Who Is Javaughn Young-White? Kehlani’s Baby’s Dad Explored

Kehlani’s former partner, Javaughn Young-White, is taking the singer to court, five years after welcoming their daughter, Adeya.

The “After Hours” singer and Young-White had Adeya on March 23, 2019, after dating for a year. Though they broke up shortly after, they have continued to co-parent privately. However, in August 2024, Young-White filed for full custody of Adeya, claiming Kehlani is in a cult and that the group is controlling her actions “including when it comes to the upbringing of our daughter.”

“Adeya was born through a home birth orchestrated by what I would describe as a cult that she belongs in,” Young-White wrote in court documents obtained by PEOPLE. “Due to the fact that Adeya was born in a home and not in a conventional setting like a hospital, my name is not on Adeya’s birth certificate.”

Kehlani has yet to respond to the allegations but has previously spoken about co-parenting with Young-White.

“I have a 2-year-old daughter…She’s the best,” the singer, who uses she/they pronouns, said on their 2021 Facebook Watch special Pride On! Kehlani & Larry’s Excellent Pride Ride. “Me and her dad are like really, really close friends, and the decision to start a family was really easy for us because we both believed in each other’s ability to be good parents.”

So who is Kehlani’s baby’s dad? Here’s everything to know about Javaughn Young-White and his former relationship with the singer.

Young-White’s main occupation is as a guitarist, which is also how he met Kehlani. The singer confirmed Young-White was their guitarist in October 2018 during an interview on Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio.

Young-White’s brother is comedian Jaboukie Young-White, who is known for his stand-up comedy and appearing opposite Trevor Noah on The Daily Show. Though he left that position in 2021, Jaboukie has continued to find success in a number of projects, including a recurring role in Only Murders in the Building.

He announced in May 2024 that he was joining Tim Meadows in the cast of Pharrell Williams’ upcoming musical.

Kehlani came out as queer in April 2018, several months before announcing she was expecting a baby. The singer shared on Queen Radio that she and Young-White were both part of the LGBTQ+ community, which helped him understand them.

“I started dating women before I ever dated men. Then I was lucky to find a partner who was a bisexual male,” Kehlani said. “And he really understands my queerness and my fluidity, and I really understand his. It’s very awesome to be understood.”

In 2021, Kehlani shared that she is lesbian after previously believing they also liked men. They added in their 2021 Facebook Watch special that Young-White was supportive of her discovering more of her identity.

“We just focus on being a team, honestly, and when I was able to tell him I’ve come to newer terms with my sexuality and he’s super, super, super supportive,” the singer said.

Though Kehlani was private about their relationship for the most part, they confirmed their relationship to Young-White just a week after announcing her pregnancy. They shared that the two were trying for a baby when she wasn’t on tour so they could have time to conceive.

“When I found out that I can get a break from touring because I’ve been primarily a touring artist, that’s when I planned for it for this time,” she said on Queen Radio.

When announcing their pregnancy, Kehlani alluded to Young-White, calling him their “best friend” and an “amazing partner” whom they “trust with [their] body.”

Adeya was born on March 23, 2019, in a natural home birth, the singer and guitarist announced on their respective social media pages.

“Adeya is home. Kehlani gave birth at home standing up, unmedicated, into my arms as we spoke her 1st words to her,” Young-White wrote in a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter). “The most beautiful moment of my life.”

“These two are my reason & resolve. We are enjoying each other & our health, resting & surrendering to love. My heart is full,” he added.

Though Kehlani and Young-White were co-parenting after their 2019 split, the guitarist filed a lawsuit in August 2024 seeking full custody of his daughter.

In the documents, he alleged that Kehlani is part of a cult and is under the influence of the alleged leader, Neto. He added that his name was not included on his daughter’s birth certificate due to the home birth and alleged that he’s requested for his name to be added for five years but hasn’t heard back from the singer.

Young-White also alleged that Kehlani refused to give him his daughter’s social security number, and he speculated that she may not even have one. He also accused Kehlani of blocking him from seeing his daughter for a period of months because Neto had allegedly informed the singer that Young-White “was a danger to our daughter and would kill her.”

He further added that while previously Kehlani would leave Adeya with him while she was on tour, during the period that she denied him rights to see Adeya, Kehlani allegedly left her with other members of the cult, including an adult woman nicknamed “Messiah” who would bathe with Adeya while allegedly under the influence of psychedelic drugs.

“I have been trying to express my fear, anger and concern to [Kehlani] about our daughter’s living environment when she is on tour and when she is with her cult, who essentially live in her home,” Young-White said in the documents. “However, instead of addressing my feelings, she resorts to disparaging me online to her millions of social media followers.”

Representatives for Kehlani and Young-White did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Kehlani has previously spoken about following the Regla de Ocha religion, or Santería.

“It’s a really gorgeous religion that I didn’t seek out, but it sought me,” Kehlani told Bust in August 2022. “I was told upon arrival that I was headed towards a really young death in a couple of different ways — whether it be that I called it upon myself, or as a result of the environment I was in, or just things that have been chasing me my whole life. My life was saved by some really incredible elders.”

Source: PEOPLE, Bust