Gerald Levert followed in his dad Eddie’s footsteps to become an international superstar. As part of Levert and LSG, Gerald was behind some of our favorite love songs. We’ve talked a lot about Gerald’s career in our Levert video, so don’t miss that. We also caused a big stir on TikTok with a video about one of Gerald’s relationships. After it got over 100,000 views and people started questioning the details, we decided to dig deeper into his love life.
It turns out making timeless hits wasn’t Gerald’s only skill—he was quite the ladies’ man. Before his untimely passing, Gerald was linked to several women. It’s well-known that he loved the ladies. We don’t have time to go over every relationship he had, and we’re definitely not diving into rumors about him being involved in a certain gospel singer’s divorce. So, if we don’t mention a brief fling he had with your auntie’s cousin’s neighbor’s best friend in 1984, remember we’re sticking to the significant and publicized relationships.
Now, I don’t know who these people are talking to Gerald, but I’m gonna stop them. But before we get into all the details of his love life, grab something to munch on from rrgsnacks.com, our online concession stand with turkey, beef, and bacon jerky, buffalo wing popcorn, and butter toffee peanuts.
In the memoir Gerald co-wrote with his dad, he describes his perfect woman. He liked a woman who kept her nails done, hair done, and stayed in shape because it showed she respected herself. Gerald wrote that he loved lips, saying, “They’re great for kissing, licking, biting, and sucking. Talking before, during, and after making love is great too.” He enjoyed bubble baths and showers for two, with the lights on or off. Music was okay as long as it wasn’t one of his dad’s songs. To him, the most romantic thing a woman could ask was, “Are you okay?” because it showed she truly cared.
Gerald and Kim Whitley met as kids in Shaker Heights, Ohio. They were friends for a long time before they started dating, with Kim describing Gerald as her first true love. Kim said she inspired Levert’s 1988 song “Addicted to You.” Despite her parents’ disapproval of dating a musician, Kim followed her heart. Gerald supported her Hollywood dreams but insisted there could only be one star in their relationship, expecting his partner to be a homemaker. This led to their on-again, off-again relationship, but they remained close friends.
Later on, Monique asked Kim for her blessing to pursue Gerald, and Kim agreed. Gerald often joked about a time he got drunk at Kim’s house and she locked the gates, not letting him leave. Monique and Gerald’s relationship didn’t work out, but they also stayed friends. Kim told TV One that she and Gerald made a pact to marry each other if they were still single by 50. With Kim being five years older, it’s unclear if the pact was based on his or her turning 50, but sadly, Gerald didn’t live to see his 50th birthday.
Let’s go back to the mid to late ’80s when Gerald met R&B singer Miki Howard. Miki told our friend Storm Monroe that Gerald was cute and nice. He came from a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Miki was studying to be a Jehovah’s Witness too, so they bonded over their faith. Their romantic relationship started first, and then they started making music together, including the 1987 song “That’s What Love Is.” They went from best friends to lovers and worked together like a work husband and wife. Miki was all about Gerald, but too many people were telling him to leave her alone. During Gerald’s Unsung episode, Miki mentioned some people had issues with her being a mother of two and begged Gerald not to marry her. Eventually, Gerald himself started saying things like, “I don’t want a ready-made family.”
In the made-for-TV movie “Love Under New Management,” which is based on Miki’s life, there’s a scene where Miki finds Gerald’s stash of prescription pills. When she asks about them, he explains what each one is for and tells her not to worry. Later, Miki wakes up in the middle of the night to find Gerald passed out on the bathroom floor. Thankfully, she manages to wake him up. She calls his mom to tell her about the incident, and when Gerald overhears the call, he gets really upset. According to Miki, they broke up shortly after that. Less than two months later, Miki married someone else, but it wasn’t a happy marriage. She and Gerald reconnected to record another duet for her third album, even though she was pregnant by someone else at the time. Despite everything, they stayed in each other’s lives. Miki confirmed what Kim previously mentioned: Gerald wanted a woman who would stay at home. He wanted someone like his mom and encouraged Miki to be more traditional.
While Gerald was still in contact with Kim and had something going on with Miki, he was also living it up on and off stage. Everyone loved Gerald, known affectionately as Teddy Bear. It wasn’t unusual for the stage to be covered in panties thrown by adoring fans during his performances. In 1990, he fathered two children with two different women, a daughter named Carlysia and a son named LaMicah, born just three days apart. This led to what Gerald called “baby mama drama.” Kim remained supportive, especially when Gerald needed to vent about his children’s mothers and girlfriends. On her podcast, Kim mentioned that Gerald even got engaged at one point and would always call her to complain about his fiancée, whose identity remains unknown. Miki wasn’t far away either. She told Storm Monroe that they would see each other whenever they were in town and implied that their relationship was on a “don’t ask, don’t tell” basis. Their kids would hang out together and have a great time. Miki also grew close to the mothers of Gerald’s children, saying, “I love all the mothers of his children. He picks really fine women with strong integrity, and I really like them.”
Gerald’s life was a whirlwind of temptations, both on and off the road. In 1998, he welcomed his third child, Cameron. Fast forward to 2002, when he released his album “The G-Spot.” The music video for his song “Funny” featured Karrine Steffans, famously known as “Superhead,” as his love interest, sparking rumors about a possible fling during the shoot.
In February 2003, Gerald met singer and songwriter Kandi Burruss from Xscape. Despite her busy career and raising her six-month-old daughter Riley, Kandi and Gerald formed a close and deep relationship. That same year, they co-wrote a song called “It’s You,” which reflected their bond. Kandi’s verse expressed her love for Gerald’s confident attitude and his affection for her child, while Gerald sang about how Kandi’s support made his house a home. Despite their connection, the song never made it to any project and their relationship, lasting two years, eventually ended. Reports suggest they broke up because Gerald wanted a traditional homemaker, while Kandi was career-focused. Despite the breakup, Kandi stayed in touch with Gerald’s children and some of his extended family.
In 2005, Gerald and his daughter Carlysia appeared on MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16.” In his co-authored book, Gerald called it a mistake, noting how the show made it look like he spent two million dollars on the party. This upset the mothers of his other children, leading to strained relationships. Gerald couldn’t stand when people dragged his mother into his personal issues.
That same year, after breaking up with Kandi, Gerald decided to focus on his health and attended a fitness and weight loss program. Unfortunately, he ruptured his Achilles tendon and had to wear a full-length cast. His show “Unsung” revealed that Gerald had many people relying on him financially. Because of this, he rushed his recovery to return to performing sooner than he should have.
Friends and family confirmed that Gerald was constantly in pain and discomfort, relying on both over-the-counter and prescription medication to help him sleep. During this tough period, he began to reflect on his life and realized his mistakes. He wanted to build deeper and more meaningful connections with his loved ones. On her podcast, Kim shared that Gerald regretted having three children with three different women, wishing he had made smarter choices. He expressed similar sentiments in his co-authored book, admitting that he had been selfish and overly focused on money. He realized that life was more about being there for his children and family. Seeing his siblings happily married made him yearn for the same.
Gerald also wished he had waited until marriage for intimate relationships. He was upset about his children being spread across the country and how their mothers would bring new men into their lives. He wrote, “I get mad and wish there was a law. A woman shouldn’t be able to just take the kids away from their father.”
In November 2006, Gerald and Eddie traveled to South Africa for a performance. Eddie told AP News that Gerald was bitten by something on his back and needed medical attention. When they returned to the U.S., Gerald, despite the cold weather, was sweating profusely. He visited a doctor, was prescribed medication, and sent home. A few nights later, on November 10, 2006, Gerald was found unresponsive in his bed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 40 from an accidental overdose of prescription and over-the-counter medication.
In their book, Eddie shared his sorrow that his son passed away without a loving partner by his side. Kandi was Gerald’s last serious relationship, and although he remained close with his exes, he was single at his passing. Kandi continued to be involved in Gerald’s children’s lives, even calling his son LaMicah one of her own. When Kandi moved on with Ashley “A.J.” Jewell, who had six children with different women, she kept her bond with the Levert family. Kandi and AJ were briefly engaged but broke up in 2008. Tragically, AJ died in October 2009 after an altercation outside a club. Kandi continued to be involved in AJ’s children’s lives as well.
When Kandi met her now-husband Todd Tucker, she worried about how he would react to her involvement with her ex’s children. She told Contact Music, “When I first started dating Todd, I didn’t know how welcoming he would be to the fact that I am still in my ex’s children’s lives.” Fortunately, Todd has been very supportive and a great friend to all the children, who also approve of him.
When Gerald’s ex-fling Monique was dealing with her Netflix situation, both Kandi and Gerald’s son LaMicah showed their support with sweet and encouraging Instagram posts. Monique still speaks fondly of Gerald and his kids. In 2022, Kandi finally released the duet she and Gerald recorded 19 years ago. You can find the link to the song in our description box. Don’t forget to comment on the music video and let Kandi know that RRG sent you. Gerald left us too soon and never got to fulfill his dream of having a wife, but he made a significant impact on many women, leaving them with enough love to last a lifetime.