Mario shuts down claims he doesn’t love Black women because of his interracial relationship: “Black women raised me”

R&B singer Mario addresses the claims that he hates Black women and the strong reactions to his interracial relationship

Is Mario in an interracial relationship? Yes. Does he have a problem with Black women? According to him, no. 

For many Black millennials, R&B singer Mario was one of their first crushes. With his fan base mainly consisting of Black women, many of the “Braid My Hair” singer’s fans were shocked to see him in a relationship and expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Esmeralda Rios, who is fairskinned. While fans are not aware of the specifics of Ríos’ ethnic background, many were disappointed to see that the beloved R&B singer did not end up with a Black woman. So much so that a narrative of Mario “hating Black women” began to spread online. 

“Are Black men scared of dark children?” one Instagram user commented at the time of the announcement. 

Fast forward three months, and Mario is still fighting off that narrative. In a conversation on Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, the singer addressed the question head-on. When asked if he had anything against Black women, Mario said, “No. No sir, I don’t, never have.” He then went on to reflect on his relationships with Black women, specifically the ones that matter to him. 

“My grandmother, my mother, my family members, my aunts, a few of the Black women that I have dated in the past, my relationship with them were all different. I can’t compare one to the other,” he explained. “My grandmother was my hero,” Mario said. “She was the contrast in my life when it came to understanding the importance of a Black woman, the strength of a Black woman, the soul of a Black woman, the relationship that a Black woman could have with God that was unwavering.”

Noting that his grandmother is the first person to come to mind when he thinks about a Black woman, Mario admits that his relationship with his late mother, who struggled with a serious drug addiction, is more complex. 

“I was blessed to be born from her womb because she was talented and unstoppable,” he said. “But we had a very toxic relationship because I didn’t understand her struggles. That resentment shaped how I viewed trust and relationships.”

“Beyond that, I’ve dated Black women, and I know why you asked this question,” he continued. “I recently posted something about the slander that I feel like there is on the internet about Black women not being loved; based on who I’ve decided to date, who other artists, who other people, who other Black men decide to date that are outside of Black race.” 

The “Let Me Love You” singer appeared to be referencing an Instagram story post he shared responding to the wave of reactions to his interracial relationship. 

“I’m so tired of the black women slander in the comments about how I don’t like black women and how black women aren’t loved !!” the 39-year-old wrote in his Instagram story. “If you’re making these comments, I’m convinced YOU have a problem with black women,” he wrote, per Vibe magazine. “Black women are loved and needed.”

Not understanding the belief that “Black women aren’t loved,” Mario explains how he knows numerous thriving Black couples. However, he notes, they don’t get the same level of attention or “energy” in the discourse. 

“To me, I would much rather see that on the blogs than see the other side of it: the hate or the bashing of Black men who decide to date outside of their race,” he explained, admitting that he partially understands the root of people’s frustrations. “I’ve gotten crazy messages, but it doesn’t hurt me. It’s [just] a little confusing when I see so many Black women [who] feel the same way. And I want to understand it.”

He concluded: “The core of my fans is Black women. Black women raised me. Black women were the first ones to tell me I’m amazing. The first one to say ‘I love you.’ The first ones to make me cry. The first ones to make me laugh. So my relationship with Black women is evolving. It’s evolving every day.”