Did you hear about Jennifer Hudson and Common being a couple now? But let’s talk about her previous relationship with David Otunga—what a mess! She seems more confident these days, which is great, but I also liked her back then. You clearly still do! I think he prefers larger women—um, I like curves. I mean, I love how she looks now too, but I’ll be honest, I appreciate her curves. How was she engaged to him for 10 years, only to allegedly cheat on him, file a protective order for things that never happened, and then break up with him? I never thought Miss J-Hud would be involved in drama like this, but her ex-fiancé is really upset. The cheating allegedly happened right under his nose! Anyway, my favorite artist is Mali Music. Y’all need to look him up, trust me. Now, let’s spill the tea on the messy relationship between J-Hud and David Otunga.
Jennifer first noticed David when he appeared as “Punk” on VH1’s “I Love New York 2.” After the show concluded, David began networking within the industry, and a friend introduced him to Jennifer in early 2008. They started dating, and by September 12, 2008—Jennifer’s 27th birthday—David proposed with a Neil Lane diamond engagement ring.
David stood by Jennifer during challenging times, notably when tragedy struck her family. Jennifer had intended to visit her mother in Chicago, but David urged her to join him in Florida instead. That same weekend, Jennifer’s mother, brother, and nephew tragically lost their lives. David’s insistence on her being elsewhere likely saved Jennifer from being present during the tragic incident. In a further show of support, David planned a trip to Six Flags to distract Jennifer on the day her brother-in-law was sentenced.
The aftermath of the tragedy delayed any wedding plans. In 2009, rumors circulated that Jennifer was pregnant, and she eventually confirmed the birth of David Otunga Jr. in August 2009. Although engaged, their wedding plans in October 2010 were reportedly canceled, with uncertainty about their future together.
Moreover, in each interview where J-Hud was questioned about potential wedding plans, she consistently expressed her belief in avoiding divorce and the importance of being absolutely certain before progressing further. Whether David grew weary of waiting is unclear, but several more years passed, and in 2014, David seemingly vanished from Jennifer’s life. He was notably absent at her album release event in New York, leaving her to pose alone on the red carpet at Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party, the Tony Awards, and the BET Awards. By 2017, even Ellen DeGeneres suspected something was amiss between Jennifer and David, given their nearly 9-year engagement.
When Ellen inquired why there was no rush to marry, Jennifer responded, “Okay. So the last time you were here, you were engaged… It’s been, uh, about nine years, right? Yeah, nine years. So no rush to get married?” “You’re not in a hurry?” “I’m not in a hurry, yeah.” “Who cares? He’s not going anywhere.” “Yeah, he ain’t going anywhere, child.” Allegedly, this statement upset David, and reports surfaced that they subsequently slept in separate rooms.
The situation worsened when David claimed to have found evidence that J-Hud was unfaithful, accusing her of having an affair with music producer Mali Music. Supposedly, Jennifer and Mali Music had met a few years earlier when she hired him for a party performance. They developed a friendship and occasionally met in the studio, reportedly leading to a romantic involvement. However, Jennifer never confirmed the affair, though she did mention it in a protective order against David. She claimed that due to David’s jealousy, he repeatedly called her during a recording session in Chicago. When unable to reach her, she alleged that he had their son attempt to film her to prove her involvement with Mali Music.
Their relationship took a troubling turn thereafter. In a protective order detailing an alleged affair, Jennifer accused David of increasingly aggressive and threatening behavior towards her and their son. She expressed fear that notifying David could result in physical harm, harassment, or property damage, and potential actions against their son, David Jr. Jennifer recounted an incident where she claimed David forcibly moved her from their master bedroom’s bathroom while holding their son.
Upon the public disclosure of these accusations, David’s attorney issued a statement to TMZ vehemently denying each allegation. David countered Jennifer’s assertion of being the primary caregiver by claiming he had assumed this role since birth due to Jennifer’s frequent touring schedule.
Regarding the specific incident Jennifer referenced, David’s statement alleged that Jennifer had irresponsibly kept their son at a recording studio late on a school night. He emphasized his concern for the child’s well-being and categorically denied physically pushing Jennifer, asserting his commitment to their son’s care, which he claimed was widely acknowledged among those familiar with him personally.
It’s unclear who was telling the truth, but following allegations, the police launched an investigation. Later, he was cleared, and Jennifer withdrew her order of protection against David on the condition he never returned to her property.
Jennifer also accused David of leaking stories to the press to damage her image. She stated she had him sign a confidentiality agreement in August 2017, three months before their breakup announcement. She sought a court-issued gag order to prevent David from disclosing their personal affairs.
Additionally, Jennifer and David engaged in a bitter custody dispute, with Jennifer accusing David of kidnapping their son by removing him from school without her knowledge. She was alerted to his departure by a school safety app.
Jennifer further accused David of attempting to benefit from her success during their relationship and insisted he find employment. David maintained he had a job with WWE during their issues but claimed Jennifer had previously forced him to choose between wrestling and his family, making it difficult for him to work during that period.
Essentially, his perspective was that Jennifer pressured him to prioritize family over work, then later accused him of freeloading. The situation didn’t end well, despite reaching an agreement on parenting their son.
It seems David still feels unfairly portrayed by Jennifer’s actions and possibly exaggerated claims. What are your thoughts on the breakup? Was Jennifer’s engagement prolonged because she wasn’t in a hurry, or due to accusations against David? Was she unfaithful and dishonest about her experiences to vilify him? Share your opinions in the comments.
