way of attacking the hearts of fans and audiences. There's just something so intriguing about knowing the personal details of someone you may admire. And let's be honest, after a while, the social media posts and intimate interviews can make some of us feel like we know the ins and outs of these relationships. But the truth is, most times, there's a lot we don't actually know. And when moments like these happen, it becomes painfully obvious that all that glitters ain't gold. We're all human, and no matter how rich or famous one may be, relationship struggles and break-ups happen. But I'll admit, the ones we're about to mention surprised me and stung a bit.
Check out this list of the biggest celebrity breakups of 2021. And, let us know if there's anyone you would have added!
Kim Kardashian and Kanye “Ye” West
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Whether you love or hate these two, it's hard to ignore the fact that their names draw attention. This is why it simply seemed like "rumors" when whispers of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian divorcing would make the rounds every couple of years. Plus, the two would quickly dismiss the claims with a public statement of affection or an IG post that made the item appear happy and unbothered. But after a while, it was hard to ignore that there was obviously a lot going on. From Kanye's presidential run and Twitter rants to more serious things like mental health struggles and long sprouts of separation, the rumors of the end of their seven-year marriage started to ring true. From the outside looking in, the announcement wasn't a complete shock. Yet still, true fans were pretty upset. The couple shares four children and has often publicly spoken about their love and passion for each other.
But at the end of the day, it seems as if the cause of their split was actually quite normal. During the Keeping up With the Kardashians final season, Kim addressed everything and admitted to feeling as if she desired a more conventional relationship. She says, "I just feel like I've worked so hard in life to achieve everything that I've wanted to, and I've lived up to my expectations and achieved 10 times more than I ever thought was humanly possible, but I don't have a life to share that with."
"After turning 40 this year, I realized, like, 'No, I don't want a husband that lives in a completely different state.' To me, I thought, 'Oh my God, that's when we're getting along the best.' But then, that is sad to me and that's not what I want."
Sometimes it seems as if the couple is working to fix it, and other times it looks like things are pretty final. It's tough because "I miss the old Kanye" and hope Kim ends up happy too.
Saweetie and Quavo
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The relationship between Saweetie and Quavo seemed like it happened so long ago, which is weird because I liked them together; and so did, like, everybody else. They just seemed fun and super carefree, but I guess you can never judge a book or IG post by its cover. Because pretty soon after fans started speculating about the rappers' split, Saweetie confirmed it in a very direct tweet. It read, "I'm single. I've endured too much betrayal and hurt behind the scenes for a false narrative to be circulating that degrades my character. Presents don't band-aid scars and the love isn't real when the intimacy is given to other women."
Later, Quavo responded with his own spicy tweet saying, "I know you want to make this into a show so I'll play my part just this one time. I don't normally put my business out there, especially my personal life. I feel the need to address this so there are no false narratives." He continues, "I had love for you and was disappointed you did all that. You are not the woman I thought you were. I wish you nothing but the best."
Saweetie then concluded the back and forth with a short and sweet, "take care." Even though the social thread and events that followed became pretty toxic, they were a hot celebrity couple at the time and left us with a few nice break-up tracks.
Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid
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Whew, this one is a lot. Model Gigi Hadid and singer/songwriter Zayn Malik's on-again-off-again relationship came to a head when Yolanda Hadid, Gigi's mother, alleged that Zayn "struck" her during a dispute. According to sources, the altercation is what sparked their most recent break-up. However, Zayn has maintained his innocence. He tells TMZ, "I adamantly deny striking Yolanda Hadid, and for the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details. I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private."
Still, Zayn pled no-contest to four charges of harassment against Yolanda and Gigi. Although the couple is no longer an item they are both dedicated to creating a healthy co-parenting environment. A rep for Gigi tells ET, "She is solely focused on the best for Khai [her daughter]. She asks for privacy at this time."
Yeah, if he did what they claim he did, being in a relationship would definitely be a hard no for me!
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez
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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez started dating five years ago and became engaged in 2019. Fans were very excited about their engagement and it was nice to see J.Lo happy. However, it didn't take long for things to get a bit messy. There were rumors that Alex had been a little too flirty with a Bravo reality star and that the Hustlers star was flicking it up without her ring. Not to mention, the wedding got postponed, though they attributed that to the pandemic. Still, they maintained that they were together for quite a while but eventually released a statement admitting the split. It read, "We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so. We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects."
It was kinda sad to hear this. But one thing about Jenny from the Block is, she's gonna have admirers. And as we know, she ended up in a rekindled romance with former flame Ben Affleck!
La La and Carmelo Anthony
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La La Anthony has been outside, and I'm here for it! She's involved in so many television shows and has been killing the 'Gram. But, it's been quite a journey. In 2017, the media personality and actress separated from her former husband, NBA star Carmelo Anthony when he was accused of cheating and getting another woman pregnant. The couple was rumored to have gotten back together since that time. However, things became final when La La filed for divorce in June of this year.
Although the two have remained friends, it seems as if she is happy with her decision. She says, "When you've been with somebody for so long and we started as best friends, I love that we still have that friendship. We're raising a kid together. It's no drama with us, it's no beef. I talk to him as I talk to my close friend and we still have that."
Miguel and Nazanin Mandi
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The news about Miguel and Nazanin Mandi's split dropped pretty recently but it still had to make the annual list! The couple had been together for 17 years and married for three years before they decided to call it quits, and maybe that's why this one stung so much. That is a lot of time for something to end so suddenly.
However, the couple has always been pretty private, and it's pretty likely that just like we didn't know about the highs, we didn't know about lows. Still, shoutout to Nazanin Mandi because if sis is the inspiration behind some of those beautiful Miguel tracks, we're forever grateful.
Victor Cruz and Karrueche Tran
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Want an example of an amicable breakup? Take a look at Victor Cruz and Karrueche Tran. The couple started dating in December of 2017 and seemed very unproblematic and happy. However, as happens sometimes, it looks like over time they simply grew apart. Between a pandemic and working on different coasts, that is completely understandable. A lot of effort and intention is needed to make a relationship like this work. And it looks like these two decided it would be better to just end things peacefully.
A source told E News, "Right now, they are focused on continuing to grow their successful careers. There are no hard feelings. This is just a case of two people moving forward in life separately."
Featured image by Steve Granitz/WireImage via Getty Images
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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I Tried It: 3 Low-Maintenance Wigs That Will Elevate Your Look This Season
There's nothing like the feeling you get when your hair is done. It can instantly boost your confidence and put you in a great mood. I've never been a stranger to hair trends and I often experiment with the latest braided styles and colors.
But there are moments when I just don't feel like doing my hair. I'm natural and a lot of times I will braid or twist my hair up and cover it with a scarf or turban. However, when I crave a different look without the hassle of styling, I reach for a wig.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
Courtesy
This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
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I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
Courtesy
Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
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