Jeffrey “Ja Rule” Atkins muttered the infamous line “Every Thug Needs A Lady” in his 2001 hit song “Down A** Beyotch” and we at HipHopWired couldn’t agree more.
Beside every strong man is a strong woman so we’ve compiled a list of the top wives and girlfriends in Hip-Hop.
From Hip-Hop’s elite to the “homewreckers” the ladies are all here, so click below to see where you favorites fall.
WIFE: Jada Pinkett Smith– The wife of Hip-Hop veteran Will Smith is a top wife that holds her own. Before marrying the rapper/actor in 1997, Pinkett was already an established actress creating her own fan base. Now married to Will and with a blended family of three, Jada is notorious for being by her man’s side and her reported “open relationship” with her spouse.
WIFE: Coco– Nicole”Coco” Marie Austin is the wife to O.G. rapper Ice-T. The swimsuit model has been linked to the rapper since 2005 and is known for her racy outfits as well as her loyalty to T. Most recently, Coco stood up for her man after his arrest in July for driving on a suspended license.
T is notorious for showing off Coco and her…*ahem*…ample assets.
WIFE: Remy Ma– Although currently incarcerated for shooting a woman in the stomach, Remy Ma continues to stay true to her husband rapper Pappoose. The pair was reportedly wed in a courthouse the day before the femcee was scheduled to serve an eight year sentence for the shooting charge. Not even jail can keep them apart as the couple is reportedly working on a new mixtape while she continues her sentence at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women.
Awww thug love in its finest form.
GIRLFRIEND: Cassie- As the ongoing girlfriend of Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, singer Cassie is enjoying a life of luxurious trips and partying with the Hip-Hop mogul .Although she’s not allowed to talk about their “friendship”, Diddy’s girl gets to enjoy the Bad Boy’s lavish lifestyle by his side with or without a hit album. Must be nice…
WIFE: Mariah Carey– We couldn’t do a list of top Hip-Hop wives without mentioning Mariah Carey who’s married to “rapper”/ media mogul Nick Cannon. Although Cannon hasn’t garnered much praise for his rhyme skills, his sudden marriage to Carey in 2008 thrust him even further into the spotlight and left a number of people scratching their heads. Fast forward to two years later and a noticeably happy and pregnant fuller Carey gave a performance for eager fans in Brazil.
We had our doubts but Mariah and Nick look like they’re in it for the long run. Congrats to them!
WIFE: Alicia Keys– Although her relationship with producer Swizz Beatz is controversial, the R&B singer has officially joined the ranks of top Hip-Hop wives. Keys wed Beatz, real name Kaseem Dean, August 1st on board a 260 foot yacht.
The singer is also carrying their first child and has proudly shown off her growing belly.
Swizzy’s ex-wife Mashonda recently made headlines after speaking out in an interview saying that she would not attend his wedding to the singer, whom she maintains he had an affair with while they were still married.
It’s too bad we couldn’t put Mashonda on the list, the loyal spouse stuck by Swizzy even through his reported previous infidelity with another woman he impregnated while she was pregnant with their child. SMH…
GIRLFRIEND: Ciara– Ciara is still going strong in her relationship with rapper 50 Cent. The rumor mill was a stir after the two collaborated on Cici’s track “Cant Leave Em Alone” from her 2006 The Evolution album. The pair we recently spotted in New York and have yet to confirm their relationship but who takes pictures with a “friend” like this?!
WIFE: Beyonce Knowles– A list of top wives in Hip-Hop would be incomplete without Beyonce Knowles Carter. Jay-Z and Beyonce first denied being an item in 2002 after the release of their collaboration “Bonnie And Clyde” but loyal fans weren’t fooled. When they wed in a secret ceremony in 2008, Jay and B slowly but surely became more affectionate, posing for pictures together, with lipstick smeared on Hov’s face and holding hands. Beyonce has even admitted to be being married and proudly shows off her $5 million wedding ring on special occasions.
Now if we could only get a Knowles-Carter baby, things would really be official…
GIRLFRIEND: Ashanti– News broke that Nelly and Ashanti reconciled after the pair were seen together at the nuptials for Tiny and T.I. hand in hand.
No word on what broke them up in the first place but it’s nice to see the STL rapper back with the NY singer.
WIFE: Tamkea “Tiny” Cottle– What would a list of top Hip-Hop wives be without the newly-wed wife of rapper T.I.? The pair have a blended family of six children and have been together since meeting at an Atlanta area high school. While the King of the South likes to keep his private life, well private, Tiny has been known to gush over Tip referring to him as her “honey” on her hit Reality Show “Tiny And Toya” and openly discussing their relationship in interviews.
Tiny’s tenure with the rapper leading up to their July wedding comes after a prison stint, rumors of infidelity and all the drama and criticism that comes with being linked to one of the biggest rappers in the world.
Like it or not, Tiny and T.I. are continuing their reign as one of the top Hip-Hop couples in the country.
Tiny, we salute you!
