Rev Run isn’t just one of the old heads of hip hop.
He’s also the proud father of some more world famous celebrities.
Who Was Rev Run’s First Wife?
However, the identity of his three oldest children’s mother has somehow stayed pretty low-key for many years.
But the truth about Valerie Vaughn’s life story is actually surprisingly heartbreaking.
Together, Valerie and Rev Run are parents to Vanessa, Angela, and Jojo Simmons.
All three have at some stage pursued a career in show business, either by making music or as stars of reality TV.
The Tragic Passing of Valerie Vaughn’s Mother
With so many prominent figures around her, it’s surprising that Valerie has never really been paid too much attention.
But a few years ago, she was pulled into the headlines for something really sad.
In 2020, she lost her mother, known to her kids as Grandma June, which the whole family took hard.
All three siblings shared tributes to Valerie’s mom on their social media accounts.
Valerie’s Children Speak Out On Grandmother’s Passing
Angela penned a heartfelt post in which she said that she couldn’t believe what she was typing out.
With this loss coming just two years after another horrific tragedy in Angela’s own life, it probably hit her really hard.
In her post, Angela said that she missed her grandma already.
Her grief was shared in similar statements from Vanessa and Jojo.
True to form, however, Valerie herself kept her own feelings about her loss to herself.
But thanks to her famous children’s outpourings, the media still pulled her back into the spotlight.
When Did Rev Run and Valerie Vaughn Divorce?
So a lot of fans then wanted to learn more about Valerie, and what happened between her and her famous former husband.
Little has been reported about Rev’s first wife, as they separated several decades ago, meaning the facts around their relationship are pretty murky.
According to the information we do have, Rev married Valerie in 1983.
Although the year of their split has never been confirmed, several online outlets have alleged that they split up in 1992.
But thankfully, it seems like the relationship between Valerie and Rev stayed friendly, and they have managed to become successful co-parents.
She later made several appearances on the show that made her kids famous, Run’s House.
Online Users Speak Out About Rev Run’s Ex Wife
In 2012, Valerie gave an interview in which fans finally got to hear her share her own story.
In the comments, many fans praised Valerie for being able to make her family dynamic work so well for herself and her children.
One commenter described them as a “very sweet blended family.”
Another gave Valerie credit for “not allowing her divorce from Rev Run to cloud her judgment of what was in the best interest of their three children”.
Rev Run’s Ex Wife Valerie Speaks Out
In the interview, Valerie herself was full of gratitude about her family situation.
She revealed that she came from a small family, having only two brothers, and that she had “always wanted sisters.”
She never had those.
But she got four daughters to make up for it.
According to an online report about Valerie’s life, she also has another daughter from another relationship named Dayan Danielle.
Valerie made sure to stress in her interview how well her other daughter was doing.
And she said that she was happy that Dayan was doing something “constructive.”
Most recently, she also had a daughter named Tiffany, who she shares with husband Alfonzy Vaughn III, who she married in 2002.
In her interview, Valerie said that both Dayan and Tiffany looked up to their half-siblings, especially Vanessa.
What Is Vanessa Simmons Up To Now?
Since growing up and leaving Run’s House behind her, Vanessa now has a family of her own, as well as a multi-faceted career.
She’s dabbled in acting, working on shows like Guiding Light and movies like Boogie Town.
More recently, she also starred as Caroline in Monogamy.
Vanessa has also hosted shows and even worked as a model at one point.
And on top of all this, she is a successful entrepreneur with several businesses.
She owns the skincare line Sugar Me, clothing brand Glitter and Lace, and co-owns footwear line Pastry with her sister Angela.
In 2021, the sisters’ brand was even named the No. 1 dance sneaker in the US.
The brand partnered with 22 NBA dance teams and 15 NFL teams.
Valerie Vaughn Is A Grandmother
Valerie became a grandmother when Vanessa had a daughter with her boyfriend, Mike Wayans.
Angela, Valerie’s second daughter with Rev, also gave her a grandchild when she gave birth to her son Sutton.
Sutton was named after his late father, who passed away in tragic circumstances after an attack outside his house.
Jojo Simmons Disses Juelz Santana
Valerie’s third child and only son with Rev, Joseph Jr., is better known as Jojo Simmons.
The 34-year-old spent his early years trying to follow in his dad’s footsteps by becoming a rapper.
In his younger years, Jojo was reportedly caught up in some serious trouble as a result of his hip hop ambitions.
After Jojo reportedly released a diss track aimed at fellow rapper Juelz Santana in 2013, XXL magazine reported that some associates of Juelz allegedly had an altercation with Jojo.
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Whatever happened was enough for Jojo to reportedly call Juelz to apologize for his track.
Luckily, things have reportedly calmed down for Jojo in the years since.
How Jojo’s Daughter Changed His Life
The main reason he gives for this was the birth of his daughter Mia in 2016.
He shares Mia with his wife Tanice Amira, who he married in 2019.
His newfound domestic life made him look at things a little differently.
In an interview with Hollywood Life in 2018, Jojo stated that his daughter had “forced him to mature.”
He said that he’d become more “focused” since her birth.
He has also retired from rap, choosing instead to follow his uncle, legendary Def Jam founder, Russell Simmons.
He started the recording label Who’s House Entertainment with his friend Femi Iloyi.
Jojo and Femi had worked together on music for TV networks and shows before taking this huge step.
And it looks like it’s paid off.
His business ventures have combined with a regular spot on Growing Up Hip Hop from Season 5 onward, and seen him secure a net worth of $2 million.
Valerie Vaughn Is One Proud Mom
In her own interview, Valerie talked about how proud she was of all her children.
And with so many of her kids now starting families of their own, Valerie will surely continue to be a hugely important presence in their lives.
It’s also good to hear that Valerie has continued to share a positive relationship with Rev since their marriage came to an end.
Rev Run’s New Wife Justine
Rev went on to marry Justine Simmons, with whom he has grown his family even further.
Together with his second wife, Rev actually wrote a book in 2020 to share what they’ve learned about maintaining a happy marriage.
Despite the many successes of their own marriage and children, Rev Run and Justine’s lives have also been marked by tragedy.
Their daughter Victoria was born in 2006 with a birth defect.
Justine gave birth via a C-section, but tragically, Victoria didn’t make it.
Justine Simmons Speaks Out
Justine opened up about her loss in the couple’s book, Old School Love.
She described Victoria in the book as a part of her that she felt every day.
Following the loss of Victoria, the couple adopted their daughter Miley.
In an interview with Ebony, Justine said that adopting was amazing, and that all the women who cannot have babies should know that.
Justine decided that the best thing she could do was be open about her grief to perhaps help others going through dark times.
Valerie, on the other hand, has always been a more private person.
She seems to prefer to keep away from public attention.
Obviously, they both made the right choice for themselves.
But it’s clear that tragedy has been a major marker in both women’s lives.
However, with such a strong blended family unit behind them, both have always been supported through the tough times, just as they themselves have been there for their kids.
