Jeannie Mai Jenkins, 42, married the love of her life, rapper and songwriter Jeezy, 43, three months ago and then wasted no time when it came to adopting his last name. “I’m honored,” the Chief Brand Officer of Owl’s Brew Boozy Tea told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY during an episode of TVTalk on Instagram Live on June 11. “Jeannie Mai Jenkins is something profoundly important for me to carry out. My husband is a beautiful human being let alone a legend in these streets and his name, his last name to me means a man who has survived so much and who has triumphed and has beat the odds in a way that many people can’t tell. So today, being Jeannie Mai Jenkins, I am proud to carry his name and to bring everything I can to put even more purpose and even more value into what he already has.”
The couple met on the set of her talk show, The Real, in 2018. After dating for about two years, Jeezy popped the question during the height of COVID, in the spring of 2020, during an intimate dinner at their LA home. The TV host and activist recapped it all for her fans on her successful YouTube channel, Hello Hunnay with Jeannie Mai.
Although the engagement was pretty well publicized, Jeannie said it was important to handle the wedding a bit more privately. “That was a big decision for us because we have been really public and our relationship, sometimes we chose it to be or not really public and I’m on a talk show so I would share with you guys what it was like to fall in love with Jeezy and to find our way together,” Jeannie explained. “But there were certain things that we wanted to save for us and our marriage was so sacred. You don’t want to plan something really special and wonder if TMZ lenses are going to be through my trees.”
They were also extra careful and respectful of everything in regards to having a wedding during the pandemic. Especially after the tragic loss of Jeezy’s mother due to the disease. “Jeezy’s mom just passed from COVID,” the Holey Moley host added. “It was a very serious thing that we had to take care of to make sure that if we had an event, it was going to be truly a small group where everyone has been vetted. Everyone has been double COVID tested safe. My whole family that flew in, they quarantined before. A lot of steps were taken for just a small, specific group. I can definitely say for people who get married, you will quickly learn that your community is so important.”
Jeannie is on hiatus from her co-hosting duties this summer and pouring her energy into her new business endeavors, as she lives in her newlywed bliss. “Owl’s Brew Boozy Tea is the most exciting thing that’s crept into my diet, into my life, in my parties,” Jeannie said. “Owl’s Brew is a vibe in a can. Wherever you consume it, it gives you a light, fun buzz. I never knew that you could have an alcoholic beverage that is good for you. You get this botanical, healthy kick while getting a boozy feel. There’s 5 flavors and we’re coming out with new flavors as well. They’re available in Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Publix.”
You can catch Jeannie on Holey Moley, which premieres June 17 at 8pm on ABC.