Why Are Jeannie Mai and Jeezy Getting Divorced? Updates Following Their Split After 2 Year Marriage

Jeezy shocked fans when he filed for divorce from Jeannie Mai on September 14, 2023, after only two years of marriage. Ever since, rumors have swirled involving the reasons behind the split, including infidelity on her part and not being on the same page when it came to "family values." Details on why they are divorcing and the accusations that are flying.

Why Did Jeezy File for Divorce From Jeannie Mai?

The "Soul Survivor" rapper -- real name Jay Wayne Jenkins -- has not publicly addressed his reasons for divorcing Jeannie, but he did claim in Fulton County Superior Court documents obtained by Life & Style that their marriage was “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.”

Jeezy asked for joint legal custody of their daughter, Monaco, whom Jeannie gave birth to in January 2022. The documents stated that “final decision-making” will “be established in accordance with the best interests of the child as determined by the court.”

On the day of his filing, Jeezy shared a cryptic Instagram post with photos showing him standing against a luxury Mercedes Benz sedan, including several snapshots with male friends behind him. In the caption he wrote, "Too focused on who I’m becoming to focus on who’s not coming with me."

Jeezy broke his silence regarding the divorce on October 19 via a statement to TMZ.

“The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart,” he said. “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.”

Jeezy later accused Jeannie of keeping Monaco from him, according to court documents obtained by Page Six on November 30. He filed a motion requesting a temporary custody hearing and claimed that a “lack of consistency” in their informal visitation schedule has become “stressful” for Monaco. Though he did not believe Jeannie was “acting maliciously,” he claimed that she was a “gatekeeper” of their daughter.

How Has Jeannie Mai Responded to Jeezy to Filing for Divorce?

Jeannie shared a cryptic message about healing on October 11, which marked her first Instagram post since the divorce news broke.

“Sometimes, you need to take a break and disconnect to heal,” a photo of a handwritten note read.

All signs point to the former The Real host being blindsided by his filing. Jeannie gushed about Jeezy and his new memoir becoming a New York Times best seller in a September 6 Instagram post, where she proudly called him her “husband” and wrote, “I’m endlessly grateful for your voice in this world. Honored to walk beside you, my love.”

In the accompanying video, Jeannie led Monaco in a prayer where she said, "God, I want to thank you for my family," which the toddler repeated back. The former Style Network star also prayed with her daughter, "God, thank you for my daddy and his work to help people believe in themselves just like he teaches me."

Jeannie opened up about the split in an October 12 interview on Sherri Shepherd’s talk show. She revealed that when she learned about Jeezy’s filing, she “turned off every single device” in her house.

“I really needed to tune into the voices I really needed to hear, which was me and the truth,” she added.

She also credited Monaco with helping her through the situation.

“I can definitely tell you that I don’t know if I would handle this the same way without [Monaco] because today, I’m able to look at her and I can say, ‘What would I advise you if you were in my shoes?'” Jeannie said. “It changes everything, so I’m so thankful to be a mom and I’m thankful to have her.”

Jeannie shared a mental health update on Jennifer Hudson’s talk show on December 4, revealing that she’s “doing better” these days. She also confirmed that the divorce was a surprise, noting that she “found out at the same time as the rest of the world that my marriage was ending in divorce” and was “gutted” by the discovery.

“Even though this year, I met the most broken version of me, I also met the strongest version of me,” she concluded.

Does Jeannie Mai Want to Get Divorced From Jeezy?

“[Jeannie] deeply loves Jeezy, and she wants to work things out. She did not get married to get divorced. This was not a part of the plan. This is not how she ever imagined things would go down," a source told Page Six on September 21. "Even though Jeezy has filed, Jeannie is holding out hope that he would be willing to sit down and works things [out]. She is hoping for a resolution and wants to remain as a united family unit," the insider added.

Jeezy and Jeannie got engaged in April 2020, and wed at their home in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2021. It was the music artist's first marriage and Jeannie's second. She was previously wed to Sportsman Channel star Freddy Harteis from 2007 through 2017.

Did Jeannie Mai Cheat on Jeezy With Mario Lopez?

Rumors flew fast and furious on social media that Jeannie might have cheated on her husband with Mario Lopez when she joined him to cohost a week of Access Hollywood episodes in August, a month prior to Jeezy's divorce filing. She shared a highlights reel of her best moments with Mario from their week together on August 11 via Instagram, which included Mario playing with and kissing the former couple's daughter on the cheek. Fans in the comments pointed out how amazing their chemistry was, which led to rumors they hooked up.

Following the divorce filing, fans took to X -- formerly known as Twitter -- to further the affair rumors. "If Jeezy is divorcing Jeannie Mai over some sexting with Mario Lopez ... he is petty and needs to grow up ... Do you not see how fine Mario Lopez is?" one person asked while another wrote, "Mario Lopez kissed Jeannie Mai's baby like the three of them have had family day before."

Sources close to Jeannie shot down the rumors to TMZ on September 22, saying there was no truth to her cheating with Mario or anyone else during her marriage.

Did Jeezy Cheat on Jeannie Mai?

Jeannie insinuated that Jeezy had been unfaithful during their marriage when she asked her lawyer to enforce a paragraph in their prenup “regarding infidelity,” according to court docs obtained by Life & Style on November 30.

However, a rep for Jeezy denied that the rapper cheated on Jeannie, telling Us Weekly on December 2, “Any claim of infidelity on Mr. Jenkins’ behalf are 100 percent false and we have no further statements at this time.”

What Issues Did Jeannie Mai and Jeezy Have in Their Marriage?

The duo wasn't in agreement when it came to "certain family values and expectations," a source told Entertainment Tonight on September 19. "They had different views, and each felt like their needs weren't being completely met," the insider explained.