Zion Foster, ex-partner of singer Jesy Nelson, has publicly addressed claims of being a 'deadbeat dad' shortly after announcing his new relationship. The rapper and father-of-two became Instagram official with his new girlfriend, known as Sav, sharing a video of them together. Following the post, one follower commented on his happiness, stating, 'Nothing wrong with being happy, more about being a deadbeat dad that triggers people hun x.'
Foster quickly responded to the criticism, sharing the exchange on his social media stories. He expressed frustration, writing, 'You've seen 15 seconds of my life and decided what kind of father I am. you don't know my story.' He was also confronted with a comment accusing him of abandoning his daughters, Ocean and Story, after they were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA). The comment read, 'How can you be happy when you have two beautiful daughters you don't see or care for!!! Like soon as you discovered their illness you were off!! Sorry but you don't deserve happiness.' Foster’s reply was concise: 'My daughters aren't a talking point.'
Despite the negative comments, Foster received support from some followers who defended him against public judgment. Comments included sentiments like, 'You've both parted ways both got new partners and both are still parents....who cares? Some people judge way too much,' and 'People are allowed to move on and find their happiness.'
Foster had previously 'soft launched' his relationship with Sav during a holiday in Portugal in August, captioning a post simply as '+1'. He and Sav have since updated their profile pictures with solo shots taken at the same location.
This public exchange comes as Nelson has also moved on, introducing her new boyfriend, Ben Davies, at the National Television Awards and sharing photos of him on social media. Nelson also recently took a trip to Paris with Davies without her twin daughters. Some followers criticized Nelson for this, arguing that she should spend more time with her children, who have SMA and require constant care. Nelson responded to one such comment, writing, 'oh Sami hun have a day off.'
Nelson's fans, however, rallied to her defense, asserting that mothers are entitled to breaks and personal happiness. They highlighted the challenges of caring for children with complex medical needs and emphasized that a happy parent is often a better parent. Comments supporting Nelson included, 'Mums can't pour from an empty cup, especially those who have twin babies with complex needs. A happy Jesy = an even better Mummy,' and 'Woooow some of these comments did not pass the vibe check, so because her children have the condition they have, that means jesy can’t find love? Behave yourselves, your bitterness is showing.'