At long last, Jojo Simmons has tied the knot with his girlfriend of 10 years, Tanice Amira.
The star of We TV’s “Growing Up Hip Hop: New York” spoke exclusively to Atlanta Black Star on Oct. 21 about what led him to pop the question and make an honest woman out of Amira.
“It was finally time,” he says. “At the end of the day, a lot of people were like, ‘Oh, you were dating for 10 years, how could you not?’ You got to realize, she was 18 and I was 20 years old when we met. No one was thinking about marriage. You’re a boyfriend and a girlfriend and you just see how it goes.
“And throughout the 10 years, you go through things. You go through ups and downs, and finally we had a child,” he continues. “I seen how she is as a mother, I know how she is as a woman, so there’s no other way than to make her my wife.”
And it’s not just the two of them joining in an official family. The couple also have a daughter, 3-year-old Mia Kaylee, who is part of their unit.
“When I had my daughter, she definitely made me focus more, she made me lock in and hone in on what I wanted to do in life and not just be all over the place and realize I have somebody and more to live for now,” Simmons says.
The now-30-year-old and his 28-year-old bride wed at The Legacy Castle in New Jersey on Oct. 27 after being engaged since August 2018, People magazine reported. They exchanged vows in front of family and friends, including Simmons’ older sisters Vanessa and Angela Simmons and his younger brother Diggy Simmons, plus dad Reverend Run.
Now a dad himself, Jojo also encourages fathers to remain in their children’s lives, adding that his goal is to “push the narrative that being a dad is the coolest job in the world.”
“Moms are the nurturers but fathers are the teachers,” he says. “I feel like it’s very important to have your father in your life. … You can still be cool and be a dad. You can still go out and have fun, but be a dad.”
Fans may even see Simmons have more fun as a dad, as he asked Mia what she hopes to have in a sibling: a baby brother or a baby sister. However, the dad and daughter have differing ideas about what they hope to add to the family.
“Hmmmm. Sister!” little Mia said when asked by her dad to name her preference. Her choice elicited an instant comeback from her dad.
“I don’t need another girl in the house!” he exclaimed playfully. “I want a baby brother, you want a baby brother, right?”
“GUHHNY” continues to plow ahead with its inaugural season Thursday, Oct. 31. at 9 p.m. on We TV.
