Nivea Opens Up About Leukemia Diagnosis

BY Erika Marie
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The Millennium Tour - Greensboro, NC
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 23: Nivea backstage at First Horizon Coliseum during the Millennium Tour on March 23, 2025 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images)
Months of treatment have given the R&B singer a new outlook, with Nivea saying she's now finding her way back to music.

A private health battle is now public. During a recent appearance on Cadillac Chronicles, Nivea, the singer behind early-2000s R&B hits like "Don't Mess With My Man" and "Laundromat," revealed she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year after quietly undergoing treatment for months. The diagnosis, she explained, has fundamentally changed the way she views her life. Without identifying the type or stage of leukemia, she said the experience has changed her priorities, affecting everything from her relationships to her career.

"Everything has been put into perspective," she said. Further, rather than dwelling on the illness itself, the Grammy-nominated singer spoke about the approach that has carried her through treatment. She credited her faith with helping her navigate the physical and emotional challenges of the past several months and said she has focused on taking recovery one day at a time while leaning on the people closest to her.

Read More: Nivea Says Lil Wayne Convinced Her To Quit Music, Promised To Take Care Of Her

New Music Coming Soon

Nivea's outlook has also renewed her interest in creating music. Although she has not announced a new release, she said she's back in the studio and reconnecting with the work that first made her a standout voice in R&B. "I'm just getting back to what I love most," she said.

The revelation adds a new layer to the public's understanding of an artist whose career has spanned more than two decades. Beyond her solo catalog, Nivea has remained a familiar figure in Hip Hop and R&B through reality television appearances and her family ties to Lil Wayne and The-Dream.

Watch Nivea discuss her health below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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