Jojo Simmons Says His Child Helped Him Overcome ‘Crazy’ Past: ‘It Made Me Look At Life Differently’

Paige Kindlick

Jojo Simmons has come a long way since his past legal troubles. He’s a proud father and an entrepreneur whose life was changed completely when his daughter was born. Now, he’s reflecting on his ‘rebellious’ past…

Jojo Simmons, 28, is a different man these days. The entrepreneur and television personality is the proud father of a 2-year-old daughter, Mia, who he credits for transforming him into a completely different person from his past. “I had a lot of troubles, but me having a child matured me in a crazy way. It made me look at life way differently and just made me way more focused on things,” he tells the HollywoodLife.com podcast EXCLUSIVELY, while promoting his hit WEtv show, Growing Up Hip Hop (learn more below). “Now, I don’t focus on things that don’t matter, or on people that don’t matter. So, I think me becoming a father really made me who I am today, and it’s the greatest thing in the world.”

As you may recall, Simmons, the son of Run DMC founder Joseph Simmons, 53, was charged with attempted reckless endangerment, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and criminal possession of marijuana in 2009. — An incident he’s learned from and is aware of its severity. “Yeah, I was crazy, crazy rebellious,” he admits, adding that he “doesn’t miss” that world. “I’m still the same person. People are gonna be who they are. But, I love coming home to my daughter. I don’t, like to go to clubs or anything.” Now, his he follows a different routine. “I go to work and I come home and that’s what I do.”

Now, Jojo spends his days with his daughter, and his longtime girlfriend, Tanice Amira, as well as working on his businesses. Although he’s finished rapping, Jojo manages his his own record label and developing artists. He also started a lifestyle brand for fathers called Daddy Committee, which produces baby bags and other products for the daddy.

As a father, “communication is the biggest thing in a relationship,” Jojo said of his relationship with Amira. He explained: “If you don’t know how to communicate, then you have nothing. If you can’t communicate, then you’re not connected; You’re not on the same level; You’re not on the same page, and if you’re not on the same page, you’re in a whole different book.” And, that right there, is the key to his romance, which his stronger than ever.

Jojo and his sister, Vanessa Simmons, visited HollywoodLife.com‘s New York City headquarters, where they talked family, relationships, business and their hit WEtv show, Growing Up Hip Hop! — Check out GUHH every Thursday at 9/8c!