Naya Rivera’s untimely death has brought tributes from those who knew and loved her. In light of her passing, Rivera’s former fiancé, Big Sean, has been among those to pay their respects. Big Sean and Rivera dated back in 2013, and the two became engaged, before deciding to split up. The song “IDFWU” was released by Big Sean afterward.
“IDFWU” stands for “I Don’t Fuck with You.” In the song, Big Sean expresses his feelings about an unnamed woman with some unflattering lyrics. The timing of the single’s release in September 2014, combined with Big Sean’s breakup with Naya Rivera from April of that year, led many people to assume that the song is about her. It was the lead single from Big Sean’s album, Dark Sky Paradise.
Now, a couple of months have passed since Naya Rivera died tragically at Lake Piru, and Big Sean is promoting his new album, Detroit 2, meaning that “IDFWU” inevitably came up in the conversation, as it has taken on a new perspective in people's minds following Rivera’s death. Asked if he regrets creating the song, Big Sean told Vulture:
That’s a tough question to answer because I’m still processing a lot of that … I don’t feel comfortable talking about it because I want to respect her. She’s made such an impact on people, and she’s done so many great things in her life and her career that it was hurtful to even have that [song] be associated with her. It wasn’t a diss to her. I truly made the song and played it for her. She knew about it, and she liked it. We had a breakup that was very public, and we were young and we forgave each other and moved on from that. If I would have known something this tragic would have happened, I would have never made the song.
Big Sean says that Naya Rivera knew about the song and liked it when he played it for her. He also stated that he and Rivera had forgiven each other and “moved on” following the public breakup. Still, Big Sean expressed that if he had known about the tragic ending to Rivera’s life, he would have “never made the song.” It is a statement that some might interpret as expressing regret over “IDFWU.”
At the time of his tribute to Naya Rivera, Big Sean shared his grief and shock over his former fiancé’s death, adding that he could not believe her passing was “real.” Rivera was laid to rest last month in a private funeral service.
Based on statements by Naya Rivera’s son, the Sheriff’s Department believes that Rivera died after heroically saving him after their swim took a dangerous turn. Rivera’s son indicated she had used her remaining strength to get him onto their rental boat before disappearing under the water. Rivera’s cause of death by drowning was later confirmed.
Naya Rivera’s death was met by Big Sean and others, who poured their hearts out in emotional tributes to the singer/actress. The mother of Rivera’s late Glee co-star, Cory Monteith, has been among those to pen one. Meanwhile, Big Sean’s “IDFWU” is not the only song to have people see it in a new light in the aftermath of Rivera’s passing.
The Glee star’s rendition of The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” for Cory Monteith/Finn’s tribute episode has taken on tragic new meaning. No one could have ever expected the words Naya Rivera sang to be prophetic of her own untimely death. And, it might be good for Rivera's fans, friends and family to hear that Big Sean now, at the very least, has conflicting feelings about “IDFWU.”
You can currently stream Naya Rivera’s many memorable performances on Glee via Netflix. Rivera also posthumously appears as a guest judge in an episode of Sugar Rush’s third season, which is now streaming, and was the last thing that Rivera filmed before her passing. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news.
