As one of the top black actresses in the 90s, Vivica A. Fox starred in blockbusters films alongside some of Hollywood’s most notable stars, like Will Smith. Not only was she known for landing some of the best roles, but she was also turning a lot of heads with her beauty. As her career continued to soar, Vivica had her share of romances. But regardless of who she was with, there was always one common denominator — these relationships never seemed to last.
Here’s the sad truth about her dating history.
The effects of divorce
Vivica Fox was born in South Bend, Indiana, on July 30, 1964, to Everlyena and William Fox. Vivica was the youngest of four and at the age of 3, her parents divorced. According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, Vivica was raised primarily by her mother.
Her parents’ divorce had a profound effect on her future relationships with men. In an interview with The Spectrum, Vivica described watching her mother deal with a broken heart and she viewed her mom as a victim. This set the framework for Vivica’s own love life. In her book entitled, Every Day I’m Hustling, she wrote, “Breakups are never easy as I learned.”
While she was primarily with her mother, she and her father had a strong relationship until his death in 2017. She recalled in her book that he once told her as a little girl that if she wanted to hang with the big boys, she was going to, quote, “get knocked down.” This was something Vivica learned repeatedly throughout her life.
A jerk magnet
She had all but given up on relationships. It was rumored that she and Dennis Rodman dated in 1997, but Vivica denied that allegation. In 1998, she told Ebony magazine she was a “jerk magnet.” She also added that she was fed up with the dating game. Then, out of nowhere, Atlanta rapper Christopher “Sixx-Nine” Harvest popped into her life. According to Ebony magazine, they felt an instant attraction to each other. Marriage was soon in the cards. Vivica said, “I’m going to be 34 when I get married and I better do it right. I know it’s right.”
Sixx-Nine took Vivica to an elegant restaurant near UCLA. Vivica just knew he was going to propose to her that night, and she said she was looking for an engagement ring at the bottom of every glass the waiter brought to them and inside all the food.
But once they left the restaurant and he still hadn’t popped the question, she admitted she was disappointed. But, Sixx-Nine had an even bigger surprise waiting. When they got back home, there were flowers and yellow candles all over the house. Vivica said, “I was crying and saying, ‘Honey, what color is the ring?’”
Sixx-Nine asked Vivica to be his wife, and the wedding planning began. They got married in December 1998, and the wedding was attended by some of her celebrity friends, including Holly Robinson-Peete and Star Jones.
The end of a fairytale
Things started out so beautifully for Vivica and Sixx-Nine, but four years later, she shocked us all by filing for divorce. So what went wrong? There were rumors that Sixx-Nine cheated on her throughout their marriage.
According to Hollywood Street King, not only did Vivica suffer a broken relationship, but it also derailed her career because she put all of her resources into the failed marriage. The gossip site reported she put so much money into Sixx-Nine’s music career and even footed the bill for a big home for them.
Years later, looking back on her marriage, Vivica knew she had made a mistake. In her memoir, she wrote: “Here’s a really bad reason to get married: because everyone else is doing it. I know that’s why I did it.”
She added that she got married out of peer pressure because she thought it was, quote, “the next thing on the checklist of what it means to be a successful woman.”
Vivica & 50 Cent
Following the end of her marriage, Vivica was said to have been enjoying the single life and was having a good time dating younger men. So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when she was linked to rapper 50 Cent. During an interview with Howard Stern, 50 said he met Vivica at one of his shows in Atlanta. They made their first public appearance at the MTV VMAs in August 2003. Things started off so well for a hot minute.
In her memoir, Vivica said she and 50 jetted off to Monte Carlo in Oct. 2003 to attend the World Music Awards. While there, Vivica claimed 50 planned to propose to her with a 14-carat ring. She even claimed he rented out a theater for the proposal, as well. So, what happened? Well, Vivica stated that 50 changed his mind because he felt she hogged the spotlight by signing on as the award show’s host.
After their breakup, 50 told The Howard Stern Show they only dated for about two months. He also said it was a mistake for them to go public so soon and he believed that her people were using him for publicity. But he changed his tune in an interview with Tyra Banks, where he announced they actually dated for about a year but they were going back and forth with each other.
He took things one step further by admitting he never officially broke up with her, but he ghosted her instead. And just like that, 50 and Vivica entered into one of the longest feuds ever. Through the years, they would clap back at each other, including in 2004 when 50 referred to Vivica as crazy.
In 2005, Vivica was ready to air him out during an appearance on The Tyra Banks Show. The actress said she was tired of, quote, “being cast as the villain and he was behind it.” Vivica added that 50’s allegation that she was using him to get publicity was false. She then described their failed relationship as “that ghetto love.”
They ended up squashing things when Vivica appeared in his music video for the song “Do You Think About Me.” Their time together really left a lasting impression on Vivica because she went on The Meredith Vieira Show and said 50 was the love of her life, even if dating him was difficult. She added, “I really, really cared for him. I loved him very much and I always will, but he just wasn’t right for me.”
A cougar on the prowl
After her disastrous relationship with 50 was over, Vivica proudly told Essence she was proud to be a cougar — a term used to describe an older woman who dates younger men. And at the age of 47, she linked up with her next love interest, 25-year-old club promoter Omar “Slim” White.
They began dating around 2009, and in Dec. 2010, they took a trip to South Beach. While inside their hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton, Slim popped the question. Even though Vivica vowed she would never get married again, she accepted Slim’s proposal and a beautiful 8-carat diamond engagement ring. A source told People magazine Vivica was “over the moon – so excited, so in love.”
Vivica told The Wendy Williams show she was very fertile and was ready to have Slim’s babies. Was this going to be her happily ever after? Sadly, it wasn’t, and things came to an end just 10 months later and the wedding was called off. So who put an end to their relationship? It all depends on who you ask.
Slim told TooFab Vivica was a good woman, but they outgrew each other. He also alluded to arguing, hate, negativity and drama. He added, “I value communication no matter what the problem may be and I finally had to walk away.”
As for Vivica, she got emotional during an episode of The Bethenny Frankel Show. She said they actually broke up three months before they were supposed to walk down the aisle. She said, “I had to be honest with myself and I wasn’t happy anymore.”
What’s next for Vivica?
Her dreams of getting married and having children were crushed. And when Oprah asked her if she regretted not having kids, Vivica replied it was one of the biggest regrets of her life. She added, “I don’t get to see my eyes in a child. I think that’s something I’ll miss.”
Vivica has learned a thing or two about love over the years. While appearing on The View, she said she looks beyond the superficial and no longer has a weakness for a, quote, “six-pack and a smile.”
These days, she’s more focused on getting to know someone better before jumping into things. She expressed her ultimate goal is to have a partner because that’s what she deserves. In the end, all she wants is someone by her side so that they can shine together.
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