Jeezy has commented for the first time since he filed for divorce from his wife, Jeannie Mai.
In a statement issued on Oct. 19 and obtained by NBC News, the 46-year-old rapper — whose real name is Jay Wayne Jenkins — expressed that he decided to part ways with the 44-year-old “The Real” co-host after a period of contemplation.
“The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart," his statement reads.
"Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains, and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart. Our beautiful daughter is the best gift from our relationship, and I am committed to assuring she feels the love and stability she deserves. During this period, I kindly request that you respect our family’s privacy as we focus on healing.”
Jeezy filed for divorce from Mai after two years of marriage in September
On Sept. 14, the "Put On" rapper filed paperwork for divorce at Fulton County Superior Court. According to documents obtained by TODAY.com, the couple has been "living in a bona fide state of separation.” The filing noted that their marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.”
The couple has a prenuptial agreement in place, according to the filing.
Jeezy is seeking to share joint legal custody of their daughter
The couple welcomed their daughter Monaco in January 2022.
Jeezy is also a father to his three other kids, Jadarius, Amra and Shyheim.
Mai celebrated her daughter's birth with a post on Instagram featuring her little one.
"I asked God for a life of love and happiness," she captioned her announcement. "He sent me my family. Baby Jenkins is here."
Speaking to Women’s Health in September 2021, Mai shared that she conceived with the help of IVF after having experienced a miscarriage.
“I wondered if I was being punished. I wondered if I’d jinxed myself or cursed myself,” she recalled to the magazine. “My entire life, I never wanted children. When I say never, I’m talking a hard-stop.”
When did Jeannie Mai and Jeezy get married?
The couple wed in an intimate ceremony at their home in Atlanta in March 2021, according to Vogue.
"Married life feels 1,000 percent different than when we were dating, in the greatest way,” Mai told "Entertainment Tonight" in an interview. “I loved our dating life because we really spent such concentrated quality time getting to know each other and making sure that we were right for each other. And now, being married, it’s even more handled with such delicacy and such thoughtfulness, because we’re in our 40s and we both grew up in households that weren’t healthy marriages. We have never seen what that looks like.”
Jeezy proposed to Jeannie Mai in 2020 with a special nod to her Vietnamese roots
Mai also recalled their 2020 engagement in an interview with People. The former "The Real" co-host explained that Jeezy initially planned to pop the question to her in Hoi An, Vietnam, in April 2020. Mai has spoken of her pride in her Vietnamese roots. Unfortunately, Jeezy had to change his plans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“When Jeezy proposed to me, he decorated his condo to look like Hoi An. It brought the memories of our engagement full circle when we were finally in Hoi An for the first time,” the co-host and personality told People at the time.
Mai was previously married to Freddy Harteis from 2007 to 2018
While reflecting on her divorce from Harteis, she told People that she was "really young" when they tied the knot and wasn't ready to be a wife.
“I made choices where my instincts told me, ‘I don’t know about this,’ but I didn’t listen. He was a great guy and we tried our best, but we just weren’t compatible by the end," she said.