The Real Reasons Doja Cat's Boyfriend J. Cyrus Is So Controversial
Award-winning singer and rapper Doja Cat, despite churning out chart-topping hits like "Say So" and "Paint the Town Red," has often been at the center of fan controversies, and apparently, her boyfriend, comedian J. Cyrus, has too. Ever since the public got wind of the fact that the two were possibly an item, many have pointed out problematic things from Cyrus' past, including allegations of emotional abuse.
Doja Cat and Cyrus have been romantically linked since November 2022. The Daily Mail reported that they have been spotted multiple times hanging around New York City, and in June 2023, the rumored couple was photographed by TMZ canoodling in Los Cabos, Mexico. But with the "Kiss Me More" singer notorious for keeping her love life on the down low, they never actually confirmed that they were together.
However, their relationship status suddenly became clear in July 2023. At the time, Doja Cat found herself speaking out to defend Cyrus against fans who were repeatedly calling him out for his past behavior, which allegedly included manipulating moderators on Twitch, a platform where the comedian once thrived.
J. Cyrus was accused of extensive emotional abuse online
Despite issuing an apology in December 2020, fans have continued to rally to de-platform J. Cyrus, an online content creator who got his start on the now-defunct app Vine. After the app met its demise, he pivoted to streaming games on Twitch, but as one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, pointed out Cyrus became notorious on the site for "using his power and influence to mistreat women who watched him stream." Further, @annaphylaxis_, a Twitch moderator who claimed to have been on the receiving end of Cyrus' alleged emotional abuse, elaborated on how he employed manipulative tactics to exert authority over their group.
"He would fake medical ailments and use self harm as a mean to control us," she wrote. "He would emotionally manipulate us and after all 10 of us figured out what he was doing we all withdrew and said it was an 'us problem.'" In Cyrus's since-deleted apology, the controversial star confronted the mounting allegations. "There is no excuse nor justification for my actions [...] I was completely in the wrong. In a position of power and trust, I gave into the temptations and attention of those who looked up to me," he acknowledged (via Rolling Stone).
The comedian continued, "These women are special. They are strong. And they are worth so much more than me and my ignorance. And I failed to realize that when it mattered." Cyrus has not publicly responded to the newer comments about his past conduct since then and continues to be active on his social media platforms as normal.
Doja Cat alienated some fans by coming to his defense
In July 2023, Doja Cat found herself in hot water with her fanbase after she responded to a suggestion about ending her relationship with J. Cyrus, given his controversial past. "I don't give a f*** what you think about my personal life," she wrote in an Instagram comment that was screenshotted and shared on X. "I never have and never will give a f*** what you think about me or my personal life goodbye and good riddance miserable hoes haha!" The singer and rapper then embarked on a blocking spree, which in turn prompted many to unfollow her and deactivate fan pages dedicated to her.
According to Entertainment Weekly, this backlash resulted in the loss of half a million Instagram followers. Doja Cat, however, was completely unperturbed. She reflected on the situation in an Instagram Story: "Seeing all these people unfollow me makes me feel like I've defeated a large beast that's been holding me down for so long. It feels like I can reconnect with the people who really matter and love me for who [I] am and not for who [I] was."
It also looks like she and Cyrus have been going strong despite the controversies. As she stated in an August 2023 interview with Harper's Bazaar, the "Woman" hitmaker is happy with where her romantic life is at currently. "I love love. I'm possibly a serial dater," Doja Cat shared. "But right now I'm in a different place in my life where I am very committed and very much in love in a different way than before."