While a guest on “The Bootleg Kev Podcast,” Ray J candidly discussed falling into depression while he and Princess Love were dealing with the difficulties of their marriage.

When asked how he made their marriage work despite their highly publicized arguments and separation battles, Ray J told Bootleg Kev, “You got kids and you love your wife and you go through the ups and downs and a lot of people say you know you gotta be happy first, right? You protect your happiness.”

Ray J then noted that his happiness is rooted in seeing his tiny family filled with joy. The 42-year-old R&B crooner and Love share two children: a 5-year-old daughter named Melody Norwood and a 3-year-old son named Epik Norwood.

Fans have seen Ray J and Love’s relationship unfold through several episodes of the “Love and Hip Hop” franchise. Before they decided to “fight for their marriage,” their union consisted of lies, infidelities on the “One Wish” singer’s end, and three unsuccessful divorce filings. 

“If my kids are super happy and my wife is super happy that makes me happy ’cause if I’m not with them I’m sad,” he said at the 45:28 mark.

Ray J also admitted that being separated from his family while he and Love were going through their rough patch left him feeling “depressed.” 

He claimed, “Even just when I wasn’t with them and I and, you know, you starting to go through these different things about the time you gonna spend with the kids and the days you get them and all of these things start to make you feel like depressed and sad.” 

The singer added how difficult it was to truly be happy without his family when they are his source of happiness. “If you’re a man of your word like if you really a man of your word, and you made this vow… and then you go back on it,” said Ray J. “How you gonna say that like you, you really, your word is all that matters?”

Despite their roller-coaster relationship, Ray J insisted that he’s 10 toes down in their marriage “until the wheels fall off.” 

A snippet of the interview reached Instagram, where commenters praised Ray J for his words of wisdom. 

“Ray, your speech is beyond profound.” 

“Grown man talk right there.” 

“Real talk.”

As previously stated, Ray J and Love’s relationship has been anything short of an easy ride. The couple married in 2016 and four years later the model decided to file for divorce. However, she asked for a dismissal months later. 

That following September, Ray J filed for a divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason. He chose to call off his decision six months later, but would file again for the second time in October 2021. He requested another dismissal for his file in March 2022.  

While speaking to Kevin Fraizer at the 2023 BET Awards, both Ray J and Love disclosed that they were able to revive their love once they decided to ignore other people’s opinions and focus on each other. 

In the interview, Ray J also suggested that once they became “best friends,” their relationship began to improve. 

Back in July the “Sexy Can I” artist revealed that he and Love would be stepping away from the “LHH” franchise after giving fans a decade of amusement; they plan to embark on newfound business ventures.