Justine Simmons and Rev Run Marriage Profile

The second time around has great meaning to Rev Run and Justine Simmons. They first met as teenagers. After Run's divorce from his first wife, Justine and Run met again. Here's information about their marriage, children, and more.

Rev Run aka Joseph Ward Simmons, DJ Run, Joey Simmons, Run-DMC: November 14, 1964 in Queens, New York.

Justine Jones: Abt. 1965.

How Rev Run and Justine Met:

Justine and Run met in Roosevelt, Long Island, New York at a roller skating rink in 1982 when they were both teens. Run was 16 and Justine was 15. Although they courted one another by telephone, the distance geographically interfered and their relationship faded.

"... Simmons never stopped thinking about the girl from the rink ... Twelve years after their first meeting, Run got his chance to win Justine back. He was going through a breakup with his then wife, with whom he had his eldest three children, when his cousin Pep, who was working security at a school in Long Island, ran into Justine’s little sister ... Run seized the opportunity to reconnect ... Justine beams while her husband tells this story. “As soon as I heard him say ‘Hi,’ I just melted.”
Source: Jeannine Amber. "Father Knows Best." Essence.com. 3/27/2007.

"By this time he's on a spiritual quest. He's determined to do it right ... If I'm gonna get with God, I want to know the rules. There's no sex, no sleeping in the same bed."
Source: Joyce Wadler. "A Rap Minister Works the Aisles." NYTimes.com. 11/2/2005.

Justine and Joseph were married on June 25, 1994 in the home of Bishop E. Bernard Jordan. They honeymooned on Maui.

Justine about their wedding: "We both understood that while the wedding might not have been everything we had hoped for, it was only one day. Our marriage was going to be for a lifetime, and we'd have plenty of time to get things right later on. And that's exactly what we've done with the second wedding, the third wedding, and however more weddings we decide to have."
Source: Rev. Run, Justine Simmons, Chris Morrow. Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents." pg. 35.

• Vanessa Simmons: Born in 1983. Her mother is Valerie Vaughn.
• Angela Simmons: Born in 1985. Her mother is Valerie Vaughn.
• Joseph "JoJo" Simmons, Jr: Born in 1989. His mother is Valerie Vaughn.
• Russell "Russy" Simmons: Born in 1997. His mother is Justine.
• Daniel "Diggy" Simmons III: Born in 1995. His mother is Justine.
• Victoria Anne Simmons: Born in 2006, Victoria died shortly after her birth due to omphalocele. Justine is her mother.
• Miley Justine Simmons: Born in 2007, Miley was adopted by Run and Justine when she was one month old.

Run: Producer, actor, composer, rapper, ordained minister at Zoe Ministries, DJ, and author. Rev Run appears on the reality show Run's House and was one of the founding members of the hip hop rap group Run-DMC.

Justine: Businesswoman.

Justine and Rev Run's six-bedroom home in Saddle River, New Jersey includes an indoor half basketball court, a Zen meditation room with a waterfall and river stone floor, a recording studio, a library, formal dining room, home theater, and a swimming pool.

Previous Marriages:

Rev Run was previously married to Valerie Vaughn.

Run and Justine on marriage: "Keep your eye on what you cherish." Adds Run: "If you cherish your wife and kids, that's where your energy goes."
Source. Amy Elisa Keith. "Rev. Run's Advice to Jon & Kate: Remember What You Cherish." People.com. 6/14/2009.

Justine on keeping a happy marriage: "Truthfully I would have to say compromise and be fair. A lot of things I want to do I may think is right and I find out later it's not. There are probably things my husband does for me that he doesn't want to but he compromises."
Source: Angela Bronner Helm. Rev Run & Justine Simmons: Take Back Your Family." BVonLove.com. 8/8/2008.

Rev Run: "Marriage is the same way -- things generally run smoothly at first, but after a couple of years under the same roof and a few kids, it's normal if your relationship feels like it needs a little recharging. And i've found that a great way to recharge those marital batteries is by renewing your wedding vows. Justine and I have done it three times now, and I've found that each new trip down the aisle has had an incredibly positive, refreshing effect on our relationship. Each time we tie that knot again, it forces me to refocus on our marriage and remember just how blessed I am to have a wife like Justine."
Source: Rev. Run, Justine Simmons, Chris Morrow. Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents." Gotham. 2008. pg. 31.

Run and Justine: "Because any happiness that we've experienced as a family is rooted in the happiness we've experienced in our marriage. Which is not to say that our marriage has been a walk in the park -- like all couples, we've encountered plenty of stormy weather. But learning how to weather those marital storms also gave us the confidence to weather the tornadoes and hurricanes of parenthood."
Source: Rev. Run, Justine Simmons, Chris Morrow. Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents." Gotham. 2008. pg. 21.

Rev Run: "In other words, accept that if you're not gentle and careful and conscientious about your marriage, there's a good chance it's going to crack and break."
Source: Rev. Run, Justine Simmons, Chris Morrow. Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents." Gotham. 2008. pg. 27.

Rev Run: "The biggest challenge would be communication. You just have to be able to compromise with your wife as far as I'm concerned. If she has a deep desire to do something you may want to give in to that. My motto is 'Happy wife, happy life.'"
Source: Angela Bronner Helm. Rev Run & Justine Simmons: Take Back Your Family." BVonLove.com. 8/8/2008.

Rev Run: "Ten principles to keep your marriage bubbling:
1. Marriage First
2. Keep Dating
3. Communication
4. Money Matters
5. Compromise
6. Husband is King ... But Wife is the Queen
7. Keep the Love Alive
8. Support Each Other
9. Tell the Whole Truth
10. Keep God First"
Source: "Marriage Advice from Rev Run and Justine." BlackandMarriedwithKids.com. 9/10/2008.