Before Cyn Santana entered Joe Budden‘s life, there was his ex-girlfriend Tahiry Jose.
People know Jose from rejecting Budden’s grand proposal in the middle of Times Square during season 4 of “Love and Hip Hop: New York.” One of the reasons she turned down the podcaster’s engagement at that time was suspected infidelity, along with other ongoing relationship issues.
The curvaceous model appeared on Thursday’s episode of “The Real” to discuss her and Budden’s former dating history. When asked if she regretted not becoming his fiancé, she answered “no.”
“I don’t regret it,” Jose said. “It was one of the most important chapters of my life on national TV. … So to be able to say no to the man I thought at that moment was supposed to be my forever, was big.”
Jose went onto say she did “what was best” for herself at the time.
“I knew that ring would come with the show specials, the wedding specials. … People loved us together,” she explained. “I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t what my gut told me to do, so I had to follow my gut. None of that mattered if the relationship wasn’t healthy.”
Several social media users applauded the 39-year-old model’s decision to walk away from Budden, while others hoped they’d reconcile.
“She dodged a bullet 🙌🏽 Some women would just say yes for the ring just to stay in a unhealthy toxic relationship ..good thing she made the right choice 🙌🏽 Joe a lame “
“I love her – and she def made the best choice because now they can be amazing friends from a distance. I was hoping they would get back together one day 💁🏾 “
“That was a beautiful proposal tho 😫🤣 but definitely the right decision for her!👏🏽 I think Joe still loves her tho.”
“And he been tryna find the right one ever since 😂see, should’ve did her right at first. Cyn somewhere punching the air lol I love Tahiri.”
Jose and Budden dated off and on for years before officially calling it quits around late 2013, as far as fans know. Budden began dating Santana nearly two years later.
“LHHNY” viewers will get a chance to see Jose and Budden’s chemistry on the show’s new season, which premieres on Dec. 16 on VH1.
