New Faces Of Celebrity Wives

Ebony, March, 2000 by Aldore Collier, Lynn Norment, Joy Bennett Kinnon

With Lives And Careers Of Their Own

IN what some people call the good old days, the wives of celebrated men were expected to be decorative ornaments that added glitter to their husband's spotlight. But in recent years, a new generation of celebrity wives has emerged, and they are changing the perception by excelling at their own careers, passions and enterprises.

Among the most talented of the modern-day spouses is Juanita Jordan, wife of retired basketball star Michael Jordan, who heads The Michael and Juanita Jordan Endowment Fund and who recently spoke out about racist practices of the Highland Park Police Department in the tony community where they have an estate. Then there is Tracey Edmonds, wife, of recording artist and super-producer Kenneth (Babyface) Edmonds, who heads her own film production company and has won acclaim with films such as Soul Food. Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of actor/recording artist Will Smith, is a critically acclaimed actress, scriptwriter and director who recently started a film production company. Pinkett Smith, a Maryland native, starred in The Nutty Professor and Set It Off, and had a featured role in Scream 2 and A Return to Paradise.

Along with their many community and career endeavors, these and other celebrity wives juggle the demanding duties of being wife and mother. "It is difficult, but I have been able to manage my professional obligations around anything that involves my children," says Juanita Jordan, who has three children, Jeffrey, 11, Marcus, 9, and Jasmine, 7. "Sometimes I am on overload, but I like to keep things balanced. And, of course, there is the quality time that I spend with my husband."

Says Jada Pinkett Smith: "It's always difficult to find that balance, but as long as you know your limitations, you will find it. There is no one formula."

On the following pages, and in alphabetical order, are profiles on three hardworking women who just happen to be married to celebrities.

Tracey Edmonds

TRACEY Edmonds' name isn't a household word--yet. But the powers-that-be all around Tinsel Town are well-acquainted with the woman who is known to many as Mrs. Kenneth (Babyface) Edmonds.

Tracey's marriage to Edmonds exposed her to the music business. She parlayed that knowledge into the creation of her own record label, Yab Yum (named after the Japanese God of Love), and got a distribution deal with Sony Music.

Her Edmonds Entertainment Group is a budding Hollywood empire, including a television division, a management wing, music publishing, an independent film company known as E Square Film Works and Yab Yum. All divisions are housed in their own six-story building in Hollywood, where Tracey supervises almost 70 employees.

Although she has basked in the spotlight with her husband Babyface, it never occurred to the 33-year-old Stanford University graduate to simply be an extension of her husband. "I was never the type to sit and [just] be someone's wife," says Tracey, who recently received the prestigious Trumpet Award for her achievements in the entertainment business.

What she has opted for instead has been a pretty nice juggling act, successfully handling the responsibilities of motherhood, spouse and businesswoman. "It consumes a lot, a lot of hours. My job is to oversee all of Edmonds Entertainment. It's quite an undertaking. But we have a very talented staff of executives who help run things as well. I put in a lot of hours. My day typically begins around 9:00 a.m., and if I'm lucky, ends around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. I put in 10 to 12 hours a day, hopping in and out of meetings, meeting with studio executives on the film side, network executives on the television side. Then I check in on the recording sessions of our artists through the record label. It helps to have everything under one roof."

When movie projects (she has several in development) get the studio green light, Tracey is on the set every day to ensure that everything runs smoothly. And that's not always an easy task. "I have a pretty level temper and a psychology background. I was going to be a psychiatrist when I was in college. So, I did have some foundation in how to deal with people, how to get messages across without rubbing people the wrong way and critique without alienating."

In June, fans who enjoyed the movie Soul Food, a successful film she produced, will get a chance to see it on the small screen when it becomes a television series. And that will mean just another cog in her busy wheel.

On the music side, Tracey works very closely with all of the artists on her label. They are Jon B., Beverly, Shya, Jack Herrera, Andre Allen and 3rd Storee. She actually discovered Beverly by just opening her mail and listening to a demo tape. So impressed was she that she sent for the North Carolina youngster and had her audition right in her office.

Although the hours and days are extremely long, Tracey still manages a fair amount of time to be with her 3-year-old son Brandon and husband Babyface. "We built a playroom here in the office for Brandon," she explains. "He comes here a lot of days after school. I take a break and go down to him. He's into computers already. He knows how to run his programs. He sits on my lap and runs that mouse. It's great to have him here. The best thing is that we have weekends. I devote my weekends to my son and husband. We go to movies and see whatever `kiddie' things are out."