Breakups, Makeups, Babies and Wedding Bells
The Year in Relationships
From baby bumps to bridal bliss, 2010 has been an eventful year for celebrity relationships. Today, we look back on all the big moments from Keyshia Cole and Monica set to become basketball wives to Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon expecting their first child. Here is the year in relationships…
January 1: Daniel Gibson Asks for Keyshia Cole’s Hand
What a way to start 2010! As people everywhere counted down to the new year, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Daniel Gibson got down on bended knee and asked his long-term girlfriend Keyshia Cole for her hand in marriage. The R&B singer announced her new status and her pregnancy a week later on January 7.
January: Rihanna and Matt Kemp Begin Their Romance
Two thousand and nine was a rough year for Rihanna, who was recovering from the domestic violence incident between her and her former boyfriend singer Chris Brown. She started off 2010 fresh with a new relationship with L.A. Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp. Despite being caught canoodling in Mexico, the Barbadian beauty and Kemp told press that they were just friend. Soon enough they changed their tune.
February: Lenny Nicholson Proposes to Amerie in Paris
Amerie keeps her personal life quite private. Many of us didn’t even know she was dating her manager Lenny Nicholson when news broke that the two were engaged.
February 26: Christina Milian Gives Birth to Violet Nash
Christina Milian and The-Dream may have ended their romance, but they have the most adorable reminder of the love they had — their daughter Violet Nash.
March 3: Keyshia Cole and Daniel Gibson Have Their First Son
Two months after announcing her engagement to Daniel Gibson, Keyshia cole gave birth to Daniel Jr. She tweeted this picture of her with her son back in September. What a cutie!
March 25: Eva Marcille and Lance Gross Call It Off
Everyone thought that Eva Marcille and Lance Gross were a match made in heaven. Their romance didn’t last, however, and just a few months before they were to walk down the aisle the two called it quits. “Lance Gross and Eva Marcille have mutually decided to end their relationship. The split is completely amicable,” a statement from the couple’s reps confirming the split read.
April 6: Lisa Leslie-Lockwood Gives Birth to a Son
Former WNBA player Lisa Leslie and her former NBA hubby Michael Lockwood welcomed their second bundle of joy — a boy named Michael Joseph or MJ. Leslie who stands 6’5″ said, “I imagine M.J. won’t be shorter than 6’6″.” At 7lbs. 13oz. 21.5inches, little MJ is showed some real growth potential.
April 6: Paula Patton and Robin Thicke Welcom Son Julian Fuego
Paula Patton and Robin Thicke welcomed their first child Julian Fuego this Spring. A few months after Julian was born Thicke chatted with ESSENCE.com about fatherhood. “Some of the best moments are when I am holding him, and I start singing my new songs to him,” he told ESSENCE.com. “…As soon as your baby is born, you’re just in love for the rest of your life.”
April: Garcelle Beauvais Outs Her Cheating Husband
Who can forget Garcelle Beuavais’ angry e-mail to the New York Post, outing her manager-husband Mike Nilon’s five-year-long extramarital affair. I found out today that MY husband of almost 9 years has been having an affair for 5 years with some slut in Chicago,” the letter, which appeared in Page Six, reads. “I am devastated!!!! And I have been duped!! Our boys don’t deserve this!” Garcelle filed for divorce one month later and has been focusing on raising her and Mike’s twin boys Jaid and Jax.
April 24: Erica Campbell Gives Birth to a Son
Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday, April 24th, just four days before her own birthday. Campbell and her producer husband named their new bundle of joy, Warryn Campbell III. “We are extremely excited about the birth of our son! We’re so blessed to have this addition to our family, and Warryn and I are really the happiest parents in the world,” Campbell told AOL Black Voices
May: Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry Split
Every body thought Halle Berry had found the man of her life when she settled down with Gabriel Aubry, even giving birth to their previous daughter Nahla in March 2008. This may the couple decided to part ways and seem to have worked out a custody agreement. Their both doting parents and we’re sure Nahla is getting lots of love from mom and dad.
June 30: Zoe Saldana and Keith Britton Get Engaged
Zoe Saldana is another starlet who likes to keep her relationships private. This summer her ten-year relationship with actor Keith Britton became a little more public after Britton asked for Saldana’s hand in marriage. Congratulations, you two!
July: The-Dream Files for Divorce
A few months after the birth of The-Dream and Christina Milian’s daughter, Violet Nash, news surfaced that the two were no-longer. The-Dream told Us Weekly that he and Christina had split in 2009, but decided to keep things quiet until the right time. Shortly after reports swirled that the producer actually filed for divorce nine days before his daughter was born without Christina’s knowledge. In July, photos of The-Dream and his assistant Melissa Santiago getting frisky in the Caribbean also began to circulate around the blogosphere.
July: Tamera Mowry Gets Engaged to Adam Hously
Tamera Mowry got re-engaged to her FOX News correspondent boyfriend Adam Housley this Summer. The two were engaged once before a few years back, but broke it off shortly after. It looks like they’re ready to make the commitment this time.
July 10: LaLa Vazquez and Carmelo Anthony’s Full Court Wedding
Denver Nuggets all-star Carmelo Anthony and former MTV VJ LaLa Vazquez got married in a grand affair held at New York City’s posh restaurant, Cipriani 42nd Street. Vazquez wore a stunning Vera Wang dress as she walked down the aisle to meet her fiance of six years, who was dressed in a dapper black and navy tux with a burgundy bow tie to match the red roses that adorned the ceremony. The event was packed with celebs from Spike Lee and Ludacris to Serena Williams and Kelly Rowland.
July 31: Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Say ‘I Do’ in South of France
A few months after announcing that they were expecting a baby, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz tied the knot in a secret soiree in a private house in the South of France overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Guests included Queen Latifah and Bono.
July 31: Tiny and T.I. Tie the Knot
T.I. and his longtime lady, former Xscape singer Tameka “Tiny” Cottle finally got hitched this summer. Once celebration wasn’t enough, so these two walked down the aisle three times in Miami, Las Vegas and their hometown Atlanta.
August 9: Fantasia Breaks Down Over Affair
News of a romance between singer Fantasia Barrino and a married man named Antwaun Cook swirled through the blogosphere all year. Fantasia denied the relationship at first and then insisted that Cook was separated when she began dating him. Rumors that Cook’s wife filed a lawsuit against Barrino for alienation of affection also spread. As the situation got more out of control, Fantasia couldn’t take it anymore. She attempted suicide by overdosing on Aspirin and Sleeping Pills.
September: Jay Tucker Put a Ring on Niecy Nash
In September 2010, Niecy Nash announced that she was engaged to her boyfriend Jay Tucker, who she had been dating for one year. “I cannot believe that God has been this kind that he would gift me the man,” Nash said. The wedding is planned for May 2011.
September 23: Janet Jackson Comes Out With Wissam Al Mana
Over the summer, photos of Janet Jackson and a certain someone sailing the Mediterranean together surfaced. By fall her romance with Wissam Al Mana was out in the open. The two were seen walking through New York City holding hands. Janet admits that Wissam likes to keep things private and says that she’s “in a great place.”
October: Shannon Brown Pops the Question to Monica
Monica met her L.A. Lakers honey Shannon Brown on the set of her “Love All Over Me” video. Things seemed to move from business to pleasure pretty quickly after that and by July the relationship became public. In October, Shannon asked Monica to be his wife. She said “Yes” of course and has the bling to prove it.
October: Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez Start Dating
It must be tough to stay single when you’re a gorgeous, talented movie star like Halle Berry. About seven months after her breakup with Gabriel Aubry, Berry was seen cozying up to her “Dark Tide” co-star Olivier Martinez in Paris. Since then, the pair has been nearly inseparable and even showed up to the 32nd Carousel Of Hope Gala in L.A. together looking as dashing as ever.
Ocotber 15: Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Welcome a Son
Alicia Keys gave birth to a baby boy this fall. Reps for the Keys and her hubby Swizz Beatz confirmed to ESSENCE.com that the couple “joyfully welcomed” their first son together, whom they named Egypt Daoude Dean. Beatz has three other children “that are ecstatic about their new brother,” added their reps.
October 24, 2010 Jurnee Smollett Weds Josiah Bell
Young lovers Jurnee Smollett and Josiah Bell tied the knot in October, but we didn’t find out the big news until December. Their secret ceremony was attended by a few close friends and family members and the couple reportedly registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
October 28: Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Confirm Pregnancy
After months of speculation, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon announced that they are expecting their first child this coming Spring. The expecting parents visited “Access Hollywood” to break the news. “You’re the first person I’ve told. I mean I didn’t tell anyone at all,” Carey told “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush. “It’s been a long journey. It’s been tough because I’ve been trying to hold on to a shred of privacy.”
November 3: It’s Twin Boys for Tarsha and Anthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton was so excited when his twin boys Aaron and Nolan were born that he spread the good news right away on Twitter. “Today I stand a proud father of twin boys! Aaron Michael Hamilton and Nolan Anthony Hamilton!” he tweeted. “Tarsha and I send our love to all. God bless you.”
November 12: Ne-Yo and Girlfriend Monyetta Shaw Welcome a Baby Girl
Anthony Hamilton wasn’t the only one tweeting about his bundle of joy. When Ne-Yo’s fiance Monyetta Shaw gave birth to their daughter Madilyn Grace Smith, the singer tweeted, “Welcoming that lil’ girl to the world last night defined for me what ‘willing to kill and die for’ truly means. My world, my life, all hers.”
November: Tina and Mathew Kowles May Be On the Road to Reconciliation
It was around this time last year that Mathew and Tina Knowles confirmed that they would divorce. It looks like these two may have changed their tune. Both of Beyonce’s parents skipped out on a recent courtroom appearance, leading folks to speculate that they could be getting back together. The couple was also spotted at the screening of daughter Beyonce’s “I Am … World Tour.”
December 11, 2010 Nicole Richie Marries Joel Madden
Nicole Richie and her long-term boyfriend and father of her two kids Harlow and Sparrow finally said “I do” in an intimate wedding at Nicole’s father Lionel Richie’s home in Los Angeles.
December 2: Chris Paul and Jada Crawly Announced Their Engagement
We’ve been waiting for this all year. Chris Paul proposed to his longtime girlfriend and mother of his son Jada Crawley. The two announced their new status at the Hornets Holiday Party.
December 22: Laila Ali Announces ‘It’s a Girl’
Laila Ali and her hubby Curtis Conway announced a a second bun in the oven back in September. The boxing champ announced this week that she is expecting a baby sister for her son Curtis Mohammad Conway Jr.