Ice-T is a divorced man – sort of.
From his humble beginnings as a underground rapper in the 1980’s to his long career on Law & Order: SVU, Ice-T is a fan favorite celebrity for a multitude of reasons.
But among them is his relationship with his wife, Coco Austin, and the family they have built together.
So, to talk about Ice-T being divorced is a big deal, and while rumors about his marriage have been swirling all throughout their 20+ years together, we’re here to separate the fact from the fiction.
Are Ice-T and Coco still together? Yes. Is the longest-running male actor on television still divorced? Also, yes – but it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Let us explain.
Ice-T and Coco Austin attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Ice-T and Coco Austin’s Relationship Timeline: How It All Began
The couple first met in 2001 on the set of a music video.
A tale as long as time in Hollywood!
After being introduced by a mutual friend on the set, it wasn’t long before they were married. Literally, it was like just a few months later that they were in Vegas in front of a priest saying their “I dos”.
However, the ceremony was small and apparently not very legal, so five years later they tied the knot for real. In 2006, they returned to Vegas – with a marriage license this time – to officially become man and wife.
But as it turns out, this was not the first time Ice-T found himself vowing to love forever.
Before he was hitched to Coco, he was one-half of an ultimate power couple in rap music.
Everyone remembers Darlene Ortiz , right?
A throwback: Ice T and his first wife Darlene at Madonna’s ‘Music’ Launch Party presented by Warner Bros. Records and US Weekly at Catch One in Los Angeles in 2000. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Ice-T’s First Love Darlene Ortiz
For those of you perhaps too young to remember, Darlene Ortiz is hip-hop royalty. Known as the first cover girl of rap, she started her career as Ice-T’s muse, as well as his girlfriend.
The first power couple of hip-hop, the two were madly in love for 17 years. He won her over the first night they met in 1985 by promising her he’d put her on his album cover. A man of his word, she was not only on the cover of his debut album, Rhyme Pays, but she famously posed again for his second record, Power in 1998.
That one’s a bit more famous, with Darlene wearing a bikini and holding a shotgun for the gangster rappers album.
Despite a 10 year age gap, the pair were together for 17 years and share a son, who is now 24 years old.
Their split, however, was the catalyst that found Ice-T in the arms of Coco – or perhaps it’s the other way around.
Rapper Ice-T attends the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
Ice-T’s Messy Divorce – Or Perhaps More Accurately Breakup – From Darlene
Now, as it happens, despite being together for nearly two decades, Ice-T and Darlene never married.
Still, fans usually refer to their split as a “divorce” given how long they were together and the family they raised together.
Split just doesn’t do it justice.
Anyway, Darlene and Ice-T were over by 2001. If that year sounds familiar, it’s because that was the same year Coco and Ice were married the first time in Vegas.
It all seems to have moved very quickly, and it’s been instituted that the reason Ice-T left Darlene was because he was already heavily involved with the woman who would become his wife.
In fact, in her book, “Definition of Down: My Life with Ice T and the Birth of Hip Hop,” Darlene implied that the couple broke up after Ice-T met Coco.
In interviews promoting the book, Darlene took things a step further, insisting that Ice-T broke “promises” after they split, but they’ve managed to stay cordial over the years.
“I would want it to be a better relationship, but there’s no hate there,” she told Complex about where they stand today.
“I’m disappointed highly of how it ended and how we chose to end it. I’m very disappointed, but at the same time, how can I be mad at him? All these exciting things happened because of him. I met him and supported him, and he is still my son’s dad. There’s no way it can ever really get ugly.”
Coco Austin, Chanel Nicole Marrow, and Ice-T attend the 13th Annual Rookie USA Fashion Show at Iron 23 on September 06, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Rookie USA)
His Marriage Today & The Divorce Rumors
Since getting hitched over 20 years ago, Ice and Coco have had to deal with many, many, many rumors about their marriage hitting rock bottom.
Around the time of their 10th anniversary, there was an unsubstantiated report from a now defunct gossip website that claimed Ice had filed for legal separation from Coco in NJ.
Those rumors turned out to be decidedly untrue and their love just carried on from there. Since then, they welcomed their daughter Chanel Nicole into the world in 2015, renewed their vows in 2011, and celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in 2021.
Clearly, there is no slowing their roll. But how do they keep their marriage working?
“Jungle sex,” Ice-T told E! News when he was asked that very same question. “That flame has to stay lit.”
“When that flame goes out and you’re not really attracted to each other anymore,” he continued. “You have to address that very quickly because it’s something that’s necessary.”
While that all might be true, there’s another reason, outside the bedroom, that’s helped them stay together all this time.
“I think Coco and I are teammates,” he said. “We have to be teammates, not opponents, not assets, not liabilities. I value what she brings to me, and I think it’s vice versa. We appreciate each other.”
And there you have it! So, as long as these two keep appreciating each other and keep things spicy you know where, Ice-T will never truly know what it’s like to be divorced.
Here’s hoping!
Ice-T’s Divorce & Marriage History With Coco Austin, Explained was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.