Maybe you’ve noticed, but in recent weeks and months, Tyrese Gibson has been more annoying than usual on social media. From swinging back and forth from the Rock’s jock to sharing far too many details about his child-custody case, down to claiming that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith slid him $5 million, the former Coca-Cola crooner has understandably alarmed folks with his behavior.
For those fans who have been wondering “What the hell is wrong with that fool?” Tyrese has finally offered a bit of an explanation—naturally, on Instagram.
“A few weeks back while stressed and of course as I embarrassingly spoke on this.. I was advised to use some psych meds called Rexulti and I did and did some really stupid things publicly and privately that will take me a while to recover from,” Black Ty wrote Nov. 28.
He went on to add:
To clear the air cause I’m an open book and got nothing to hide. My wife is NOT pregnant and never was (those meds had me on one) I owe no one any money on any level matter of fact I just took care of both of my lawyers fully 108k for my lawyer and almost 20k for Shaylas lawyer. I could never give what I don’t have. Smart folks do the math!
I don’t know much about algebra, but I do know that this Negro has one too many times displayed symptoms of damn fool.
Now, I loves me an antidepressant and am familiar with the unfortunate reality that the side effects may sometimes send one into a tizzy, but when it comes to Tyrese, hasn’t this man shown his ass on social media multiple times over the years?
In April, Tyrese ended up apologizing to women after a BET video featured him railing against “sluts, skeezers, hoes, tramps and overly aggressive, promiscuous women.”
A month prior, he had this to say about women who wear weave and elect to get cosmetic surgery in an Instagram op-ed that was later taken down:
WE KNOW the difference in real hair and fake clips-ons, we know eyelash extensions... you guys are really starting to go TOO FAR with manufactured beauty —fake lips, skinny nose barely can even breathe through your own nostrils. I’m not trying to be mean I’m just sending a message that US REAL MEN SEE THE BULLS**T and IF He decide to rock with you it’s just cause they wanna get one off. No one will EVER take you serious... [because] you look like a manufactured clown.
Could that have been related to his medication? Possibly, but do we not recall the days in which Tyrese professed himself to be a relationship expert and consistently drilled various strains of sexism on his audience? It was only a year ago when Amber Rose had to explain the notion of consent to both him and Rev. Run on that needless but thankfully canceled OWN series It’s Not You, It’s Men. Tyrese didn’t understand why you can’t just grope women on the dance floor no matter how they are dressed.
A year before that, he cautioned women to “be humble” and not stress their men out.
Then there are interviews such as those in which he scolded “independent women.”
That’s unsurprising, given that this is the same man who once said (again on Instagram):
I was just asked today what qualities attract me at this point in a women…. I love a woman that’s smart, confident, educated, self sufficient, (available to be as spontaneous as this lifestyle I live.) I use to be attracted to women with HUGE personalities LOUD and AGGRESSIVE and I would always [h]it a wall…. Now I’m in a zone where I am ONLY attracted to women who’s voice is so soft and she has the energy and presence of grace and regal sophistication….. Not subservient REGAL!!!
And do we not remember the crazy shit he used to say when he was on Twitter calling himself the Vision Implementer?
An actual tweet from that era:
Ladies.. I’m a lesbian ...I just love every aspect of every piece of you Feed me I’m always hungry . I’m yours forever.
He also referred to himself as an “African Mandingo Warrior.”
Also, remember when he called his group TGT, with Tank and Ginuwine, the “R&B Avengers”? How did that group go? Well, Ginuwine ended up branding him a “diva” and blasting him for what he felt were “pussy” moves. Ginuwine also branded him a “wack lil boy” for announcing the group’s end on Instagram.
Since we’re talking his greatest hits, whatever happened to that Teddy Pendergrass project Tyrese said he had the rights to? Are those rights sitting next to Will and Jada’s checkbook? Sorry, it’s 2017. Do rich people use Venmo? Maybe there’s a pdf of the rights next to that. I can’t call it.
Point is, Tyrese has been sexist, argumentative and farcical, and has had his co-workers fucked up in the game, long before that prescription. To that end, the only artists I want to hear singing about side effects are Mariah Carey and Jeezy. That doesn’t mean I don’t wish Black Ty and his presumed lifetime supply of Cokes any harm. Quite the contrary. I want him to pull it together, and I hope that comes in the form of a proper dosage, therapy, spell-check, a book club and any greater sense of spirituality that doesn’t involve Xenu.
In the meantime, Demetria Lucas D’Oyley once wrote a post related to Tyrese entitled “Women, Stop Listening to Sexist Relationship ‘Experts.’” I have a follow-up suggestion: Humanity, Ignore This Nigga Until He Pulls It Together. If you know this man and you care about him, keep him off the internet until the very second he does. God bless.