The ‘Secret Sauce’ Behind Omar & Keisha Epps’ Nearly 30-Year Love Story
Omar Epps might have had his claim to fame in the 90s, starring in Black film classics like Juice, The Wood, Higher Learning, and who could forget Love & Basketball? But these days, the 50-year-old actor has also added writing to his repertoire. Omar recently published his second book, a dystopian novel, Nubia: The Reckoning. When he is not writing or starring in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, something else Omar has a lot of passion and purpose in is his love for his rock, his wife, Keisha Epps.
In a recent conversation with PEOPLE for their “One Last Thing” column, the author made sure to show love to his long-time partner, Keisha Epps, in a question that prompted him to recall the last time he danced. “My wife and I were at an event, and she was looking great, so I had to take her hand and cut a rug,” Omar told the mag.
The simple but sweet moment was a reminder of just how vocal Omar is from time to time, either through social media or in various interviews, about his love and appreciation for his soulmate. R&B singer and one-third of the R&B group Total, Keisha Spivey and Omar, have been married since 2006, an achievement the actor credits taking “breaking up off the table” for.
In a 2022 interview, Omar opened up about the “secret sauce” to a nearly 20-year marriage.
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“Our little secret sauce is we took breaking up off the table,” he said in the interview. “And what that did for me personally, I can’t speak for her, but what that did for me was it changed the way that we had conflict … We still bump heads from time to time. We do it in such a respectful way.”
Omar and Keisha have had years of practice to get the recipe behind their secret sauce to marital bliss a success. After meeting and briefly dating in 1992, the pair broke up, and Keisha would become “the one who got away” for many years for Omar in his heart and his mind. He had other relationships, including one with Love & Basketball co-star Sanaa Lathan and a romantic relationship that led to the birth of his oldest daughter, Aiyanna, in 1999.
But fate would have Omar and Keisha crossing romantic paths once more, and by the early 2000s, the couple had their first child, a daughter, K'marie, in 2004. In 2006, they wed. And in 2007, they welcomed their second child, a son named Amir.
In 2018, while promoting his self-published memoir, From Fatherless to Fatherhood, Omar spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his writing process, his upbringing, his beliefs around fatherhood, and the passing of his father and his oldest child Aiyanna’s mother’s passing, which was recent at the time. When asked by the interviewer how his wife was navigating everything, Omar didn’t hesitate to show praise.
“She’s amazing. There’s no question that that’s my soulmate. She anchors me in a way that I can only relate emotionally is like how I feel anchored by my mom. That’s the weight of what I feel; this connection to another person. She is family. …
“Keisha taught me how to smell the roses, which is one of the most important things in life. Like through her, I really am still learning, but I’ve learned how to become present, because I’m an artist. I’m constantly in my head and she’s helped me be more present. She loves hard … and she’s taught me a lot, about everything.”
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In the past, Keisha has referred to her husband as her “forever love.” In a 2020 Instagram post, she captioned a photo of the two of them from an album release party in 1996. “We were friends. He was my best friend. But the very first time we met? Was truly like something out of a movie🙏🏽 I mean really,” she explained in her caption.
“No LOVE comes without its challenges just as no life comes without its challenges. But when you are with your soulmate, the person you are meant to share forever with, LOVE becomes that much more beautiful and worth doing the work for. I’m connected to a beautiful & special soul.”
In 2021, Omar took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of him and his wife Keisha with the caption, “We been ten toes down for damn near thirty years now. It’s just that everything ain’t for the public…”
Just last month, Omar posted a carousel of selfies of Keisha and captioned the post, “My completion. My muse. My forever love. We were, we are, and always will be. @lovekeishaepps I love you beyond time itself, and I’m truly thankful for our journey together in this life and beyond…”
Keisha commented underneath the post, writing in response to her love, "🥹…My love, you took the feeling, thoughts and words from my heart❤️ God knows my LOVE & joy for YOU King.❤️❤️❤️❤️💋💋💋💋 An ordained LOVE, a blessed union🙏🏽🫶🏽."
Awww. Don't you just love Black love?
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Whoopi Goldberg's Realization That She Doesn't Want Marriage Is A Perfect Example Of Self-Awareness
Since a young girl, I have always wanted to get married and have a family. I saw my mom as a great example of a wife and a mother and I longed to one day have that same opportunity. I often dreamt about it and enjoy watching shows and films about weddings (Say Yes To The Dress is my fave). At 32, I haven’t made it down the aisle or started a family yet, and I do still want those things. However, I have come to be more open-minded about women and marriage/ starting a family.
I used to be one of those women who didn’t understand why any woman wouldn’t want to get married and/ or have kids. It’s every little girl’s dream, right? But as I got older, I realized that the fairytale way of thinking that was pushed on us as girls isn’t reality, and we have to figure out what it is that we really want and not what we were told we should want.
Whoopi Goldberg's journey is a testament to the power of self-awareness. The EGOT winner recently shared her insights on marriage and her dating life with Don Lemon. “The truth of the matter is I am fundamentally a selfish person. And I've found that because I have a wonderful kid and, you know, and a son-in-law, three grandkids and one great-grand, that I don't have time for a whole lot of other people coming into my life,” she admitted. “Because you know, that's my kid, and that’s the family, and you know, so hit and runs are great. I don't mind those, you know, but you can't spend the night.”
Whoopi has been married three times, and during her conversation with Don, she opened up about how her failed marriages sent her on a journey to self-discovery.
“You have to give yourself permission because, you know, you have this whole line of words that are stacked up in your head about what you are if you say a hit and run is where you want to be and you don't want to be married, you know? Am I a whore, am I this? Am I a terrible person ‘cause I don't want.. And I never really thought about it,” she explained.
“I just thought, well, I must be doing it wrong because other people seem to be able to have figured it out. And what I didn't realize was that I had figured it out. I just was surprised by the fact that a. I didn't really want it, but I like to hit and run. And my mother said, 'Well, maybe you should just throw a party from now on, not get married anymore.'”
She added, “It requires a lot. It is really a give and take, and I'm in my life at this point. I don't really want that. I want to, you know, see you when I see you, and then you go.”
Whoopi isn’t alone in this thinking. More women are becoming open to the idea of not getting married and enjoying the single life. Research from the National Medicine Library showed that singles who have a positive self-image and good relationships with family and friends are more satisfied with their lives. Knowing yourself and making choices that align with who you are is self-awareness at its finest. And whether you want to get married or not, falling in love with yourself first is key.
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