Judge Faith Jenkins has found her groove as a television personality and the wife of R&B singer Kenny Lattimore. Their pairing was unexpected, and when they made their relationship public, it felt like they were racing to the altar. We love them both, but there are some things about their relationship that made us pause.
“Your Second Husband, Kenny Lattimore, is Gay.”
If you don’t like us digging into people’s personal lives, this video isn’t for you. For everyone else, get ready for some juicy gossip. And while you’re at it, grab some snacks from rrg snacks.com – they have beef and bacon jerky, cheddar bacon popcorn, and butter toffee peanuts.
Kenny’s Childhood
We love a good backstory, and Kenny and Faith’s journey wouldn’t be complete without it. Kenny Lattimore was born on April 10, 1970, in Washington, DC. When he was five, something terrible happened that left a lasting impact on him. He shared on his “Unsung” episode that this incident made him wary of men for years, making him jumpy at any touch. In an open letter on the Grio website, Kenny explained that this trauma made him so shy he could barely speak to anyone. As a teenager, he felt a divine intervention that led him to start greeting people with hugs. He wrote, “Little did I know this simple gesture would begin to break down some of the physical barriers I had built in my life.”
Get ready for more twists and turns in this story of love and resilience.
Despite carrying the burden of shame for many years, he felt unworthy of being in a relationship. Unsure of how his partners would react, he kept this information hidden for a long time. Eventually, he decided to move on from his past and embrace his future. In 2001, he met singer Shante Moore. Their first conversation lasted five hours, and Kenny knew she was the one. After dating for six months, they got married. Kenny not only committed to Shante but also to being a stepfather to her daughter, Sophia, from her previous marriage to Kadeem Hardison. They collaborated on music and welcomed their son, Kenny Jr., in 2003. The birth of their son brought back memories of Kenny’s childhood. In a 2007 interview with Essence magazine, he shared that he was hyper-vigilant and that protecting his son’s innocence was his top priority.
In January 2011, Shante, frustrated with having a man at home, filed for divorce. Kenny seemingly blamed her for the marriage’s end, stating on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, “People get into relationships thinking they have what they need, but maybe they don’t, and maybe they haven’t dealt with their issues and who they are.” Two years later, Shante appeared on R&B Divas LA and claimed Kenny had served her papers to gain full custody of their son. During the show’s reunion episode, hosted by Wendy Williams, Wendy brought up a rumor about Kenny’s sexuality.
“People have speculated for years whether your second husband, Kenny Lattimore, is gay and if that contributed to your divorce.”
“No.”
“But you’re not addressing the first question.”
“Well, that’s not for me to respond to.”
After hearing about the incident, Kenny shared with Singers Room that he found Shante’s response to be “irresponsible and reckless.” He added, “It hurt our son, it hurt other people, and it was unnecessary.” But Shante wasn’t finished. In an interview with Juicy magazine, when asked again about Kenny’s sexuality, she said she had no idea what his life was like before they met. She added, “Since he isn’t my husband anymore, I leave it up to him to answer because that’s his life.” This only increased public interest in Kenny’s private life. Even Shante’s R&B Divas co-star, Lil Mo, weighed in during an interview with the Jasmine Brand, saying, “People say Usher’s gay, people say Justin Bieber’s gay, they say everybody’s gay. So I don’t know. I’ve never seen him with a man.” Despite all the drama, Kenny was open to finding a second wife. He mentioned in an interview, “When I do it again, I will leave other people out except those who are truly ministering and feeding into the success of my marriage.”
Meanwhile, Faith was in New York, struggling to find a suitable partner. In her book “Sis, Don’t Settle,” she shared how, as she got older, people increasingly questioned why she didn’t have a man. This pressure led her to jump into relationships with the wrong men. After another breakup, she decided to take a step back and wrote down a list of 50 qualities she needed in a partner. She also set some ground rules: “You will not hold on to a relationship when it’s time for it to end. You will let it go.” She even wrote herself a note that her husband was on the way.
Six months later, she reached out to her friend, gospel producer Aaron Lindsay, to see if he knew anyone who could help her record some Christmas music. Aaron suggested his friend Kenny, mentioning that Faith and Kenny might be a good match. Aaron arranged for them to meet for lunch. When Faith saw Kenny, she noticed his perfectly tailored clothes and bright smile. However, she wasn’t sure if they’d have much in common. She always thought she would marry a lawyer and become part of a power couple. She wasn’t particularly interested in dating an R&B singer who was constantly on the road with countless female fans. She told Us Weekly she didn’t feel any sparks at first, and Kenny didn’t think she was interested because she wasn’t openly flirting with him. Faith was also in a vulnerable position, being unemployed at the time, and she didn’t know how Kenny would respond to her being between jobs. However, after a two-hour conversation, she knew he was someone special. Kenny was kind, humble, smart, and genuine. She felt a sense of peace and calm when she was with him. By their fourth date, it clicked for both of them. Looking back on her list of 50 requirements, Kenny checked every box except for his height. Faith really wanted a man over six feet tall, but she cut five-foot-ten-inch Kenny some slack.
Faith and Kenny’s Love Story: From Boundaries to a Dream Wedding
At this point in their lives, Kenny was trying to drown out all the chatter about his preferences, and Faith, as a woman in her 40s in the spotlight, was still feeling pressured to find a partner. Do you see where we’re going with this?
They became a couple and set some clear boundaries from the start. They knew they wanted to get married at some point, so they decided that intimacy could wait until after they became husband and wife. According to the MyWell Clinic website, researchers found that those who wait until marriage report significantly higher relationship satisfaction and better communication patterns. Waiting seemed to really work for Faith and Kenny. They got to know each other without their judgment being clouded. When marriage became a more serious discussion, Kenny kept his promise to only surround himself with people who were feeding into the success of their relationship. In her book, Faith wrote that they had a community of a “relationship board of directors.” She and Kenny ensured that each person they went to for advice and support was in a loving marriage and was committed to seeing Kenny and Faith go all the way. Two people they brought into their inner circle included their mutual friend and matchmaker Aaron Lindsay and his wife Adrian. They also leaned on the advice of Devon Franklin and his then-wife Megan Good.
In her book, Faith wrote that Devon’s candor made him the perfect resource. She also admired the God-fearing marriage he and Megan had. Faith went on to describe Devon as being such a blessing in their lives that she and Kenny asked him to officiate their future wedding. Faith brought up pre-engagement counseling to Kenny, who agreed it was a great idea. After realizing they were indeed a good match and Faith being understanding of Kenny’s past, Kenny was ready to seal the deal. In September 2019, while taking a stroll through Central Park, Kenny got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage, and Faith said yes. So, 11 months after writing that note to herself that she would meet her husband, Faith got engaged to the man of her dreams. They took to their Instagram accounts to share the news. In his post, Kenny wrote that Faith was the total package. He also thanked Devon and Megan for their leadership and for their 2017 co-authored book titled “The Wait,” which Kenny and Faith used as a resource. “The Wait” is all about how Devon and Megan abstained from intimacy until they were married and how waiting can help transform any relationship.
Kenny and Faith started planning their wedding and invited 300 guests, including Stevie Wonder, Cheryl Lee Ralph, and M.C. Lyte. In March 2020, just as the pandemic was wreaking havoc on the world, they became husband and wife with Devon officiating the ceremony at a church in downtown L.A. Wendy Williams announced the news of their nuptials on an episode of her talk show, taking the moment as an opportunity to reignite the rumors about Kenny’s sexuality. Here, here’s a clip from the show that we obtained from the Jasmine Brand.
“Judge Faith, I have a secret to tell you, but I can’t.”
Is this a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” or was Wendy just being a hater? In August 2020, Faith finally landed the job as the new judge on “Divorce Court.” She also began writing a relationship book based on her personal experiences and the cases she handled on the TV court show. When the book was released in November 2021, more red flags appeared. Here at RRG, we’ve seen many celebrities try to give relationship advice while their own marriages fall apart. We’ve linked a few of those memoirs in the description box. Faith had only been married to Kenny for a year and a half when she decided to share her dating wisdom with the world, positioning herself as a relationship expert.
Conclusion
Of course, Devon endorsed her book. In an ad, he praised Faith’s wisdom and insight, claiming it would inspire everyone to never settle for less than their worth. While Faith was promoting her book, Kenny was busy with his eighth studio album, “Here to Stay.” He told CBN News that Faith was his muse and the inspiration behind his new music, raising questions about whether he once said the same about Shante. Despite their efforts to surround themselves with love, their close circle began to crumble when Devon filed for divorce from Megan in December 2021 after nine years of marriage. In 2022, Faith was replaced by Star Jones on “Divorce Court,” and as of this video, she is now the executive producer and host of the Oxygen series “Killer Relationship.” In August 2022, 44-year-old Faith and 52-year-old Kenny announced they were expecting their first child together. We’re happy Faith and Kenny found love, but this is one relationship we’ll definitely be watching. For now, we wish them the best as they await their bundle of joy.