Jill Scott: Marriage Plans Scrapped; Moving on as Single Mother

By Brennan Williams on Jun 25th 2009 2:12PM

Jill Scott seemed so open about her hopes for marriage after divorcing ex-husband Lyzel Williams Jill scottin 2007. A year later, she went public about her relationship with her drummer-turned-fiancé, Lil John Roberts, who is also the father of her son, Jett, born in April.

The Grammy Award-winning neo-soul diva seemed to be living her life like it's 'Golden,' but it appears that the old adage "everything that glitters ain't gold" has rung true.

In a candid interview with Essence.com, Scott shares her experience of being in labor for 36 hours and reveals that she and Roberts are no longer together. Scott says that during her pregnancy, she and Roberts were "dealing with a lot of emotions."

"He was there and for a couple of days afterward while I stayed in hospital, but John and I are no longer together," she disclosed. "When you have a baby, you're dealing with a lot of emotions and I don't know how much of it had to do with us breaking up, but it happens."

"We definitely love our son, and we are co-parenting and working on being friends. It is what it is," she continued.

"I have a lot of support, so I want for nothing as far as that's concerned," she added. "I know some might criticize me for the fact that my son is being raised in a single-parent home, but I wasn't raised in a two-parent home, and I had a good relationship with my dad. I have hopes for him, and I'm sure his father will do his part as well."
On Nov. 25, 2008, our very own celebrity blogger Jawn Murray exclusively reported that the engaged couple were expecting their first child. 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' actress asked fans via her personal Web site what they thought about the reported news.

Scott officially announced her pregnancy in January while promoting the acclaimed HBO series during the Television Critics Association conference in Los Angeles.

"At one point, I was trying to gain weight for the role, and I noticed I had put on 7 pounds in seven days," she told reporters of finding out about the maternity news before filming the series. "I thought something was wrong with me, and I found out I was pregnant the day I was supposed to leave for Africa."

"The first trimester I spent in Botswana," she said. "That was one of the biggest challenges of my life. First trimester. You're sick every morning. It was seven hours time difference, the heat, the bugs, the 14-hour days. My doctors gave me a clean bill of health and said 'you can do this,' so I did it."

Although the Philadelphia-bred vocalist is raising a newborn all by her lonesome, she depends on her closest friends for support.

"I can afford to have this child at 37 because I have a support system, and I can talk to my girls, Mo'Nique and Erykah [Badu], but I don't understand how any mother does it alone," she told Essence. "I don't believe I suffered from postpartum because I didn't feel depressed, but it was jarring, and I can understand now how some mothers lose it."

"What he's taught me is that I thought I was grown and patient, but I was neither until now," she added. "Even when I hold him and dance with him to his favorite song, Marvin Gaye's 'Come Live With Me,' and he holds me tighter and then relaxes, I realize that I never knew unconditional love like this before, and I'm looking forward to watching and helping him grow."

Jill Scott: Marriage Plans Scrapped; Moving on as Single Mother - Entertainment Newswire | Black Voices

Go Head Jill, you have to adapt to the curves that life's path throws at you....and her statement about being grown and patient....sooooo true. You only realise what patience means when you become a mother.

I've always liked Jill Scott, she radiates positivity.

And she's able to do it without preaching or looking down on people.....like Lauryn Hill