The romantic saga between Young Thug and Jerrika Karlae has intrigued onlookers for years now. From the start of their relationship in the early 2010s, till their eventual split, they had the attention of the public. Now, a while after they parted ways, their post-breakup relationship continues to make waves. Things are also particularly interesting because Young Thug has been dating R&B singer Mariah The Scientist since 2021. Nonetheless, fans are now speculating that the rapper is still holding on to pieces of his time with Karlae.
A recent leak of his jail call footage revealed an old loved up photo of Young Thug and Karlae on the rapper’s wall. Following this discovery, fans have been in a frenzy over the photo, and coming up with several theories. While we can neither confirm nor deny any of those speculations, we can fill you in on the shared history between Young Thug and Jerrika Karlae. Here’s a timeline of their relationship.
2013: Young Thug And Jerrika Karlae Meet And Start Dating
It was sometime in 2013 that the two first crossed paths. Being that they were both already in the entertainment industry, it’s no surprise that they met in a studio. During a session at Gucci Mane’s studio, Karlae, accompanied by her mother, met Young Thug for the first time. Speaking to FADER in 2016, Karlae shared that she shrugged off Young Thug’s initial advances. “I was like, ‘you’re a rapper and I already know what that’s about,’” she said.
While they didn’t hit things off on that first meeting, they soon became friends. Subsequently, as Young Thug began showing interest in Karlae and her businesses, she began to soften up toward him. Soon after, they officially started dating. “He’s not only so into himself, he’s so into me and he’s really seeing potential in me,” she told FADER.
2015: The Couple Gets Engaged
Following almost two years of a blissful relationship, Young Thug asked Karlae to marry him. Up until then, their relationship had been drama-free, at least from the perspective of the public. The two seemed to be locked in and deeply in love, so when rumors of an engagement first surfaced, it didn’t surprise anyone. While the exact date of their engagement is unknown, reports claim it happened sometime in April 2015. On April 22, 2015, in an interview with AllHipHop, Young Thug confirmed that he was indeed engaged.
2016: Head Over Heels In Love
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 16: Jerrika Karlae and Young Thug attend "No Cap" Tuesday The Biggest Party Of The Year at Gold Room on January 16, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
The pair did not immediately tie the knot after their engagement. However, in the months that followed, they seemed to be more in love than ever before. For example, in multiple now-deleted Instagram posts, they shared several PDA-filled photos. While there were likely some low points in their relationship over time, their dirty laundry never made it to the public.
2017: Young Thug And Jerrika Karlae Break Up
In late 2017, to the surprise of fans, Jerrika Karlae broke up with Young Thug. Up until then, their relationship had seemed to be almost perfect, so nobody saw a breakup coming. However, Karlae’s decision to end things was a result of Young Thug's infidelity. On October 4, 2017, the YSL rapper shared on her X account, “I’m definitely back on the market tho.”
Afterward, some drama ensued, with Thug quoting her in a now-deleted tweet of his own, writing, “What market? B*tch u goin d*e OnGod.” Subsequently, in November, the two had another bout of interactions on the platform. It seemed like Young Thug was remorseful, and wanted another chance with Karlae. However, soon after, the “Worth It” rapper claimed that his account was hacked, and deleted the pleading tweets.
2018 - 2020: Reunion And Final Breakup
ATLANTA, GA -JANUARY 29: Young Thug and Jerrika Karlae attend Migos "Culture" Album Release Party at Compound on January 29, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Following a messy breakup in 2017, the pair seemingly began mending their relationship in 2018. While there was no official statement from either rapper, they shared pictures featuring each other on Instagram. Many months later, in December 2020, Jerrika Karlae went on a rant on X that many connected to Young Thug. On December 27, 2021, she posted, “single 2021,” a cryptic message that fans speculated was about her relationship with Thugger. Among other tweets, she also wrote, “Why misuse and abuse something or someone, why not leave them be! That’s some narcissistic sh*t. You behind the scenes painting pictures of me, like ima f**ked up individual…when you the devil”
2021 - Present: Moving On And Maintaining A Platonic Relationship
Subsequently, Young Thug denied the allegations, claiming that he had been single for two years at the time. His claim made fans reassess, and conclude that maybe Karlae was, in fact, not speaking about Young Thug. Therefore, it remains unclear when exactly they ended things, or if they ever even officially got back together after the breakup in 2017. However, it's clear that they have not been romantically involved since 2021 because Thugger began dating Mariah The Scientist that year.
Since Young Thug was incarcerated, Karlae seems to have communicated with him a few times. During an interview on The Progress Report in June 2022, she revealed that she had spoken to Thugger. In addition, she shared, “He’s doing good. He’s in great spirits. I feel like this is just a moment for him to learn a lot of lessons.” While they are no longer a couple, the two seem to be in a good place platonically. However, the photo in Thugger’s leaked video has certainly raised some eyebrows.
About The Author
Demilade Phillips has been a Features Writer for HotNewHipHop since 2023. The self-proclaimed music fanatic deals with most things Hip Hop and RnB, while also covering film, television, and the entertainment industry at large. When he’s not working, the International Relations graduate is either binging anime, immersing himself in the underground EDM scene, or crafting up original pieces.
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