Who did Keri Hilson date? Samuel Soba conspiracy and more explored

We all know Keri Hilson for her Grammy-nominated R&B hits such as Knock You Down and Pretty Girl Rock. However, she has consistently remained under the radar with a mystery revolving around her personal life and the long-lasting 'Samuel Soba conspiracy.'

The mystery that captured attention on the internet began with and revolves around the high profile relationship Hilson shared with the NBA player, Serge Ibaka, and all that followed which kept speculations around the relationship in circulation.

Let’s take a peek into her widely reported romances, which continue to baffle fans as well as conspiracy theorists.

Keri Hilson’s known relationship: Serge Ibaka

Keri Hilson reportedly dated Ibaka from 2012 to 2016, according to the YouTube page named Andy Hoops. So, they have shared a relationships for a substantial period of time. They were affectionate about each other, going by their posts about each other on social media, and would go to events together. They were also seen in public together, displaying affection for each other. Ibaka was in fact known to be Hilson’s best friend and they seemed to share a deep emotional bond.

Although their relationship came to an end in a rather uneventful manner, Keri Hilson’s love life with Serge Ibaka remained as one of her most genuine relationships.

The Mystery Man: Who Is Samuel Soba?

Now, for the conspiracy theories surrounding Keri Hilson's romantic life. Numerous websites have claimed that Hilson married a certain man named Samuel Soba in the year 2002, with some adding that the two are even rumored to share a child. Details pertaining to their romantic life and relationship timelines — all of it unverified — are available on many databases and entertainment blogs.

The website celeb-family, for instance, describes Samuel Soba as "rumored husband" of Keri Hilson. Across most websites that mention Samuel Sona and Keri Hilson as a couple, there are no verified photos, no interviews, no public records of a marriage license, not even a confirmed sighting.

The Serge Ibaka confusion

The intrigue deepens when one attempts to check 'Samuel Soba' on the Internet, or looks into his so-called biography pages. It seems pictures of Serge Ibaka invariably headline these pages!

This has contributed to the rise of a speculation: That Serge Ibaka and Samuel Soba could in fact be one individual, and that 'Samuel Soba' could very well be an alias that Ibaka decided to use.

But this theory does seem to fall apart when you consider the facts about the basketball star.

Serge Ibaka's life: Based on facts

Serge Ibaka was born in 1989, in the Republic of the Congo’s capital, Brazzaville. He lived through the Second Congo War, which is one of the worst wars in the nation's history. In his childhood, he lost his mother and his struggles were compounded by the fact that he reportedly witnessed his father being sent to jail during the war.

Basketball gave him hope like it did to many of his generation in the war-torn country, and after working hard to realize his dreams Serge Ibaka moved to Europe. As a youngster, he had aspirations of playing the game professionally. He dreamed of getting drafted into the NBA, and winning a championship with the Toronto Raptors.

Serge Ibaka's life’s story is properly documented and also highly motivational, compared to the flimsy and nearly non-existent rumors that are cited to support the existence of Samuel Soba.

Samuel Soba: A digital mirage

Samuel Soba exists solely on unreliable gossip websites, while Serge Ibaka has had his life chronicled on various media platforms and exhibits. Soba’s 'pictures' are nothing short of absurdity and these either portray misappropriated images of Ibaka or stock photos of strangers. There is no tangible biography available about the man, no social media accounts, or credible validation of his relation to Keri Hilson.

What is more intriguing is the fact that Hilson herself has has neither verified nor denied the existence of Samuel Soba. Her willful silence has only intensified the interest and offered conspiracy theorists the option to run rampant.

The origins of the conspiracy

Where did the tale stem from? Most likely false information-mongers combined with poor photo indexing on the internet and lackadaisical reporting by a section of the media. There are outlets that seem to have misused Serge Ibaka’s image while discussing Kerri Hilson’s supposed marriage, and the fumble spread like wildfire. With time, that might have become accepted as genuine information and turned into an online legend.

Many pages portraying Samuel Soba continue to use Serge Ibaka’s pictures and try to further the mix-up along with the myths surrounding it. In this way, they further propel a notion that should rightly have been sidelined.

Conclusion: Fictionalized accounts of the internet versus documented truths

The internet loves a good mystery, but this one neither seems too complicated nor an intelligent one. Serge Ibaka, a man who is well-known in his area of sports, lives with a documented timeline, which catalogs his life events, while the name Samuel Soba seems to be a mythical creation of lazy journalism and conspiracy theories floating around on the web.

What is certain is that Keri Hilson was often spotted with Serge Ibaka, and he remains her most known relationship. The counterpart Samuel Soba does not seem as authentic, with all evidences pointing to an internet conspiracy and unfounded rumors, and little else.

In either of the two cases, unless Keri decides to make a statement or some solid documentation arises, Samuel Soba remains one of the strangest enigmas of the online world.