Congratulations are in order for singer Mariah the Scientist and rapper Young Thug. The “Burning Blue” singer, who has been on a professional ascent all 2025, was proposed to by her beau at his Young Thug & Friends: A Benefit Concert in Atlanta on Tuesday, Dec. 16. He popped the question on stage, while she was singing, in front of thousands of people. Romantic right?
Sure…
The beauty seemed genuinely shocked while performing when she turned and saw the rapper down on one knee, ring shining in his hand, “WILL YOU MARRY ME?” displayed on the huge screen behind him. To perhaps help her be in the moment despite her shock, he pulled her closer. “Put it on!” she said before adding, “I guess I’m getting married!” They embraced, and she went backstage to show off her rock, smiling in photos and blotting away happy tears. It was an interesting response from someone who had been so open about their love story and her decision to stand by him.
Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s genuinely ecstatic. She loves that man. She fell in love with him while he was in jail. She forgave him when it came out that he was entertaining women during that confinement. She’s talked about the criticisms she’s faced for being in his corner and how she expects them now. Their first year together since his release was certainly filled with hurdles and public apologies. And she’s still with him. So I don’t doubt that she wants to marry him.
But in the moment, she never definitively said “Yes!” or “of course!” or even a demure “yes.” She certainly didn’t say no, though. And if she wanted to, to say no or not just yet, how could she? He’d asked her in front of all of Atlanta. To say no would be to embarrass significantly the man she loves, a current hip-hop heavyweight and the star of the night, who has proven to carry a lot of pride. He was Mr. “Whoopty-Doo” to the idea of spending the rest of his life behind bars, remember? To say no publicly would mean the end of everything (because how many couples have survived a declined proposal, really?), so agreeing to move into an engagement, marriage, and a fast-moving future, is often the best option in the moment, even if it’s not the best for both parties in the long term.
A friend of mine proposed publicly to his partner years ago, and while she said yes in the moment, seemingly uncomfortable by the display, for months on, she slowly retreated from the relationship, asking for “breaks” from it before they eventually called it quits. She had never really been ready for marriage with him, but saying “No” was out of the question. And the ring was beautiful, by the way (which can also literally blind people in the moment).
Therein lies the problem with public proposals and displays that put people on the spot, meant to make major decisions in front of the world. From proposals at people’s wedding receptions (super inconsiderate by the way), to popping the question in public parks, at basketball games, restaurants, you name it, people are doing it more and more, believing it to be romantic. And for the record, there is a difference between inviting loved ones to that special moment, which is sweet, and having it play out in front of many unknown spectators. In the former situation, the groom-to-be has likely already been in communication with the family and friends to help set everything up, and they are supported in their efforts. But in the latter, you’re shooting your shot and believing you’ll get a yes, because God forbid you get a no.
And I only point out how these entrances into a relationship’s next chapter can be problematic because we’ve seen the ugly side of this before. Cardi B and Offset’s relationship entered its next chapter while the former reality star and beloved social media personality saw her stardom skyrocket. She was having her moment in the sun, the first of many moments to come, and he thought it was the perfect time to marry her. (Maybe “attach” to her is the better way to look at it now.) So he proposed during a live performance at Power 99’s Powerhouse concert in 2017. Someone was there to photograph the moment, another standing close by to capture it for social media, and thousands in the crowd watched as he gave her the ring, hugged her as she gleefully put her arms up, then walked off.
She would welcome their first child in July 2018, after worrying initially that having a baby as she prepared to put out her first album could be detrimental to her career. It wasn’t, thankfully. From there, things got rocky. By December of that same year, she told everyone they were “not together anymore” via social media, and they seemed to be on the outs. It would later come out that cheating was part of the reason things were ending. And that’s when he pulled out another public display.
He would once again take to the stage, in December of 2018, interruping her big moment at Rolling Loud Festival in LA to bring out a sign made of roses that read “Take Me Back Cardi.” He publicly begged her to forgive him, and while she initially didn’t seem moved, as people bashed him, she took to Instagram to ask them to not do so. They soon reconciled.
It wasn’t until 2024, pregnant with their third child and fed up with his behavior, that she decided she was ready to move on. He had no more public displays to give, just insults and trolling behavior, and she had no more desire to save their marriage. That’s the thing about public proposals and efforts to show love out in the world. Sometimes it’s actually meant to get someone to say yes, or to forgive you, by putting a level of pressure on them because you know that you have been toxic. And as for Thug, we know that he has been. He admitted to cheating on her before he was arrested in 2022. He had a photo of his ex on the wall of his cell while locked up that same year as they were dating. Since his release, troubling phone calls were leaked, including one of him entertaining another woman, which led to a temporary breakup; his past behavior distracted from the great press run around her acclaimed album Hearts Sold Separately, released in the summer. Her moment has essentially been his moment too, so a public proposal is not a shock. A private one could have led to a conversation. But a public one is make-or-break. So…”I guess I’m getting married!”
Still, she reunited with him. She visited him in jail. She proudly called him “daddy” and learned to ignore public criticism about her decision to stand by him. Probably, because as she once said years ago to Angela Yee, “It’s almost like jail solidified our relationship,” she noted. “I’m willing to wait it out because I feel like he’s the one.” So if she likes it, we wish her well. But we also hope that when she comes down from cloud nine, twirls that ring around her finger and is done marveling at it, and prepares to plan for a wedding, she’ll ensure it’s something she truly wants and is ready for, a future that she ultimately wants to see take place — with him.