Lil Baby & Jayda Cheaves's Relationship Timeline

Long before social media was screenshotting receipts, Lil Baby and Jayda Cheaves were connecting. Their relationship started in Atlanta, before the fame stretched far and wide. He was just beginning to find his footing in the Rap game, and she was already a rising entrepreneur with a growing beauty brand. Jayda wasn’t discovered in the shadow of Lil Baby's Rap dreams. She had a following of her own, built on hustle.

Their connection unfolded gradually in public before they began turning heads around 2016 to 2017. Lil Baby’s star was rising with mixtapes and street anthems, and Jayda was right there, expanding her brand alongside his. They weren’t manufactured as a couple. They were Atlanta-famous and steadily becoming a staple among the young, Black, internet-savvy audience paying attention.

In 2018, Baby dropped his breakout project Harder Than Ever, and Jayda was already part of the conversation. Unlike other Hip Hop couples, Jayda Wayda and Baby didn't seem forced. They became "couple goals" as the years passed, enjoying the finer things in life while both reaching new heights of success with each venture. They became the kind of pair the internet loves to watch, and eventually, dissect.

At the peak of their relationship, Jayda and Baby were one of the most talked-about couples in Hip Hop. They didn't chase it, and often, attempted to avoid the prying eyes, but the culture kept watching. They posted vacations and exchanged lavish gifts, and fans envied every post. Jayda even made a romantic appearance in the music video for Lil Baby's 2018 release, "Close Friends."

Then, their son, Loyal Armani, was born in February 2019. Prior to his arrival, Jayda and Baby took fans along for the pregnancy ride. The couple shared photos and videos of Cheaves's growing baby bump, expressing their anticipation for their son with the world.

Loyal became more than a shared responsibility. He was the grounding force that kept them tied, even as the romantic side of their relationship shifted over time. When the relationship was good, it looked seamless. When it strained, people noticed, but even then, there was an effort to maintain respect.

As far as Jayda’s popularity was concerned, it only grew. Her business thrived, and her social following multiplied. Cheaves was able to build an identity beyond “rapper’s girlfriend” even while in the thick of that world. Some saw her as both muse and mogul. Baby, meanwhile, kept rising, and part of his appeal was how unbothered he seemed by the fame. However, when it came to Jayda, there were always clues. A lyric here or a post there. It was enough to show he noticed what people said about her, and he didn’t mind it.

Things took a turn around 2020. The cracks were hard to miss. Rumors of infidelity had been circulating online for a while, but it was Jayda’s own words that confirmed what many had already assumed. She began to speak more openly online, hinting at emotional distance and repeated disrespect. On her Instagram Story, she broke her silence.

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Later, Lil Baby shared a post of his own. "When a mf think they can play wit me." Fans, and Jayda, thought it was a subtle jab at the fallout of his relationship. She responded, "Think they can play with you? LMFAO you played with me for 6 years straight. I text a n***a back now your chest hurt. Bye." She would gone on to delete the post.

Moreover, Jayda’s transparency became part of her brand. She never dragged her ex, but she didn’t hide the weight of it either. She would share a tweet suggesting people were trying to pit her against her ex. "Stop trying to piece together this man interviews, songs etc because we’re no longer in a relationship," she said. "We’re also not beefing so plz stop with the negativity. It’s no bad blood on my end. & the main focus right now is that we have a 1 year old to raise. That’s it. That’s all.💙." 

Lil Baby, true to form, stayed quiet. He rarely addresses his personal life directly, and when he does, it’s through lyrics or some subliminal social media post. Jayda had drawn her line, and although neither of them ever confirmed every rumor, the distance was obvious.

After their romantic relationship ended, Jayda and Baby settled into a consistent co-parenting rhythm. Their son remained central to both of their lives, and while they didn’t often speak about one another, their coordination was evident.

“I think people are intimidated only because we have a child together and it’s like…no matter the situation, we always are cool," Jayda told Jasmine Brand in 2023. "And we don’t let the negative really interfere with our personal relationship when it comes to just us being friends. ‘Cause we always cool–no matter what.'” 

There were no major public disputes between them during this time. Loyal’s birthday parties were posted to stories. Comments under photos hinted at ongoing mutual respect. When Baby was asked about Jayda during press runs, he didn’t speak negatively, if he said anything at all. They even showed up at sports games inmatching 'fits, sparking reconciliation rumors.

Jayda stepped more fully into her role as a brand figure with an audience that extended far beyond her relationship history. Baby continued to release music, tour, and keep his personal life private. They weren't together, but they were still in one another's orbit. Still, their names were continuously tied together when Lil Baby's controversies bubbled to the surface.

All was quiet between these two until Jayda Cheaves went live on TikTok promoting her skincare line. During a casual back-and-forth with viewers, the conversation took a turn. Jayda responded to a comment asking whether rumors were true about a past connection between Ari Fletcher and Lil Baby. She didn’t hesitate.

"Them rumors are true, no shade," Jayda said, matter-of-factly. "That’s been going on, has been a thing, but I don’t want to talk about it. Like, literally, let’s not talk about it… It’s not rumors, that sh*t is true."

Fletcher didn’t confirm or deny the comment. Instead, she posted indirect messages on social media. She's no stranger to this kind of viral controversy, especially given that she's been in a long-term relationship with rapper Moneybagg Yo, dated Gervonta Davis, and shares a child with G Herbo. Twitter flooded with reactions and questions as fans demanded more details.

She suggested she would address the rumors on a livestream of her own, but she left viewers disappointed. Then, others began jumping into the conversation, including Emily Huff, Jayda's former good friend. As allegations flew from one end of social media to the other, Lil Baby kept himself out of the fray...until he didn't.

The rapper posted a photo of Jayda to his Instagram Story with the letters "CBFW," interpreted as "Can't Be F*cked With." Immediately, the public fired off messages about Baby supporting his ex. He didn't have to fully immerse himself in the drama because he sent a quiet signal that no matter how complicated things had been, he still stood behind Cheaves when it counted.

Some relationships stay in public memory because they were part of something larger. This one moved alongside changing careers and jarring internet attention. Even after the romance ended, the connection remained. Their history became part of a larger conversation about how relationships change under attention, and how the past stays documented even when both people move forward.