'Don't Mess With My Man' singer Nivea opens up about cancer diagnosis

R&B singer Nivea has revealed that she has been battling leukemia, sharing the deeply personal diagnosis for the first time after months of undergoing treatment.

The 44 year old singer, best known for hits including Nivea, Complicated and Animalistic, disclosed the news during an appearance on Cadillac Chronicles. Speaking about what she is most thankful for, the "Don't Mess With My Man" hitmaker explained that she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year but remains optimistic about her recovery.

"Well, first of all, I was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, and I'm so grateful to God," Nivea said. "I've been going through treatment, and everything is going great so far. And I expect it to continue. Amen, amen, amen."

The singer, whose full name is Nivea B Hamilton, did not reveal which type of leukemia she has. Leukemia is a cancer that affects the body's blood forming tissues, including the bone marrow and lymphatic system, and treatment plans vary depending on the specific diagnosis.

Despite the health battle, Nivea said the experience has transformed the way she views life. She explained that facing cancer reminded her how unpredictable life can be and encouraged her to appreciate every opportunity that comes her way.

"It's so cliché to say you don't know the time nor the hour, but it's true and it just helped me put a lot of things in perspective," she said. "I live in gratitude, like, religiously, and I'm just grateful for everything."

Rather than stepping away from her ambitions, the Grammy nominated artist said she has continued pursuing goals that matter to her. She revealed she has returned to making music while also studying audio engineering, an area she has long wanted to master, particularly mixing.

"I'm doing things I wanna do," she said. "I'm definitely back into my music, and I'm going to school for audio engineering. I've always wanted to learn how to engineer, and mixing engineering in particular."

Family has remained another major source of motivation throughout her treatment. Nivea said she continues focusing on spending time with and caring for her four children while embracing each day with gratitude.

The singer shares daughter Navy Talia, 21, and twin sons London and Christian, 20, with former husband Terius "The Dream" Nash. She is also the mother of 16 year old son Neal, whom she shares with rapper Lil Wayne.

Following the interview, fans flooded social media with messages of encouragement, praising Nivea's honesty and resilience. Many also expressed excitement about her return to music, celebrating the artist whose early 2000s hits including "Don't Mess With My Man", "Laundromat" and "Okay" helped establish her as one of R&B's standout voices of the era.