Everything to Know About Kandi Burruss' Husband, Todd Tucker
RHOA's Todd Tucker is a dad, a businessman, and married to the XSCAPE member.
Kandi Burruss has been on The Real Housewives of Atlanta since Season 2—14 years ago—and, in that time, fans have had a front-row seat to the ups and downs of her life. One of the highlights was when she met Todd Tucker (who was working in RHOA production) during a cast trip in 2011. The two quickly became inseparable, and they married three years later.
Over the years, it's become clear that Kandi and Todd make the ultimate power couple. The duo has built a loving family together, and they have worked as a team on countless successful business endeavors, both behind and in front of the camera. We've gotten to know a lot about Todd through RHOA, Kandi's Wedding, Kandi Koated Nights, Kandi and The Gang, and, most recently, SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B.
Still, there's more to learn about Kandi's multi-hyphenate husband.
Here's everything to know about Todd Tucker.
Todd Tucker's Pre-RHOA Career
Todd was born on August 4, 1973. Before meeting Kandi and stepping in front of the camera, Todd had built a career behind the camera. He was a production manager and producer, with his credits including Thinner (1996), Run's House (2005-2008), and Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes (2011), according to his IMDB page.
How Kandi Burruss Met Husband Todd Tucker While Filming RHOA
It was The Real Housewives of Atlanta that brought Todd and Kandi together. Todd was working as a production manager for RHOA in 2011, and he flew to South Africa along with the cast for the cast trip and Kandi caught his eye.
"I was trying to play it cool in Africa as it's against the rules to cross the line with the talent," Todd recalled in a 2014 interview. "In Production that's a big NO NO! … I loved her smile, she had a great butt! LOL! She seemed very humble and genuine."
In a 2016 Facebook post, Kandi reflected on the couple’s first meeting, which happened on the second to last day of the trip.
“I was in Africa with RHOA & the African medicine man was reading my cast mates’ & my future,” she wrote. “He predicted that I would get married soon & he said my husband was with me at that moment. Of course I was thinking he didn't know what the hell he was talking about."
"The crazy thing is that Todd was there! He was watching the scene with the rest of the crew. At that time I had saw him maybe once but had never spoke or had a conversation with him," she added. "The very next day was Todd's birthday August 4th & we spoke for the very first time & never stopped. Tomorrow will be our 2 year anniversary! Not sure how the African Medicine man was able to predict my future but he was right.”
Kandi and Todd's Relationship (and Mother-in-Law Drama)
Kandi and Todd’s romance wasn’t always a fairytale: Kandi’s mother, Mama Joyce, wasn’t convinced that Todd was the one for her daughter.
The drama was documented on RHOA and in the series Kandi’s Wedding. “I want [Kandi] to be happy more than I want anything,” Mama Joyce shared in an episode of Kandi’s Wedding. “But I hate to see her being taken advantage of by anybody, especially somebody who claims they love her.”
Still, Mama Joyce and Todd were able to put their differences aside enough to celebrate a beautiful wedding.
Outside of family drama, being on camera wasn’t always easy for Todd, who was used to working behind the scenes. “It was really tough … I didn’t want to do Housewives. I didn’t want to come from behind the scenes,” Todd recalled to The Daily Dish in May of 2022. “But my mother was like, ‘Did you not know she was on this show and that if you guys continued to date that you might have to be a part of it?’ And I was like, ‘I never thought of that.’ So my mother made me get myself together. And you know, I did what I had to do.”
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker's Wedding
Kandi and Todd’s April 4, 2014 wedding was a celebration for the ages. Their Atlanta ceremony and reception featured lavish details and a Coming to America theme that brought the price tag to $400,000. “[It’s] an homage to Africa, where we first met,” Kandi told In Touch in 2014.
The wedding was everything the couple dreamed of and more. “I knew that everybody was going to do their part and that it was just going to be an amazing event,” Kandi shared after the wedding in Kandi’s Wedding.
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker's Kids
Prior to their marriage, Kandi and Todd each had a child from a previous relationship—Riley and Kaela, respectively—and looked forward to growing their family.
Kandi and Todd welcomed their son, Ace Wells Tucker, on January 6, 2016.
“We really worked hard for him,” Kandi shared with PEOPLE in the months following the birth, referencing the IVF treatments the couple underwent. “It was a long process and lots of needles.”
“I always wanted a boy so we were super excited because we have two girls and they give us much attitude," she added. "We were looking forward to having a boy.”
Kandi later opened up about the couple’s decision to use a surrogate for their second child together after struggling with fertility issues and fibroids. (Black women are disproportionately likely to be diagnosed with uterine fibroids, are likely to be diagnosed earlier and are likely to have both more numerous fibroids and more severe symptoms. Difficulty conceiving can be a significant side effect.)
"Todd and I are both nervous about it," Kandi told The Daily Dish in November 2018 about their journey. "I think it's easier for Todd to handle or deal with because as a man he's used to somebody else carrying the baby. But for me it's a little bit harder for me to deal with the thought because I'm supposed to carry my own kids in my mind. But, hey, with science, it's made other options to be able to make it happen."
On November 22, 2019, the couple welcomed daughter Blaze Tucker via surrogate. “I’m so thankful to add another healthy, beautiful, baby girl to the family!” Kandi wrote at the time, according to Us Weekly.
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker's Business Ventures
To call Kandi and Todd a power couple might be an understatement. The married pair balance being parents along with a number of successful business ventures both together and individually.
One of their most notable projects together was their Old Lady Gang restaurant in Atlanta, which was chronicled on the show Kandi & the Gang. (Kandi and Todd also served as producers on the show.)
In March 2022, Todd spoke to The Daily Dish about working with his wife on the venture. “I think we balance each other out,” he said. “She's a little soft, I'm a little more stern. And even the kids say it.”
He shared more on the topic in a May 2022 interview. “It’s amazing to come up with a concept and see the idea come together,” Todd told The Daily Dish of working on KATG. “And then it’s on the screen and you’re helping so many people. I think that’s where the joy comes in, when you see a lot of people get opportunities from something that you thought up.”
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker's Secrets to Married Life
Clearly, the two have a secret sauce that just works. In October 2022, Kandi reflected on eight years of marriage with Todd and what makes their partnership strong. “Just great communication and having fun together,” Kandi told PEOPLE at the Ebony Power 100 Gala in Los Angeles. “We have a real understanding of each other.”
“I think that’s what makes it work, because sometimes I feel like, especially when you are a woman who has dreams and goals, you don’t always meet a man who is going to support your dreams and goals and keep pushing you,” she continued.
“[Todd] pushes me in a way that I can’t say I had never experienced before being with him,” she added. “I really feel like he’s my teammate in life.”
In April 2023, Todd celebrated their nine-year wedding anniversary with a heartfelt tribute to his wife. “When you find the right person, it’s easy but you still have to put in work. I want to thank my wife for loving me, and motivating me to be the best man, father and husband,” he wrote on Instagram. “I am honored to call her my wife and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.”
Watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Bravo Sundays at 8/7c beginning May 7, and the next day on Peacock. Catch up on past seasons on Peacock (Seasons 1 through 14) and the Bravo app (Season 14).
Watch SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B on Peacock and the Bravo app.
