That’s in accordance with Walter Isaacson’s biography, Elon Musk, which printed at this time. The revelation is a uncommon private element in a guide that delves deeply into Musk’s cutthroat strategy to enterprise however steers away from particulars about his 10 kids, together with the truth that a tenth had simply been born through the pandemic. 

“When X was born, Musk took an image of Grimes’ having a C-section and despatched it round to family and friends, together with her father and brothers,” Isaacson writes, noting that Grimes was “understandably horrified” and rushed to delete the picture. 

Grimes’ response took Musk unexpectedly, in accordance with the pop star and efficiency artist who would go on to have two extra kids with him, considered one of whom was disclosed to the world within the new biography. 

“He was simply clueless about why I’d be upset,” Grimes instructed Isaacson, attributing the flop to his neurodivergence. “It was his Asperger’s popping out in full,” she mentioned.

The son, who grew to become generally known as X, was born in Might 2020. He would quickly accompany his dad “in all places,” Isaacson wrote. X “would sit on his father’s lap throughout lengthy conferences, journey on his shoulders across the Tesla and SpaceX factories, wander precariously by way of photo voltaic roof set up websites” and watch rocket launches along with his dad. In response to Isaacson, the launch movies have been so frequent that X discovered to rely down from 10 earlier than he discovered to rely sequentially.  

Musk and Grimes would go on to have two extra kids collectively, a son named Techno Mechanicus, nicknamed Tau, and a daughter named Exa Darkish Sideræl, nicknamed Y.

In response to Isaacson, the couple broke up earlier than their second youngster was born, figuring “it might be simpler to be co-parents in the event that they weren’t concerned romantically,” however the breakup didn’t final, and the connection between the 2 grew to become an elaborate on-again, off-again affair. 

The episode with Grimes illustrates the issue Musk has had in his private life, with former wives whom Isaacson interviewed complaining about Musk’s obsessions with work or his lack of empathy. Justine Wilson, Musk’s first spouse, instructed Isaacson that Musk was “an awesome man in a number of methods … however it’s that lack of empathy that offers me pause.” 

In response to the guide, an absence of empathy is core to Musk’s life philosophy—considered one of a sequence of “life classes” from enjoying his favourite online game, Polytopia, with the primary rule being “empathy is just not an asset.” 

Musk has admitted to giving staff what he calls “hardcore” suggestions—a favourite phrase of his that he has used for years at Tesla and Twitter—saying “I attempt to criticize the motion, not the individual.” Examples of this on show within the guide: Musk instructing a younger monetary analyst that “should you don’t step on toes, I’ll fireplace you,” and common suggestions about concepts as “silly” and folks as “idiots.” This strategy has turned off many employees, with Tesla being sued final yr for fostering a “poisonous” tradition, however it’s additionally drawn many to Musk’s facet. Isaacson even quotes a number of employees who stop SpaceX, uninterested in the unrelenting tempo, solely to seek out themselves bored and ask for his or her jobs again. 

Even Wilson, who instructed Isaacson she needs Musk had shared extra of his inside life together with her once they have been married, conceded that his aloofness was possible an asset in operating his firms.

“The sturdy will and emotional distance that makes him troublesome as a husband … could also be causes for his success in operating a enterprise,” she instructed Isaacson.