Common Says This Breakup Sent Him To Therapy

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Last week, while on the promotional tour for his new memoir, Let Love Have The Last Word, Common opened up about the sexual abuse he experienced at the hands of a male family friend and now the 47-year-old is talking about some of his most public relationships and how therapy helped him cope. “Some of the hardest work I’ve done on myself has been after breakups.”

In an interview with PEOPLE, he talks about possibly his most famous relationship with ex Erykah Badu. “With Erykah, that was my first love where you’re just open and floating, When we split, I was 27 or 28. I was in a haze, just going through the motions. It was hard to eat. It wasn’t her fault, the relationship just didn’t go forward.”

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The Chicago MC has famously dated Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Serena Williams and most recently, Angela Rye.

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But it was the mention of one particular break up that sent him to therapy. “I was in another breakup after that was heavy.” While he doesn’t disclose who he was in a relationship with at the time (our money is on Serena), the sheer acknowledgment of him needing assistance after heartbreak makes us love him even more.

“Talking about my intimacy avoidance and love addiction was an ‘aha’ moment for me. The more you talk, the more you see the patterns you created for yourself. I’m open to a relationship now. I know how to communicate like an adult now. I want to be the best partner I can be.”

Let Love Have The Last Word is available everywhere.