Key Takeaways
- Bilal responded “Wow. This is so sad” after Jamila Raegan accused him of leaving her to care alone for their adult son Bashir, who has autism and bipolar disorder.
- Raegan also called Bilal an abuser and wrote, “I am breaking. I am not okay,” but did not specify the alleged abuse or what support she says he withheld.
- The claims contrast with Bilal’s earlier public focus on fatherhood, including his autism-inspired 2010 song “Little One,” and he has not directly addressed or denied the allegations.
R&B singer Bilal is facing allegations from Jamila Raegan, the mother of his adult son Bashir, who claims the artist has left her to handle their son’s care alone. In an emotional Instagram post, Raegan also accused Bilal, whose full name is Bilal Oliver, of abuse and said she had protected him for more than half her life. “I’m not okay because I’ve spent over half of my life protecting an abuser,” she wrote before identifying the singer by name.
Raegan said Bashir has multiple disabilities, including autism and bipolar disorder, and claimed Bilal has shown “complete disregard” while she manages their son’s needs. “I am caring for him alone while his father continues to live his life,” she wrote.
Raegan did not detail what assistance she believes Bilal has withheld or provide specific information about her abuse allegation in the post.
Bashir is a frequent presence on Raegan’s Instagram page, where she has shared photos, videos, and personal updates about their life together over the years. In her latest message, she credited relatives, friends, and members of her community with helping support her.
Still, Raegan said that assistance had not eased the distress she was experiencing. “I love and appreciate them so much, but today I feel myself in a different place,” she wrote. “I am breaking. I am not okay.”
The accusations stand in sharp contrast to Bilal’s previous public statements about fatherhood. His 2010 song “Little One,” from the album Airtight’s Revenge, was inspired by his children and accompanied by a video centered on a family learning that their child is autistic.
Bilal said at the time that he wanted to create something from a father’s perspective and discussed using music, drumming, exercise, and dietary changes to support Bashir after his diagnosis. “This is something I did for my children,” he said in a 2011 interview.
Bilal rose to prominence with his 2001 debut album, 1st Born Second, and became closely associated with the Soulquarians collective alongside artists such as The Roots, Common, and Erykah Badu. He has maintained a respected career across R&B, jazz, and progressive soul, collaborating with Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Robert Glasper.
After Raegan’s accusations began circulating, Bilal appeared to acknowledge the coverage by commenting, “Wow. This is so sad,” on an Instagram post from The Jasmine Brand.
He did not directly address or deny the individual claims in that brief response.
