Bieber And The Musicians Singing The Paternity Blues

posted in: Features • Pop

Justin Bieber’s meteoric career has been characterized by many hallmarks of popularity and success: his rabid, cultish following and equally rabid legions of haters, his memeification by the Internet, his well documented young adulthood being carefully monitored by the media. Now, Bieber can add one more notch to his fame belt: the paternity suit!

You’ve likely heard something about this case when it was first reported in early November. Since then there have been numerous developments in the story, from the questions of the credibility of his accuser Mariah Yates to Maury Povich’s request to host the singer’s DNA tests on his show. This all came to a head on the Nov 23rd when Bieber did confirm that he had taken a paternity test. This is well after Yates dropped her suit, mind you. While the test results haven’t been confirmed yet, Bieber certainly does not appear to be the father of the child, given the young star’s willingness to sort out the whole mess promptly and as thoroughly as he has. For the record, we think the Biebs would have made a great dad. After all, who would be better at singing “Baby” as a lullaby?

While paternity suits and baby mama drama generally doesn’t impact stars of Bieber’s age, it’s something that comes with the territory for older musicians. Be it rap, country, rock or pop, accusations of paternity know no genre distinctions.

Paul McCartney was ensnared in a twist on the usual paternity drama when Bettina Hubers accused the Beatle of being her father. According to Hubers, Macca had a relationship with her mother while she was working as a waitress at a club in Hamburg, Germany where the Beatles frequently performed in the early ’60s. So how does a huge musician like McCartney respond? Hush money? Counter litigation? Nope, he instead takes a DNA test which contradicts Huber’s claims. Huber’s response? That McCartney sent along a double to take the test in his place, hence, the results of the negative blood test. Right.

Late rapper/rabble rouser/general noise-maker Ol Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan had some kind of grimy charisma as many women have come forward since his untimely demise claiming that he is the father of their children. Prior to his passing, the rapper had reportedly sired thirteen children with numerous women including three with his wife Icelene Jones. Jones has fought these accusations in court repeatedly since ODB’s passing and while all of the claims have not been verified or discredited, at least four of the cases have turned out to be legitimate. It looks like Wu-Tang is for the children, indeed.

Finally, rapper DMX is no stranger to controversy. His career has been marked with a number of strange episodes ranging from the criminal to the surreal. In 2006 DMX was accused of fathering the child of one Monique Wayne after a rendevous at Dream nightclub in Washington DC. However, the rapper, born Earl Simmons, went further then publicly denying the woman’s claims. In an interview with Sister 2 Sister magazine, DMX stated that there was no way that he could have had sex with the woman, stating that the only way he would have fathered Wayne’s child was if he had been “raped” by her. “If I did [have sex with her]… I would remember. It ain’t like she’s a pretty girl.” Unfortunately for Simmons, not only did a DNA test prove that he was, in fact, the father of Wayne’s child but his comments in the magazine were enough to warrant a defamation suit to be brought against him by Wayne. A suit which DMX lost to the tune of $1.5 million.