The Memoir Of Ms. Butterfly

When I put an article together, I try not to put myself into each piece, but it could be more straightforward. Especially now because the piece I will be talking about is Jeannie, Mai, and Jeezy, who have only been married for two years and have a one-year-old daughter.

 As women, our hearts have already chosen our life partner before we can figure it out for ourselves. When we find our person & begin the conversation of being each other’s life partners, the last thing anyone should be thinking about is divorce. Marriage is more than just the white dress and the massive party.

 After the massive celebrations, we can’t escape the reality that our new life begins as one. It’s not always going to be red roses. We will have some bumps on the road, but as long we can keep a clear picture of who we are as ideals, we should be excellent as one soul and one heart.

  Anyone going into a fresh marriage and coming from such a nasty divorce like Jeannie Mai’s knows that this is not her first rodeo, and so many people believe that she would never find love again when she found Jeezy; I want to be like the rest of the world and believe that she found love because she always said she wouldn’t be good enough to be a mother—still, being with Jeezy, all that changed for her.

 That’s when god blesses them and their love for one another with their beautiful one-year-old daughter. Until her husband Jezzy came along, Jeannie admitted not wanting children because she did not want to lose who she had become as a woman, and she also felt like she would not be able to give love or enough attention with how her life was structured.

 The couple welcomed their first daughter into the world, proving that love is a magical feeling that no one should cheat themselves out of. Anyone getting married a second time is even more terrifying when the world is watching you and your marriage. The public eye is watching it to see if or when it will fall apart or stay together long enough to pass the Hollywood test.

  Hollywood, or just the entertainment business in general, puts a lot of pressure on those who live in front of the camera all the time to be the perfect couple, but there’s no such thing as the perfect couple. They are just couples who know how to work well together and what’s worth fighting for.

 It takes two people to get married, so it should take two people to fight. That’s what I believe, and that’s what I think. Jeannie is trying to do this by saying that she wants to fight for her marriage, although Jeezy blindsided her by filing for divorce.

Once we speak the word divorce, it’s hard to take it back; the reason why I can speak so passionately about this is that I was married, and I was the one who yelled out the word divorce. Until this very day, I regret that every day of my life, I regret that I didn’t fight. I regret that.

We didn’t get to explore what our marriage could’ve been or should’ve been. It’s more complicated for her because she lives her life in public.

There is no private moment for her to digest the fact that she thought she found her forever because anyone who watched the real when she was a cohost of the real would realize when she actually made the announcement of how she & Jeezy there were and how delighted she was that she found true love again.

The most important thing was that Jeezy helped her realize that she would also be a fantastic mother and wife.

Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Jeezy go their separate ways after two-and-a-half years of marriage.

According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the rapper filed for divorce on September 14, 2023, in Atlanta, which stated that their marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.

The former The Real cohost 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 differed from her previous marriage.

I didn’t even know until my new relationship that something as essential, 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 cohorts.

Mai Jenkins and Jeezy 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.

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.

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. Jeezy and Mai Jenkins were first linked after Malika Haqq posted a group photo on Instagram, including Trey Songz, Lori Harvey, and O.T. Genasis.

l Haqq captioned the pic, “3’s Company.

As a cohost on The Real, Mai Jenkins never stopped 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 cohosts on the show.

“Jeezy and I hang out,” she continued. “He’s very special to me, so we don’t have a label to define our actions. We’re just having a good time together.

“Real fam, I always keep it 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.

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 by hosting the event to raise funds for his non-profit, Street Dreamz.

September 4, 2019: Jeezy and Jeannie Mai Jenkins make their relationship Instagram official. 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 photo of the two on his Instagram feed with the caption, “She loves 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 spent Thanksgiving together and had 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 party afterward,” she said.

“There was a D.J., 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 said, ‘These are just for you, don’t let anyone else have them.’ It was so wonderful to meet his family and 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 on 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 “day vibes.

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. Jeannie didn’t know that Jay was planning to propose,” Mai Jenkins’ rep told PEOPLE. “Instead, Jay brought 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 turned 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 in the reality dance competition.

I know it’s my G Day, but that ain’t 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 have something special planned for me because 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 you are less critical and lower than the person 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 cohorts.

She continued, “I’m a very dominant woman. I own my business, lead my teams, and played my own manager, publicist, and 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 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 and 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 your prayers and support. She’s eating everything in the house but is 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 in the studio and 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-money,” 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 our friends and family there to celebrate,” she told Vogue.

“But we had to change 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 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 cohosts. 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 expand. The DWTS alum broke the news on The Real.

“I can definitely say that our Real fam is growing, and it’s been tough 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 gave her The Real cohosts the scoop on the sex of her and Jeezy’s new baby. The T.V. 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 how many visions jumped into my head when I put that little girl into my hands.

I thought about my relationship with Mama Mai. I can’t wait to have that bond with Monaco already.” she added, “I also thought about everything I didn’t learn as a little girl that I can’t wait to teach my daughter now.

There are 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 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 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 terrified, guarded and protected,” she said. “Please excuse the nerves.”

The video included some of Monaco’s milestones and footage of meeting her mom’s former The Real cohosts.

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 T.V. 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 T.V. host as “hurt and devastated” by her husband’s decision to file for divorce.