Key Takeaways
- Cordae reflects on his breakup with Naomi Osaka and seemingly reveals he is expecting a second child on “Helpless,” admitting he never intended to raise his daughter in separate homes.
- Anderson .Paak also gets candid on the track, rapping about his divorce, custody issues and the emotional strain of showing up drunk to his child’s birthday.
- “Helpless” appears on the duo’s 11-track album Heavy Is the Crown, released as Cordae faces a $25 million lawsuit alleging he violated an exclusive recording agreement.
Cordae is opening up about his breakup with Naomi Osaka and seemingly revealed that he's expecting a second child on his new song "Helpless."
The track appears on Heavy Is the Crown, his collaborative album with Anderson .Paak, which arrived Friday (Oct. 23). Both rappers get personal on the FNZ-produced record, reflecting on failed relationships, fatherhood and the emotional toll of navigating life after a breakup.
"I'm finna have my second child, although we still ain't said our vows," Cordae raps. "Was never my intention to raise my daughter in separate homes / Gave your mom my all, but the love she had for me dead and gone."
Cordae's lyrics are one of the most candid reflections of his highly publicized relationship and breakup with professional tennis player Osaka, who publicly confirmed their split in January 2025.
"Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship," the four-time Grand Slam champion wrote on her Instagram Story at the time.
Despite their separation, Osaka made it clear that there was no animosity between them.
"No bad blood at all, he's a great person and an awesome dad," she added.
The former couple began dating in 2019 after meeting at a Los Angeles Clippers game. They announced Osaka's pregnancy in January 2023 and welcomed their daughter, Shai, that July.
While Cordae references having a second child on "Helpless," he does not clarify who the mother is.
Anderson .Paak also uses the song to address his personal life, reflecting on the breakdown of his marriage and the custody issues that followed.
"When the trust and the love turn to custody cases / When your day one start actin' two-face / You run and you run, but can't get away / So I showed up drunk to my baby's birthday," .Paak raps.
The musician, who filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage with Jaylyn Chang, continues by describing the emotional challenges he's experienced.
"I'm living in disarray, my company is misery / I'm on the edge of mental break, I hope that help is on the way."
"Helpless" is one of 11 tracks featured on Heavy Is the Crown, with production from several notable names, including J. Cole, Swizz Beatz, 9th Wonder and Conductor Williams.
The duo previously released the album's lead single, "A Good Day," on Sept. 16, accompanied by a music video starring actress Jennifer Freeman.
The album's release also comes as Cordae faces a $25 million lawsuit from MMMG Inc., which alleges that he violated an exclusive recording agreement signed in 2018. As previously reported by Complex, the company filed its complaint in New York federal court on Oct. 15, naming Cordae, EMPIRE Distribution, APESHIT and Mass Appeal Records as defendants. MMMG claims it owns the rights to Cordae's recordings and that he moved forward with Heavy Is the Crown without its approval.
The company is seeking at least $25 million in damages for alleged copyright infringement, breach of contract and interference with business agreements, along with a court order blocking the distribution of recordings it claims to own.
