Rapper Juelz Santana was met with criticism after breaking the news that he will be going to prison to his two children during the latest episode of “Love and Hip Hop: New York.”
Santana’s wife, Kimbella Vanderhee explained in her confessional that she and Santana hadn’t told their 6-year-old daughter Bella nor their 8-year-old son Juelz, that their father would be going away to jail for a few years.
The “Dipset” rapper pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and carrying a weapon aboard an aircraft in August 2018. In December he was sentenced to 27 months in prison as a result of the incident, but the start date for his sentence has yet to be announced.
@VH1 screenshot
After Santana and Vanderhee broke the devastating news to their children about their father’s upcoming departure, their 8-year-old son tearfully begged for Santana to “not go away.”
The rapper replied to his son, “I want to stay, too, Juelz. I got into trouble that’s why I always tell you, you got to be a good boy. … Stay far away from anything that could put you into jail.”
Santana and Vanderhee’s 6-year-old daughter also seemed to try to work up a cry in the scene depicting her learning her father would miss a few of her upcoming birthdays.
“Talking to my kids about this situation and watching them get all emotional just crushes me,” Santana said. “So whenever your kids is hurting parents is hurting even more if you’re a true parent.”
The emotional episode led to viewers blasting Santana for not thinking about his children’s feelings with his careless actions.
One fan commented, “It’s a damn shame when A grown ass man can’t conduct as such ! At the end of the day you’re hurting yourself and the ones that love you ! Maybe prison would shed light and growth.”
Another added, “🤦🏽♀️I don’t usually comment. But a true parent doesn’t put him self in a situation to be separated from his kids.
#pointblankperiod.”
One person accused the children of “fake” crying during the scene and wrote, “This scene had me dying @ how fake it was lmaooo.. I’m sorry but I was busting up 🤣.”
Ahead of Santana’s sentence, he and Vanderhee tied the knot on Thursday, Jan. 10 in a private ceremony. The couple wasted no time getting married, seeing as Santana had just proposed to Vanderhee in November. However, the couple have been through ups and downs over their past 10 years together and are seemingly pushing forward in their relationship.
