Da Brat and wife Jesseca “Judy” Dupart revealed their 1-month-old son True Legend’s face for the first time.
via: People
“Look, this came out of my stomach,” she says, pointing to her tiny newborn, sleeping soundly in the arms of wife Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart at their home in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. “I cry every day. I just look at him and boo-hoo, because I’m so grateful.”
As part of PEOPLE’s new “My Extraordinary Family” feature in this week’s issue out Friday, the legendary rapper, radio host and star of WE TV’s Brat Loves Judy is sharing first photos of son True Legend, whom she welcomed on July 6 with Harris-Dupart by her side.
A month into motherhood, she can’t stop marveling at her journey.
“I’m 49, I’m high-risk, I have high blood pressure. So many women so much younger than me want kids and can’t have them, and I had a successful pregnancy,” she says, tearing up. “It’s just an honor. He’s such a blessing.”
The past few years have been one blessing after another for the Chicago native, born Shawntae Harris. Best known for ’90s hip-hop hits like “Funkdafied” as well as her iconic street style, the star met Harris-Dupart, 41, in 2017 and soon felt compelled to open up about her sexuality.
“I was stuck in the closet for so many years, I thought I would never come out,” she says, “but I met somebody that gave me the courage to live in my own truth. Now I’m happily married.”
Da Brat underwent in vitro fertility (IVF) treatments using eggs from Harris-Dupart and sperm from an anonymous donor. Then, following a heartbreaking miscarriage, she became pregnant with their son.
“I think God plans out our journey,” she says. “I’m very happy He saw fit for me to have him.”
She gave birth via scheduled cesarean section and had “no contractions,” experiencing pain only while receiving the epidural.
“I never want to do that again,” she says, laughing, “but for him it was worth it.” During the delivery, the rapper admits, she “panicked a little bit.”
But Harris-Dupart was there to help de-stress — and deejay — in the moment. “I asked her to play Biggie [Smalls], but that wasn’t helping, so she played our love playlist. I was able to relax and not think.”
Now the family of three are bonding at home while preparing to launch a new Kaleidoscope Kids haircare line, and the couple are enjoying the shared responsibilities of motherhood. “He made us closer,” says Da Brat, who adds that she and Harris-Dupart take turns getting up in the night with True Legend. “We always change his diaper together.”
She admits it’s a very different life than she ever saw for herself. “Who would ever think this? Da Brat-a-tat-tat from 1994!” she says, hinting at her tough hip-hop persona. “I’m with a beautiful, successful woman who completes me and inspires me to be better. I’m elated to be a mother. I never thought I would be, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I never need another thing in life.”
