Dawn Robinson, the former member of En Vogue who went viral after revealing she's been living out of her car for three years, has responded to fans who've expressed concern over her well-being and those who she claimed are merely attaching themselves to her story for "attention."
"FAM! I am OVERWHELMED by the outpouring of love from my Car Life video lol!!! Going viral and breaking the internet was AMAZING! As I said, my aim was to inspire but some people are worried. Please don’t be," she wrote alongside a selfie on Instagram.
After encouraging viewers to tune in to her upcoming YouTube episode, she wrote, "Oh, and ignore the trolls who are trying to attach themselves to my story lol!! Leeches do that."
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Though it's unclear who Robinson is referring to, she responded to a few fans on Instagram who pointed out veteran music producer Jermaine Dupri's recent comments about her "choice" to live in her car.
"I’m just trying to make sure people are paying attention to the whole scope of this story…she got an assistant?" Dupri said during an Instagram Live chat on Wednesday, per Vibe. "I don’t know if she's broke. She might not have all the money that she wants in the world, but she’s definitely not broke saying she's got an assistant."
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One fan commented on Robinson's Instagram post saying, "Because [Dupri] acting like you asking him for some money… we got your back."
"He doesn't even know me," Robinson responded. "He's a non factor. I stay happy."
Robinson responded to another fan, writing, "Crazy thing is, I never asked [Dupri] or ANYONE for money lol! Some people just need attention."
In a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Robinson, who found mega success alongside En Vogue band members Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis and Maxine Jones in the 1990s, opened up about living in her car since 2022.
She explained why she chose to pursue "car life" and expressed her hopes that her vulnerability can help inspire others who are in dire situations.
EN VOGUE MEMBER DAWN ROBINSON HAS BEEN LIVING OUT OF HER CAR FOR THREE YEARS
"People are like, 'You shouldn't talk about it, because you're a celebrity, and what if they judge you?' So what? What if they judge me? Life is life. . . . part of being human is being vulnerable," she said.
"You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car," she added. "I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out."
Robinson said her aim is to "inspire" others and let people know that they are "capable of anything, no matter what the odds are against you."
While explaining how she got to where she was, Robinson said she had been living with her parents in Las Vegas about five years ago. After being at odds with her mom, the singer made the decision to leave and ended up sleeping in her car for about a month.
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A co-manager at the time urged her to move to Los Angeles, telling Robinson he'd help her find a place to stay. However, after eight months of living in a hotel, Robinson cut ties when she realized he was "playing games."
"Sometimes I think people want to trap you and keep you in a situation when you're vulnerable," she said. "So, I got out of there."
Afterward, Robinson packed her car up and drove to Malibu, Calif., to begin her "car life."
Robinson quickly learned the ins and outs of car life, like "cover your windows" and avoiding talking to "certain people."
"I felt free," she said. "It was so different. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do."
"I'm learning who I am as a person, as a woman," she continued. "We say we can't do certain things before we even know that we're capable... I'm glad that I made this choice, because I needed to go through this fire."
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"I wouldn't trade my experiences and what I've gone through for the world," she added. "I miss my family. I miss everyone I was connected to. But I needed to do this alone… But I needed to do this for me. It's not easy for me by any means."
Robinson said she's"really proud" of how far she's gone and urged her followers to face their fears.
"I challenge you to do the things that are scary," she said. "People are going to call you crazy, and that's okay. You feel a sense of freedom, and you push yourself."
"Be spontaneous," she added. "Do the scary. F--- fear."
After her video went viral, Robinson's ex-husband, Andre "Dre" Allen, publicly offered her a job in the hospitality industry.
The two were married from 2003 to 2010.
