Famed radio personality Charlamagne Tha God, born Lenard McKelvey, has evolved from drug dealer to radio and media personality.
A native of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Charlamagne got his big break as second mic to gossip tycoon Wendy Williams. The relationship went south, but he transitioned his experience and savvy into becoming a headliner with New York's Power 105 radio show The Breakfast Club. His tenure has not been without controversy. While much has been said of Charla (as Soulja Boy so fondly calls him) little is known of his wife, Jessica Gadsden, who stands alongside the man most either love or hate. Here are five things to know about Gadsden and their union:
1. They've known each other for a long time.
Gadsen was also born in South Carolina and has known Charlamagne since high school, according to Biographypedia. Since high school, they were an on-again-off-again couple.
2. She's well educated.
The 38-year-old received a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina in mass communication and journalism. She again enrolled at Bergen Community College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in biology. And she didn't stop there. She then went on to earn her MBA from Webster University in Missouri.
3. She's a physical trainer.
Ever the renaissance woman, she channeled her education into becoming a fitness instructor and physical trainer, according to AnswersAfrica. She worked for New York Blood Service, East Shore Athletic and Core Fire Pilates.
4. She's had to defend her husband.
In 2018, Charlamagne embroiled himself in controversy (again) when he suggested his first sexual encounter with his wife may have been rape because she was drunk, reported The Source. After backlash, Gadsden took to the airwaves to contextualize the meeting, explaining rape culture vs. rape.
“You shouldn’t have used the word rape first of all, ’cause the conversation that we were having was about rape culture,” Gadsden told Charlamagne on air.
“The conversation that we were having was that you felt like it was okay for you to have sex with me while I was intoxicated that’s a rape culture thing that’s not rape. So when you asked me that question, I was hesitant to answer you because you used the word rape," she explained. "That’s not what went down. Like we both know what happened and I was not passed out. I was very coherent. Like enough for me to lift up my hips and let you take my panties off.”
5. She's a family woman.
Gadsden and Charlamagne have had their ups and downs. Charlamagne revealed that he and Gadsden got married in 2014 after difficult questions from their daughter.
“You have to show your kids love. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to get married. Me and the mother of my kids have been together since high school," Charlamagne said according to Inquistr. "When you have your 7-year-old daughter asking why you and mommy don’t have the same last name, that affects you as a man."
