Tyrese is doing his “best” to deal with navigating his tough divorces from his ex-wives Samantha Lee Gibson and Norma Mitchell while also grieving the loss of multiple family members and peers.
“When divorces happen, women aren’t the only ones that are devastated,” said the singer who later apologized to his girlfriend of four years who he said came to his “rescue.”
Source: Cindy Ord/VF23 / Getty
During his Aug. 20 appearance on The Breakfast Club, the 45-year-old singer and actor broke down in tears while discussing the profound loss of his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, his two deceased sisters, and his close friend and co-stars, Paul Walker, as well as Raymond Allen Liotta, the star of his forthcoming historical drama, 1992.
When Charlamagne inquired about how he was coping with the loss of his family and Hollywood peers, Tyrese let his emotions pour through.
“I’m doing the best I can with every 24 hours I get,” Gibson said as tears streamed down his face. “I don’t need no tissue. Black men cry.”
The Baby Boy star continued;
“There is no square footage I could ever live in, there is no rims, no jewelry, and no car, there is no net worth, there is no press release, there is no co-star there, is no collaboration in the world that could ever replace my mama.”
Grief Has Also Impacted Tyrese’s Love Life
The “Sweet Lady” singer has experienced two failed marriages over the years. He was married to Mitchell from 2007 to 2009, but their union quickly ended in divorce. Similarly, his marriage to Lee, which began in 2017, also ended in divorce in 2020.
Both women share one child each with the R&B star and actor.
Tyrese told Breakfast Club host Charlamagne that navigating the loss of both marriages was “tumultuous.”
ââ”I could never feel the void of what it’s like to wake up and get married and want to be in something for the rest of your life and it goes away,” Gibson shared. “When divorces happen, women aren’t the only ones that are devastated. When a miscarriage happens, women are not the only ones that you should be checking on. When you can’t put food on the table because your career goes up and then it goes down, stop skipping over the man and just checking on the woman.”
Samantha Lee & Tyrese, Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Reflecting on his current situation with Lee, to whom he was ordered to pay $237,944 in back child support and nearly $400,000 in attorney fees last year, Tyrese admitted that the relationship took a toll on him both mentally and emotionally, but he does not regret ending his marriage with his ex-wife.
“I have not talked to this woman. I have not secretly done a lunch, a dinner,” Tyrese shared, blasting rumors that he was still interested in rekindling his relationship with Lee. “If she were to post screenshots of her phone right now since she left me, there is not one f***king text message….Now, there was some begging and pleading and trying to understand when we first broke up. But the moment that that divorce paperwork came in with $20,000 a month for an 8-month-old attached, I said, ‘Okay, I got what’s going on.’”
Gibson Apologized To His Girlfriend, Zelie Timothy
Later on in the interview, Gibson thanked his girlfriend, Zelie Timothy, for sticking beside him throughout his tough split with Lee. The “Best Man I Can Be” artist revealed that the 29-year-old bombshell rescued him from the pain he endured during his breakup with his second wife and in the midst of all of his other “messes.”
Source: Kevin Mazur/VF24 / Getty
He was able to channel that frustration into his album, Beautiful Pain, thanks to help and support from the Dominican model.
“What I just gave birth to never existed before Zelie. I got a song called ‘Rescue’ because she was my rescue,” Gibson added. “God sent this woman in my life in the midst of all my messes …When you grown you understand the beauty of companionship… Zelie I love you and I’m sorry I had to do so many interviews talking about my ex. But I love you. It’s been four years and you have changed my life.”
Watch Tyrese’s emotional breakthrough at the 40-minute mark below. Thoughts?