Known for her chart-topping R&B songs and melodic voice, singer Muni Long recently opened up about a life-threatening health battle in which she revealed she underwent a double lung transplant following complications related to lupus.
Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, disproportionately impacts Black Americans. Black people in the United States are more likely to develop more severe disease and are at a higher risk of death, according to the CDC.
With lupus, your body’s immune system does the opposite of what it’s designed for and attacks its own healthy cells and tissues. The disease causes inflammation, which can lead to flare-ups that affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs.
Various Black celebrities have shed light on the chronic condition, including star actor Nick Cannon, who opened up about living with the condition on an episode of “Club Shay Shay”. Cannon has said his condition is under control.
Now Grammy-winning R&B singer Muni Long revealed she underwent a life-saving double lung transplant in December 2025 after complications from lupus.
After suffering a severe bout of pneumonia during Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” tour, her health rapidly deteriorated. She told Good Morning America in a recent interview that doctors gave her just one week to live without the procedure.
“I should have never taken that tour, but there was so much going on in my life that I had to do it,” Long said. “About midway through, we’re up in the northeast, it’s really cold, and with autoimmune, the cold is really not your friend. I got really sick, I got pneumonia, I had to step away for a few dates. But I’m like this is not it, I got to go back. I went back and I think maybe about five or six dates in, I was like, this is not.”
She continued: “I couldn’t even get out of bed to make my call time for the stage. And the last show, I just barely made it, I was only able to do two songs. My team and my family were like, you just need to come home and rest.”
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Typically, lupus impacts organs by causing chronic inflammation and tissue damage when the immune system mistakenly creates autoantibodies that attack the body’s own healthy cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. These antibody complexes build up in blood vessels and tissues, creating further inflammation and reducing blood supply.
This systemic inflammation can target and damage several vital organ systems, including:
People with darker skin tones, including Black Americans, are more likely to develop discoid lupus erythematosus, the most common type of skin lupus. This can cause raised, disc-shaped patches that may develop into dark spots and permanent scars as they fade.
Some other common lupus symptoms are:
Mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, are also associated with lupus.
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Health experts recommend seeking medical attention for persistent fatigue, joint pain, swelling, unexplained fevers, shortness of breath, or recurring flare-ups. Flare-ups can vary in severity and may include worsening fatigue, joint pain, rashes, or fever. Severe flare-ups may require immediate medical care, particularly if they affect organs such as the kidneys, heart, or lungs.
Early diagnosis, regular checkups, medication adherence, and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms and reduce the risk of serious organ damage.
Research from Johns Hopkins found that Black lupus patients took longer than white patients to reach low disease activity, a treatment goal linked to less organ damage. The findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment, particularly for Black patients who often face worse lupus outcomes.
According to the CDC, lupus symptoms can vary, so a treatment plan depends on an individual’s specific needs. To manage symptoms, you should:
Another important part of managing the condition is making healthy choices, the CDC noted. You should also prioritize hydration and an anti-inflammatory diet, manage stress, and track flare-ups so you can catch symptoms early. Other things you should do include:
Knowing the signs of lupus and understanding its impact on the Black community can help people make informed decisions about their health. If symptoms persist or worsen, talking with a healthcare provider may lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.
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