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Home · Black Celeb Couples

It's Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016

These relationships officially ended in 2016, and we're still trying to recover.
By Brittney Oliver · Updated October 26, 2020
01
Mary J Blige and Kendu Isaacs
The twelve-year marriage of Mary J. Blige and Kendu Issacs ended this year and took us all by surprise. After the singer filed for divorce from her former manager, Mary took her newfound single status on the road for her co-headlining tour with Maxwell. Meanwhile, Kendu continues to make headlines with his demands for $130K a month in alimony.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
02
Mariah Carey and James Packer
In the midst of wedding plans billionaire, James Packer called off his engagement to Mariah Carey. The couple’s relationship went from a sweet fantasy to a messy break-up. However, Mariah isn’t crying over spilled milk. Mimi has been seen with another man on her arms, tour dancer Bryan Tanaka.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for GLAAD
03
Ed Hartwell and Keshia Knight Pulliam
Everything about Keshia Knight Pulliam marriage to Ed Hartwell has been a whirlwind and as fast as the couple said “I Do” is as soon as they soon separated. After just four months of dating, the former couple were married on January 1 and hit splitsville two months thereafter. The short-lived relationship was documented on social media with cute pictures that had us rooting for them to win including the announcement of their pregnancy. With all the drama and stress this expecting mother has endured, we hope the couple can make peace for the sake of Ella.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
04
Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas
The world watched as this Real Housewives of Atlanta struggle to make it down the aisle six years ago. The odds that were against them continued throughout their marriage and this summer they called it quits. Although Cynthia blindsided Peter with a divorce filing, since then the couple are remaining amicable and learning how to be friends.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Mark Hill/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
05
Tichina Arnold and Rico Hines
At the start of 2016, Tichina Arnold took out her phone and but her former beau on blast to notify her friends and family that the pair would be splitting. She sent a mass group text which included a video of her ex-husband having sex with another woman and revealed that there have been many others.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Jeff Gentner/Getty Images for Grey Goose
06
Letoya Luckett and Rob Hill, Sr.
Actress and singer, Letoya Luckett hit us with a double-whammy when it was announced that she and Rob Hill, Sr. were secretly married and divorced within two months. While we thought the couple was planning their nuptials, the former lovers were actually trying to conceal their breakup. Once the documents of their divorced surfaced, the social media world was stunned.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Earl Gibson III/Getty Images
07
Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa

Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa had a rocky road to finalizing their divorce, but the former lovers were able to end their three-year marriage together in a nightclub. From Twitter beefs and Instagram drags we didn’t think these two would be able to co-parent amicably, but they are proving us all wrong. Amber even reveals that she wouldn’t mind having another baby with her ex-husband.

It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

08
Serge Ibaka and Keri Hilson
Keri took a break from Instagram and along with her hiatus came an absence of pictures with NBA player Serge Ibaka, leaving us to wonder if the two were still an item. While promoting Almost Christmas this fall, the singer and actress revealed that the couple had gone their separate ways.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Prince Williams/FilmMagic
09
Omarion and Apryl Jones
Not long after welcoming their baby girl into the world, Omarion and Apryl decided to end their relationship. The flame in their relationship started to fade, but the they both have the utmost respect for one another. They remain friends and co-parent their two children together.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Johnny Nunez/WireImage
10
Jhene Aiko and Dot Da Genius
As rumors began to sizzle between Jhene Aiko and Big Sean, we were surprised to discover that the sultry singer was getting a divorce from her 11-month marriage to the producer, Dot Da Genius. The timing of the divorce filing made things even more suspicious along with the defensive social media responses to fans. The ending of this low-key marriage shocked many fans.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Dot Da Genius/Instagram
11
Memphitz and Toya Wright

Marriage Boot Camp could not save this union. Despite the efforts of Toya Wright and Memphitz to make their marriage work, the couple decided to move forward with the divorce this summer. Since their unsuccessful attempts to reconcile, Toya has turned her lessons in marriage into a book, How To Lose A Husband which is a fiction novel loosely based on real life experiences.

It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016

Prince Williams/FilmMagic

12
Scottie and Larsa Pippen
Nineteen years later and the Pippens are calling it quits. Larsa’s one of the OG basketball wives, but she’s trading in her crown for a rumored hip-hop kind of life. This came to a head when police were called to their home for domestic disturbances. The former couple agrees on one thing and that’s trying to stay amicable for the sake of their four children.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Sergi Alexander/Getty Images for Haute Living
13
Derek and Candace Fisher
Candace Fisher took her retired NBA star ex-husband Derek Fisher to the bank with their $1.3 million yearly divorce settlement. The 11-year-marriage ended and left Candace blindsided when she was served with divorce papers and left with an empty home. Karma came quickly for the basketball star as he lost his Knicks coaching job and marriage this year, but he soon rebounded with the reality star, Gloria Govan.
It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Earl Gibson III/FilmMagic
14
Joseline Hernandez and Stevie J

Long before he started appearing on reality television, Stevie was producing hits. He worked on 112’s debut album, produced The Notorious BIG’s “Mo Money Mo Problems,” and won a Grammy for Biggie’s tribute “I’ll Be Missing You.”

It’s Over! The 14 Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups of 2016
Johnny Nunez/BET/Getty Images for BET
TOPICS:  Cynthia Bailey Mariah Carey Mary J. Blige Tichina Arnold
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