Released: 2019
Features: Dom Kennedy
At a glance, “Nunya” by Kehlani featuring Dom Kennedy is a power anthem, a brassy declaration of independence from an ex who just can’t seem to let go. Belting out raw honesty, the song is a delicious blend of defiance, sass, and skillful wordplay!
As the song kicks off, Kehlani questions her ex’s nosiness, “Why you askin’ ’bout X, Y, Z? / Why you worried ’bout who was fuckin’ me?” Here, Kehlani is emphasizing the boundary that exists post-breakup. She’s telling her ex it’s none of his business (‘none of your bees’, a playful nod to the phrase ‘none of your beeswax’) to ask about her new love life.
In the next verse, she throws down an assertive statement: “‘Cause you don’t want the world to know / That you lost a girl who got it on her own.” She is telling her ex to let it go, to move on, because she certainly has, and she’s doing just fine.
The chorus is a boisterous mantra “Ain’t nunya business,” reiterating the theme of the song. ‘Nunya’ is shorthand for ‘none of your’— a colloquial way for Kehlani to assert her independence and ward off her prying ex.
Kehlani keeps her ex in check with lyrics like “Don’t worry ’bout who it is now / Don’t worry ’bout if he got kids now / If he’s richer than you, slicker than you / His net worth bigger than you / And his dick game thicker than you.” Here, she’s throwing shade at her ex, hinting that her new partner is better than him in various ways.
It’s in Dom Kennedy’s verse that we see the ex’s perspective. He admits to his mistakes, stating “I admit it, I admit / If I saved her phone number then I did it.” He reflects on his past infidelities and how he should have seen their breakup coming. Essentially, his verse serves as a guilt-ridden confession that reeks of regret, contrasting with Kehlani’s empowered stance.
By the last chorus and outro where Kehlani repeats “Ain’t nunya business,” it’s clear that she’s not just singing to her ex, but to anybody who steps over boundaries. “Nunya” serves as more than Kehlani’s personal anthem—it’s a call to venerate one’s independence, private life, and the ability to move on.
