“He saw a punching bag.” That was Jazzma Kendrick’s reply when a commenter told her they could see what Rick Ross saw in her, and it opened a string of Instagram Stories accusing the rapper of physically assaulting her.
The model, who has dated Ross on and off, followed up with photos she says show the damage. One image of her apparently bruised lip carried the caption, “The day Rick busted my lip and the day I left.”
In another post showing a wound on her lip, Kendrick spoke directly to anyone in a similar situation. “I don’t know a lot of things, but I do know that a man that puts his hands on me, is a man that never loved me and never will,” she wrote.
“It’s always good until it isn’t. If a man hits you one time, he will do it again. Don’t give him the opportunity. Value your life and leave.”
Kendrick and Ross first started showing up together in public early last year. By that September she announced they had split after a short run as a couple.
The breakup didn’t stick for long. The pair seemingly got back together and were still being spotted in public as recently as July, which makes the timing of these posts all the more jarring for fans who assumed things were fine.
Ross, the Maybach Music Group founder behind a long run of hits, has not responded to the allegations. His silence leaves Kendrick’s account and her photos as the only version of events on the record so far.
One voice did weigh in quickly, and it came from the most predictable place. 50 Cent has been feuding with Ross since around 2009, a rivalry built on years of trolling, memes and public jabs that rarely lets up for long.
This time Fif kept the jokes mostly in his pocket. “This punk put his hands on baby girl, he stressed that album didn’t sell,” he wrote. I’d laugh at him, but domestic violence is not a joke.
His response still carried a familiar dig at Ross’ sales, a favorite target over the years. Drawing a line at mocking the assault itself was a rare shift in tone from someone who usually treats Ross as endless content.
Online reaction has split along lines you’d expect. Some people are rallying behind Kendrick for speaking out publicly, while others are waiting to hear from Ross before drawing conclusions.
Allegations like these tend to put the spotlight on how the hip hop world responds when a major name is accused, and whether collaborators and peers say anything at all. So far, 50 Cent is the loudest voice in the room, and the rest of the industry has been quiet.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse or want more information on domestic violence and resources for victims, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline online or at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
For now, all eyes are on Ross and whether he chooses to address Kendrick’s claims directly.
