“I Never Thought I Was Going to Have Kids.” 48-Year-Old Rapper Da Brat Is Expecting Her First Child With Wife Jesseca
In March 2020, Da Brat, whose 1994 debut album Funkdafied made her the first female solo rap artist to sell a million records, announced that she was in a relationship with Jesseca Dupart, an American entrepreneur. In 2022, on the 22nd of February, the couple got married and started their journey towards motherhood that same year.
Initially, Da Brat and Jesseca weren’t sure if they would have children together, as Dupart already had three kids from a previous relationship. Moreover, the rapper wasn’t keen on the idea of carrying a child, “I never thought I was going to have kids. I just thought it wasn’t in the cards for me. I’ve had a great career, a full life. I felt like, because I didn’t get pregnant earlier on, then it just wasn’t going to happen for me.”
But that’s how she felt before she fell in love with Dupart. After meeting her, Da Brat started looking at life very differently. She shared that she wanted something special for both of them. Something they could share, nurture and love unconditionally. In addition, Jesseca convinced her that she simply must experience it because she has a very caring character.
The rapper shared that it all started as a joke: “We’re extending our family!” But then they had another thought: “Oh my God, we want to actually have kids, and if we do, girl, we better hurry up!”
Unfortunately, the road to motherhood wasn’t easy. Jesseca Dupart suffered serious health complications after the egg retrieval procedure. And Da Brat had to undergo an operation to remove a myoma and polyps before the embryo transfer.
But the difficulties didn’t end there. The 48-year-old rapper suffered a miscarriage. Da Brat shared: “I had never been so excited about something that I didn’t even know I wanted. I fell in love with the idea and then it was all snatched away from me.”
Jesseca was afraid that, after this, her wife wouldn’t want to try again. But they didn’t give up and tried once more. Luckily, this time they were successful, and Da Brat is now five months pregnant. In July 2023, the couple will welcome their first child into the world.
Da Brat shares: “It’s just a blessing. I’m excited! I don’t have any cravings or nausea, but I’m always sleepy. It’s crazy!” She also says that she’s become more sentimental during pregnancy: “If someone wins American Idol, I cry. I’m like, I’m tougher than that!”
The couple admits that in their process of preparation for pregnancy, they learned many nuances about the fertility of women over 40. And they hope their story will inspire other women who think it’s too late for them to become a mother. Da Brat said: “Whatever your dream is or whatever you would like to do in life, you only live once. If you really want a child, you can carry a child. You don’t have to give up.”