J Ivy wife Tarrey Torae is an award winning singer and songwriter. J Ivy and Tarrey have been together for almost 25 years.
Ivy, on the other hand, is a Grammy-winning poet, songwriter, spoken word artist, and author.
The poet’s work was recently recognized by the Grammy Awards when he won in the category for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album with his book, The Poet who sat by the Door.
Born on March 3, 1976, the 46-year-old poet is no stranger to awards, fame, and acclaim. Ivy is a three-time HBO Def Poet through his performance at the Def Jam Poetry night from 2002 to 2007.
The poet has also worked with famous rappers, most prominently Kanye West, and played a significant part in West’s debut album, The College Dropout. Ivy was featured on the song “Never Let Me Down” alongside Jay-Z.
Tarrey Has A Long List Of Accomplishments
J Ivy wife Tarrey Torae is a six-time Showtime at the Apollo winner. Tarrey has also toured with legends like Slick Rick and Talib Kweli.
Just a quick visit to Tarrey’s website shows a bevy of luminaries including John Legend, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, and Mo’Nique to name a few singing her praises. The artists named here are just the tip of the artists who Tarrey has worked with as naming them all would encapsulate this entire article.
Tarrey started her career in 2001 with the release of her single, Still Will Love You, but soon found more success working behind the scenes by providing background vocals for others. From Kanye West’s mixtape, I’m Good, then late his debut album, The College Dropout to John Legend’s debut, Get Lifted, the early 2000s was a fruitful time for Tarrey to flex her skills on the mic.
The success of those two albums and their respective artists led to Tarrey continuing to find work with various other rappers of the day like Talib Kweli and DMX. The work she did with those artists and more extended beyond the studio and on tour too.
Aside from music, Tarrey also acted in theatre, film, and television, with her most prominent work being a leading role in an Off-Broadway play called Me and My Shadow. The singer has had small roles in various movies like 2016’s Not Another Black Movie, which she also composed for, and most recently, 2021’s Hal King, as Madame Quickly.
J Ivy And Tarrey Wedding And Married Life
J Ivy married Tarrey on the fourth of September in 2005, in Chicago, Illinois. The two had been dating for six years prior.
The couple dubbed their wedding “A Chicago Love Story” in order to celebrate both their love and their love for their home city. The marriage took place at the city’s historic Parkway Ballroom where more than 500 family and friends were there to celebrate the happy couple’s wedding.
Since both individuals were and remain Chicago’s cherished children with Ivy gaining love and respect for his poetry, and Tarrey being dubbed Chicago’s Sweetheart of R&B/Soul, not only was the event filled with love, but also a high-class affair, with guests’ names being announced whenever they walked in through the doors.
However, the seeds for that historic day were sown six years ago at a place called the Rituals Night Club in 1999. Tarrey was out on a Friday night with two of her girlfriends, and J Ivy was performing alongside other prominent poets like Malik Yusef and Ugochi.
Tarrey was instantly taken by the man’s performance, a tearful reading of his poem, Dear Father, for his deceased dad. However, she too was performing that night, and the magic was flipped as now J Ivy was the one impressed by her.
From that magical introduction to now, 24 years into their marriage, the two remain as dedicated to each other as they’ve always been. A quick look at Tarrey’s Instagram shows that the magic is still alive, as she constantly posts about his success, her success, and most importantly, their success.
Learn About J Ivy And Tarrey Family
J Ivy and Tarrey have a strong connection with their family. Each has honored them through their respective fields.
Ivy was born to his father, James Ivy Richardson Sr, and his mother Pamela Richardson. Both influenced his personality, upbringing, and art immensely.
The poet’s father, who also went by Jim Richards, worked as an On-Air radio personality, and a Disc Jockey, and is most remembered for hosting the morning hour show on WVON, Chicago’s popular radio station. Through Richards, Ivy was introduced to music, which remains a big part of his life to this day.
On the other, hand, Pamela worked as a registered nurse. Despite having such a demanding job, the woman has been credited with supporting Ivy’s budding talents by continuously encouraging him to write and publish his work when he was first starting out.
Though Tarrey has not spoken about her parents in media, family is a big part of her life, and she often invites her fans to tidbits of her early life by posting family photos and heirlooms celebrating her heritage. However, despite such a deep love for their family, the couple has chosen not to have any children, as they are both very focused on their careers and art forms.
J Ivy And Tarrey Have A Slight Age Difference
J Ivy and Tarrey are 46 years old and 49 years old respectively. Ivy was born on March 3, 1976, while Tarrey was born on May 23, 1973.
Tarrey is older by three years than the popular poet, as such, their age difference is not large by any means. In fact, the only strange thing about the age difference is that usually, the man is older than the woman.
However, if there’s one thing that sets Ivy apart from most men is that as a poet, he doesn’t abide by the limiting standards most other people, especially men do. The couple’s age difference has not affected their relationship at all.
In fact, their upbringing has more similarities than dissimilarities as the two were both born and raised in the historic South Side of Chicago. Ivy would later move to the South Suburbs of Chicago at the age of 14, and start going to the Rich Central High School.
There, the young poet would discover his talent for verse when an English teacher asked him to perform a piece from his homework during his junior year. Not only did Ivy perform the piece in front of all the students, but received a standing ovation too, setting him on his path.
Tarrey too had a fulfilling childhood in terms of fostering her talents. Unlike her husband, her focus was on the performing arts as she attended contemporary dance classes alongside ballet, and studied at the Marie Sklodowska Curie Metropolitan High School.
For college, Ivy would attend Illinois State University where he would be known around campus as “The Poet.” Tarrey, on the other hand, would study Political Science and Pre-law at Mississippi Valley State University.