Mary J. Blige Files for Divorce from Kendu Isaacs
Mary J. Blige is calling it quits on her marriage.
After 12 years, the R&B icon has filed for divorce from her husband and manager, Martin “Kendu” Isaacs.
In court documents, Blige listed the date of separation as “to be determined,” according to TMZ. It’s unclear what led to their separation, but Mary cited “irreconcilable differences.”
While the documents do not say whether a prenup has been signed, Blige has asked that Isaacs be blocked from getting any spousal support.
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has been open about her marriage for years. In 2014, she spoke about the pros and cons of her marriage during an interview with Stella Magazine. “He always has my back — he’s going to fight to the death for Mary J Blige,” she said. “The downside is that there’s no separation — it’s on all the time…When you don’t feel like answering to your manager, he’s still your husband. If one of you doesn’t want to talk about something right now, you have to respect that. And you have to respect each other’s space.”
Before that, in 2012, she also told Wendy Williams that her marriage had its issues. “My marriage is not on the rocks, but I would be a liar and my fans would hate me if I said to them, ‘Oh, we’re perfect and everything is great,'” she said. “We have situations just like everyone else. We’re not out in public trying to kill each other, but it’s real. We love each other.”
Mary has been in the studio working on the follow-up to 2014’s London Sessions with collaborators including Hit-Boy, Jazmine Sullivan, and Kanye West.
UPDATE: Blige has released a statement confirming the divorce reports.
“Ms. Blige is saddened to say [that] it is true that she has filed for divorce, saying sometimes things don’t work how we hoped they would… but, there is a divine plan and a reason for everything,” said her rep. “Mary will continue writing and working on her album, which is due out later this year along with her world tour. She thanks and appreciates her fans for their support and love through this very difficult emotional time.”