Jeezy has petitioned the courts in Fulton County, GA, for primary custody of the child he shares with estranged wife Jeannie Mai, proving that their divorce battle is heating up.
According to court documents obtained by HipHopDX, the rapper (real name Jay Wayne Jenkins) filed the petition for primary custody as of Wednesday (April 10).
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In the documents, the “Church in These Streets” rapper claims that he never agreed to have Mai and 2-year-old Monaco move out of the marital home that they shared and that Mai primarily leaves the child with her mother and her brother rather than take on her care in a full-time fashion.
What’s more, Jeezy alleges that Mai has “withheld” the child from him for more than two months, and he’s petitioning the court to allow him to take custody of her so he can raise her on a full-time basis.
Previously, Jeannie Mai responded to Jeezy’s claims that she’s “gatekeeping” their daughter amid their divorce by outright denying the claims.
The talk show host said she’s been very accommodating with the rapper’s requests to see their daughter — giving him every date he’s asked for, including an extended period with her over the Christmas holiday. Anything outside of that, she said, has to do with safety concerns.
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“It is essential to clarify that Ms. Jenkins’ insistence on reasonable safety measures being put in place, such as safely securing and locking away all firearms that have been unsecured in the past, as well as having familiarity and properly trained caregivers is not gatekeeping, but rather a responsible effort to prioritize their daughter’s well-being,” her attorneys wrote in the docs.
They added: “These requests are grounded in Ms. Jenkins’ genuine concern for the parties’ daughter’s safety and security, especially when under the care of others and traveling across the country, and are reasonable protective measures, not an attempt to restrict Mr. Jenkins’ access to their daughter.”
In 2021, Mai and Jeezy got hitched during an intimate ceremony at their Atlanta home and welcomed their daughter the following year. However, their love affair would come to a screeching halt in September of last year when news broke that the trap music pioneer had quietly filed for divorce.
In a statement announcing his move to dissolve the marriage, Jeezy said: “The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart. Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart.”
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He continued: “Our beautiful daughter is the best gift from our relationship, and I am committed to assuring she feels the love and stability she deserves. During this period, I kindly request that you respect our family’s privacy as we focus on healing.”
Despite declaring they’ve still got love and respect for one another, the pair have been embroiled in a custody battle in the months since.
