When Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union said “I do” almost a decade ago, the then-NBA superstar had no idea their relationship would evolve into them becoming business partners.
Last April, the couple launched Proudly, a baby care line catering to melanated skin and textured hair. By September of that year, the line was made available in Target retail stores nationwide.
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Though the joint venture has proved to be successful, Wade was initially uninterested in mixing business with pleasure. “I did not wanna work with my wife in this capacity,” said the retired NBA champion last month when he and Union spoke at the 9th annual Fast Company Innovation Festival.
“She be on me! ‘Did you look at this email? Did you return this email?’” Wade said, mocking the actress. “We got different processes.” Despite his hesitation, Union said that the partnership “works out.”
“It’s a very symbiotic relationship,” said the self-proclaimed taskmaster, who holds no qualms about sending “strongly worded emails.”
Union, who is also the owner of the hair care line Flawless Curls by Gabrielle Union, continued, “As a Black woman having Black-led brands, [it’s] been a whole different kind of challenge. I bring notes from the trenches versus his experience, which has been different just as a man that other men revere.”
The power couple spurred strong reactions from social media users in May when she revealed that they split some of their financial burdens 50/50. Wade would later clarify that the decision to share the load stemmed from an argument.
But then when women like Gabrielle Union pay the bills, they use it as an excuse to cheat. We still less than men to them when it's 50/50. And a guy that pays all the bills is controlling https://t.co/bODU9cQRs3 pic.twitter.com/oo78aYgxnW
— $hawn 👑 (@Shawn8967) August 2, 2023
He admitted that she was triggered when he “said something about it being my house that I paid for.” From that moment on, the married couple have split the tab for vacations, their Los Angeles home, and related household costs, as well as bills pertaining to their daughter, Kaavia James.
In August, the conversation about their arrangement was renewed when they displayed new Tiffany & Co. wedding bands in photos from their ninth-anniversary trip. “New levels, new rings,” Union captioned a post that also revealed she and Wade have a partnership with the luxury goods retailer.
“Did you go 1/2 on the rings?” asked one user in the comments. Elsewhere online, other users are still talking about the 50/50 split. “Gabrielle went 50/50 with Dwayne wade & still got cheated on…that’s exactly why I’m not doing that s–t now,” one X user wrote.
“Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade split bills 50/50. Kodak Black was on live telling a girl he wasn’t gonna give her no money. Travis Kelce literally left his girl cause she had problems with paying for things. It’s time we hang up the ‘Only broke boys don’t like giving money away,’” tweeted another.
Amid a viral debate about male and female roles in dating, someone else said, “It’s crazy how they try to gaslight men into believing they’re broke bcuz they won’t blow money on them. Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade literally 50/50.”
The couple will celebrate 10 years of marriage next August. Thus far, their relationship has endured years of public scrutiny, especially after the birth of Wade’s son, Zaire, in 2013.
Many have even criticized Union for staying with Wade, which led her to reveal the child was born during a brief breakup. Whether this was the case or not, online users always seem to have an opinion when it comes to the Union-Wade household.
