(Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images) (Photo by Maury Phillips/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Draya Michele is a trending topic this week as the innanet and fellow celebs discuss her rumored relationship with Jalen Green. The 39-year-old was linked to the pro-baller on several occasions since last year. However, neither of them have confirmed or denied rumors of being romantically involved.
Draya chose to keep “that information private” when asked about her dating status on ‘Stepping Into The Shade Room‘ in September 2023. About a month before the episode’s release, Michele was photographed on a “stroll” with Green. It marked the start of the dating talks.
Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped folks from chatting about the alleged match, particularly their age difference. Most recently, Joe Budden and Melyssa Ford went head-to-head over the Draya and Jalen rumors during an episode of his self-titled podcast.
Budden was the first of five people on mics to bring up the Draya pregnancy rumors. After he explained why fans are speculating Michele is having baby number three, Budden gave the floor to Melyssa.
Another person on the mic asked Mel if she thinks a relationship between Draya and Jalen would be considered grooming. She immediately turned the question over to the room — four men, including Joe.
Budden told her not to ask anything and clarified that she was hired so the men could “shut up during topics like this.”
“The floor is yours for anything you think needs to be said on a platform this large about a matter this large,” Budden said.
Mel responded that it was all speculation and people were “in a tizzy,” but Joe wasn’t having it. He pushed for her to reveal what she thought “about all of it.” But Mel again seemed to avoid the question by asking other questions about Green’s choices.
“We’re not talking about his choices as a 21-year-old whose brain is not fully developed. We’re talking about Draya, in her 40s, having a baby by the young man whose brain is not fully developed. Do you have a unique take on this, or do you just want to meander? Cause if that’s the case then I’ll act like a woman and start talking.”
Then, host Ish posed the situation from the angle of a mother witnessing her 21-year-old son date a woman 18 years older than him.
“As a mother, hell no. F**k no. Because…it looks, smells like a duck… no, no I’m not trusting the situation, I’m not trusting her intentions. I’m not. I’m absolutely am going to want to guard, protect my son from himself. That’s what I’m going to try to do as his mother, but am I gonna be successful? He’s a grown a** man he can do whatever the f**k he wants, I can’t control him. But I’m not gonna like it if I’m his mother.”
At that point, Budden asked the guys to have the talk without Mel. He appeared dissatisfied with her lack of response to the “grooming” discussion. Then, Mel threw in that she doesn’t “like the term grooming” because it’s “overused,” making it lose its meaning.
All the hosts went on to discuss grooming in the context of “a woman being the predator and the man being the prey.”
Watch their full exchange starting at the 1:07:30 mark below.
