Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins' Relationship Timeline
Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins got married in 2021 and welcomed a daughter before the rapper filed for divorce in September 2023
Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Jeezy have gone their separate ways after two-and-a-half years of marriage.
The rapper filed for divorce on Sept. 14, 2023, in Atlanta, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE, which stated that their marriage was "irretrievably broken" with "no hope for reconciliation." Their divorce was eventually finalized in June 2024.
The former The Real co-host and the "Soul Survivor" rapper (born Jay Wayne Jenkins) first met on her daytime talk show set in November 2018 and began quietly dating. They made their public debut as a couple that August when they attended a gala for his non-profit, Street Dreamz.
Mai Jenkins, who divorced her first husband, Freddy Harteis, in 2017 after 10 years, spoke at length about how their relationship was different from her previous marriage.
"I didn't even know until my new relationship that something as basic, even something as basic as like at his birthday party, he left his birthday to drive me to the airport. He was looking at me like 'Are you crazy? I need to see you off. I'm going to drive you to the airport. So I'm just saying ... just be mindful of your standards," she shared in an emotional conversation with her co-hosts.
Mai Jenkins and Jeezy eventually married in March 2021 at their Atlanta home in a small ceremony. And despite the Dancing with the Stars alum once having a "hard-stop never" rule when it came to having children, the couple welcomed their daughter, Monaco, in January 2022.
"Falling in love with Jeezy made me see life differently for myself. Our love is honest, pure and safe … something I hadn't felt as a child," Mai Jenkins said at the time.
From their intimate Atlanta wedding and the birth of their little girl to their eventual split, here's a complete timeline of Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins' relationship.
November 28, 2018: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins go on their first date
The pair first met on the set of The Real in November 2018 and went on their first date later that month. The two quietly continued dating.
January 2019: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins are rumored to be dating
Jeezy and Mai Jenkins were first linked after Malika Haqq posted a group photo on Instagram, which also included Trey Songz, Lori Harvey and O.T. Genasis. Haqq captioned the pic "3's Company."
January 2019: Jeannie Mai Jenkins responds to relationship rumors about her and Jeezy
As a co-host on The Real, Mai Jenkins never shied away from opening up about her life. So when the rumor mill started churning about her and the rapper, she addressed the question directly.
"You guys know that I'm multi-dating right?" Mai Jenkins shared with her co-hosts on the show.
"Jeezy and I hang out," she continued. "He's very special to me, so we don't really have a label to define what it is we're doing. We're just having a good time together."
"Real fam you know I always keep it a little too real at this table. I promise you that when there is that one special boo, you will be the first to know from me," Mai added.
August 2019: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins go public with their relationship
Jeezy and Mai Jenkins made their first official public appearance as a couple when the two attended the inaugural SnoBall Gala in Atlanta. Mai Jenkins supported the Grammy nominee as he hosted the event to raise funds for his non-profit, Street Dreamz.
"The couple walked into the event arm-in-arm and were all smiles through the night," a rep for Jeezy told PEOPLE.
September 4, 2019: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins make their relationship Instagram official
Less than a week after PEOPLE confirmed Jeezy and Mai Jenkins were dating, the couple shared their first photos together on Instagram.
Alongside a photo showing Mai Jenkins wrapped firmly in Jeezy's arms at the beach, the host wrote, "$—…hello Hunnay took on a whole new meaning 🥴😏."
Jeezy posted his own photo of the two on his Instagram feed with the caption, "She love when I talk dat fly $—… 🤫 #wcw."
November 2019: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins spend their first Thanksgiving together
Jeezy and Mai Jenkins had a lot to be thankful for as they celebrated Thanksgiving as a couple.
"It was an unforgettable, surreal moment. It was the first time that we obviously spent Thanksgiving together, and to be able to have an intimate dinner with his family," she said. "They're all such lovely people, and they're fun."
It was also her first time meeting some of Jeezy's family members.
"They got mad cousins. And if you saw [Jeezy's Instagram] Story, we turned it into a lit, lit party afterwards," she said. "There was a DJ and there was electric sliding. … There was a lot of things going on."
Mai Jenkins even received a personal treat from her boyfriend's aunt.
"She came with Tupperware, chitlins and oxtail, and they were just for me!" she said. "They weren't for everyone, and she was like, 'These are just for you, don't let anyone else have them.' It was so wonderful to meet his family and be able to spend time together. It was special."
February 15, 2020: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins celebrate Valentine's Day
Mai Jenkins went on a ride with her man for Valentine's Day. A video posted to her Instagram account featured the television personality holding Jenkins tightly from behind as he rode a bicycle down the street. At one point, Mai Jenkins lets go as she starts dancing and singing along to hip-hop.
"Sexiest Uber driver eva," Mai captioned the snap with the hashtag "vdayvibes."
March 27, 2020: Jeezy proposes to Jeannie Mai Jenkins
Jeezy's proposal plans were derailed when the world went into lockdown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the rapper was undeterred and instead popped the question during a special date night at his house in Los Angeles.
"Jeannie and Jay were set for a trip to Vietnam this April. What Jeannie didn't know is that Jay was planning to propose," Mai Jenkins' rep told PEOPLE. "Instead, Jay decided to bring Vietnam to Jeannie with a surprise quarantine date night in his home filled with Vietnamese food and decor."
Jeezy celebrated the engagement on Instagram with a photo of himself and Mai Jenkins with the caption, "Would say 4 life but that's not long enough 🖤 Infinity…"
September 28, 2020: Jeezy supports Mai Jenkins on Dancing with the Stars
It was his birthday, but Jeezy decided to turn the spotlight on his fiancée, who joined the season 29 cast of Dancing with the Stars. The rapper purchased a billboard to encourage fans and viewers to vote for Mai Jenkins to advance on the reality dance competition.
″I know it's my G Day, but that ain't gone stop me from showing love on your Big Day. Kill it tonight!" Jeezy wrote on Instagram, where he posted a video of the L.A. billboard.
″Today's my born day, my G-day," he said in the video. "Gonna have a great time celebrating today. I know you got something planned special for me because I know that's how you are. However, I knew it was a big day for you today too. So I got a little something for you."
Mai Jenkins also honored her man as part of the show's Disney Night theme. She dedicated her Viennese Waltz to the song ″Married Life″ from the movie Up to Jeezy. After receiving a 22 out of 30 score, she shared how the track reminded her of their relationship.
"I specifically chose this dance because J is the love of my life and honestly when we met, I pictured the beginning of this. Because when you watch it, if you don't have somebody, you think about that somebody. And the minute I met J, I couldn't wait to grow old with him, happily ever after. So this is for you, baby," she said.
October 8, 2020: Mai Jenkins says that she wants to be a submissive wife to Jeezy
Mai Jenkins caused quite a stir when she divulged her desire to be a submissive wife to Jeezy on The Real.
"I want to submit to my man. When I hear this definition ... submitting has a negative connotation. It means that you are less important, you are lower than that person that you're submitting to. It usually can be like, you know, referenced as somebody who works lower than you, and that's not what I'm referring to here," Mai explained to her co-hosts.
She continued, "I'm a very dominant woman. I own my business, I lead my teams, I played my own manager, my own publicist, my own lawyer when I didn't have money to have those people."
"So, I make the decisions in my life," Mai finished. "When I come home, I like the idea that my man leads us."
November 2020: Jeezy is by Mai Jenkins' side as she undergoes emergency surgery
Mai Jenkins was forced to withdraw from the Dancing with the Stars ballroom after being diagnosed with epiglottitis, which the Mayo Clinic defines as "a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the epiglottis — a small cartilage 'lid' that covers your windpipe — swells, blocking the flow of air into your lungs."
After her successful surgery, Jeezy made a virtual appearance on The Real to provide an update and give more insight into her condition.
"She began to get sick. She had some problems with her throat, and we took her to the doctor and they gave her a shot of steroids and everything was good," he recalled about the incident. "It happened again, and I just started to notice she was having problems breathing."
Jeezy grew alarmed when she woke up one morning unable to breathe and sprung into action.
"I grabbed her immediately, took her to the emergency room," he said. "They found something, but they didn't know."
Another doctor provided a diagnosis, and Mai Jenkins underwent emergency surgery. After reassuring everyone that Mai Jenkins was on the road to recovery, Jeezy added, "I thank y'all for y'all prayers and y'all support. She's eating everything in the house, but she's definitely doing well."
November 2020: Jeezy opens up about Jeannie Mai Jenkins' support during the making of his album
While promoting his new album, The Recession 2, Jeezy praised Mai Jenkins for supporting him throughout the creative process.
"I remember just sitting here in the living room one day like, 'Yo, I got to go to Atlanta, I got a lot of stuff in my mind, I got a lot of stuff in my heart, and I need to get it off,'" the musician said. "She said, 'Yeah, I've been seeing you walking and pacing and saying things to yourself.' She was so down like, 'Let's go.' "
"We got on a plane together and came to Atlanta," he added. "The first day I landed, I got right in the studio, and I didn't leave until the album was done. She supported me the whole time. It was really a great process, if I'm honest."
March 27, 2021: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins get married
A year after the couple celebrated their engagement, Jeezy and Mai Jenkins officially became husband and wife. The "mini-mony," as Mai Jenkins called it, was held at their Atlanta home in front of family and friends. The ceremony was much more intimate than initially planned due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the pair didn't want to wait any longer to tie the knot.
"We were really looking forward to having all of our friends and family there to celebrate," she told Vogue. "But we had to change all of our wedding plans due to COVID. After Jeezy's mother unexpectedly passed, we quickly learned that life is too short. And at the end of the day, Jeezy and I really just wanted to become husband and wife."
The groom wore a champagne blush-colored Teofilo Flor suit for the occasion, while the bride stunned in a matching custom nude Galia Lahav gown with a sheer bodice that fanned out into a billowing chiffon skirt.
The ceremony featured many special touches, including a single pink rose on a seat reserved for Jeezy's mother, the late Sharon Denise Jenkins. There were also nods to Mai Jenkins' Vietnamese culture, like a tea ceremony led by Mai Jenkins' brother and palm leaves representing power and eternal life.
April 2021: Jeannie Mai Jenkins changes her name after the wedding
Mai officially took on Jeezy's last name post-marriage and was proud to share the news with her The Real co-hosts.
"So today, actually with my EP Rachel, I officially signed my name for the first time with Jenkins to it, so that we can put it into the show credit that you see today," she said. "That was the first time I've ever signed it, in its official way, so I'm so proud to finally be Mrs. Jenkins!"
September 20, 2021: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins announce that they are expecting their first child together
A few months after tying the knot, Mai Jenkins revealed that their family would be expanding. The DWTS alum broke the news on The Real.
"I can definitely say that our Real fam is growing, and it's been really hard to keep all of these secrets for you guys because we've had so much to reveal here at the show, including the fact that I am pregnant!" she told her fellow hosts.
Mai Jenkins added in an interview with Women's Health, "Jeezy and I have been kind of saving this and hiding this for five months. So we're relieved to finally share the news."
She also disclosed that the couple had discovered they were pregnant a month before their wedding but miscarried.
The day after the big reveal, the mama-to-be shared a video of herself and Jeezy using an at-home ultrasound machine to find their baby's heartbeat.
"You landed right on it!" Mai Jenkins says in the video as Jeezy holds the monitor against her bare baby bump. "Baby J, this is your daddy. Hi, baby." She also added the caption, "He changed my playlist forever 🎶."
January 11, 2022: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins announce the birth of their baby
Mai Jenkins announced the arrival of the newest addition to the family on Instagram with a snap of a baby blanket with a 'Jenkins' nametag next to it.
She wrote, "I asked God for a life of love and happiness. He sent me my family. Baby Jenkins is here 🍼❤️"
The couple did not share the sex of their little one, but Mai Jenkins revealed that they had chosen the name Monaco on her Hello Hunnay YouTube channel. The pair's trip to the principality, where they established their goals for the future, inspired the unique moniker.
"I thought Baby J's name should be a J name because obviously Jeannie and Jeezy, makes sense, but that wasn't the name that came to us," Mai Jenkins said. "What really came to us was how baby J came to fruition for us when we were dating."
January 25, 2022: Jeannie Mai Jenkins reveals the sex of her baby with husband Jeezy
Mai Jenkins gave her The Real co-hosts the scoop on the sex of her and Jeezy's new baby. The TV host joined the show virtually to deliver the news that she and Jeezy had welcomed a girl.
"That's the part that I'm still just so overwhelmed with," Mai Jenkins explained about being a mother to a little girl. "I can't explain to you how many visions jumped into my head this moment I put that little girl into my hands. I thought about my relationship with Mama Mai. That already, I can't wait to have that bond with Monaco."
She added, "I also thought about all the things that I didn't learn as a little girl, that I can't wait to teach my daughter now. There's just so many reasons why raising a little girl is such an honor to me. I would have been happy with anything, but to have Monaco, I can't tell you, I feel chosen. It's emotional, and I can't wait to raise a really strong, loving, empathetic, humorous, fashionable, fly, little girl."
March 27, 2022: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins celebrate their first wedding anniversary
Mai Jenkins took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt message to her husband Jeezy as they celebrated their first wedding anniversary.
"It's not about finding someone who's perfect," Mai Jenkins wrote alongside a photo from their wedding day showing the rapper gazing down at the television host. "It's about finding someone who can match your level of commitment- not just to the relationship, but the commitment to heal themselves to love stronger and live happier forever."
"Life began on March 27, 2021. Happy Anniversary King✨," she added.
June 2, 2022: Jeannie Mai Jenkins introduces Monaco to the public
Monaco made her on-screen debut on her mom's Hello Hunnay YouTube channel. The baby girl was decked out in a cheetah print onesie and yellow headband.
"It's time to share the most amazing, exciting, newest member of the Hello Hunnay family," said Mai Jeannie, who admitted to being nervous about sharing her baby with the world.
"I got really scared, guarded and protected," she said. "Please excuse the nerves."
The video included some of Monaco's milestones and footage of her meeting her mom's former The Real co-hosts.
May 2022: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins celebrate their second wedding anniversary in Vietnam
In honor of two years of marriage, Mai Jenkins surprised her husband with a trip to Vietnam.
"Taking my husband, Jeezy, to Vietnam was a long awaited adventure," the TV personality told PEOPLE. "When Jeezy and I met, we bonded over the similarities and differences of our cultures. Now that we have a daughter blending our worlds, it gives even more meaning to explore Vietnam together as a multicultural family."
The Real alum spent a year and a half planning the vacation, which included excursions like visiting Yen Tu Mountain and enjoying the local cuisine at a night market.
September 14, 2023: Jeezy files for divorce from Jeannie Mai Jenkins
After two-and-a-half years of marriage, Jeezy filed for divorce from Mai Jenkins in Atlanta, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.
Jeezy's filing said the pair are "currently living in a bona fide state of separation," and that their marriage is "irretrievably broken" with "no hope for reconciliation."
The document also stated that the rapper wants to share joint legal custody of their daughter.
September 27, 2023: Source says Jeannie Mai Jenkins is "trying to save her marriage" to Jeezy
Mai Jenkins isn't giving up on her marriage with Jeezy.
"She got married to stay married. She's committed to trying to save her marriage," a source told PEOPLE, who described the former TV host as "hurt and devastated" by her husband's decision to file for divorce.
October 13, 2023: Jeannie Mai Jenkins breaks silence after split from Jeezy
Mai Jenkins appeared on Sherri, where she was asked about her divorce from Jeezy.
"Taking it day by day," she told the host. "Turning off everything helps, too. I turned off every single device in my house and I really tuned into the voices I really needed to hear, which was me and the truth."
The TV personality added that her daughter, Monaco, has been her "North Star" since the split.
"I don't know if I would handle this the same way without her,” Mai Jenkins shared. "Because today, I'm able to look at her and I can say, 'What would I advise you [to do] if you were in my shoes?' And it changes everything. I'm so thankful to be a mom and I'm thankful to have her.”
October 19, 2023: Jeezy breaks silence after split from Jeannie Mai Jenkins
A month after filing for divorce from Mai Jenkins, Jeezy released a statement.
“The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart,” the Grammy-nominated artist said. “Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart.”
He added: “Our beautiful daughter is the best gift from our relationship and I am committed to assuring she feels the love and stability she deserves.”
December 4, 2023: Jeannie Mai Jenkins says she learned that Jeezy filed for divorce at the "same time as the rest of the world"
During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Mai Jenkins revealed that Jeezy filed for divorce without her knowledge.
"When I found out at the same time as the rest of the world that my marriage was ending in divorce, I was gutted," she told the TV host. "Today, it's about picking up the pieces. This year, I met the most broken version of me. I also met the strongest version of me."
June 12, 2024: Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Jeezy finalize their divorce
According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Superior Court of Fulton County in Georgia agreed to dissolve the marriage of Jenkins and Jeezy. Details of their settlement, including child and spousal support, are under seal.
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