Papoose & Claressa Shields Relationship Timeline

Rapper Papoose and boxing champion Claressa Shields have become one of the most talked-about new couples of 2025. Their romance has unfolded in public view through social media posts, fight night appearances, and even matching tattoos. For fans, the pairing is surprising not just because of their different worlds, but because of Papoose’s history. Long known for his marriage to Remy Ma and his loyalty while she served time in prison, Papoose stepping out with Claressa shifted the narrative entirely.

What follows is a timeline of their relationship in how it began, the public moments that defined it, and the controversies that have swirled around it.

For nearly two decades, Papoose and Remy Ma were one of hip hop’s most celebrated love stories. Their bond was also forged in crisis when Remy was sentenced to prison in 2008, just one day before their wedding. Papoose didn’t walk away. He stood by her throughout her six-year bid, visiting regularly and holding her down publicly. When Remy came home in 2014, the two renewed their vows in a televised VH1 ceremony. Together, they built their family, raised kids, and wore the crown of “Black Love” in hip hop.

That’s what made the cracks so loud when they came. By 2023, rumors swirled that Remy Ma had stepped out of the marriage, allegedly with battle rapper Eazy the Block Captain. Neither Remy nor Papoose initially confirmed the affair, but the whispers gained after a viral clip suggested a physical altercation between Papoose and Eazy backstage at an event. For fans, the speculation cut deep. How could the couple that survived incarceration fall apart over infidelity?

It was against this backdrop of doubt that Papoose’s new relationship with Claressa Shields emerged. His loyalty to Remy had once been framed as a cornerstone of his identity. Now, stepping out publicly with someone else, things shifted.

The quiet whispers turned loud when Remy Ma went on the offensive. In December 2024, she released what she claimed were text messages between her husband and Shields. Screenshots flooded social media, and suddenly the private tensions of a marriage were thrust into public spectacle. Remy framed the boxer as the other woman, calling out both Shields and Papoose.

Papoose didn’t stay silent. He pushed back by accusing Remy of her own long-term infidelity. For fans who had once held up Papoose and Remy as proof that hip hop love could withstand anything, the controversy was disorienting. A couple long praised for surviving prison bids and industry pressure now found themselves undone by receipts and public finger-pointing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Papoose (@papoose)

Two months after the text messages exploded across social media, the drama hadn’t disappeared. Still, Papoose and Claressa Shields weren’t hiding. In early February, the rapper walked the undefeated champion out to the ring before one of her fights, a public show of loyalty that erased any lingering doubt about where he stood.

Shields herself leaned into the visibility. On Instagram Live, she gushed about the difference in having Papoose by her side: “I love him, I love having his support. His support is very different from what I’ve had in the past. How he speaks to me is very different.” For an athlete known for her toughness and self-assurance, the words carried weight. She was describing not just a partner but a kind of stability she hadn’t felt before.

By spring, Shields was done letting leaked texts and Instagram captions shape the story. In May 2025, she sat down with The Breakfast Club and confirmed what had already been obvious: she and Papoose were together, and their bond was serious. What stood out wasn’t the announcement itself, but how she framed it.

During her interview, Shields explained that she's a "secure woman" in her relationship because Papoose is a solid man. “When somebody is just truthful with you from the beginning, there are no secrets. It is what it is. Do you accept it or do you not? He’s been truthful from the beginning.” Claressa also mentioned Remy, stating that she doesn't carry any "ill will."

Remy, however, wasn’t ready to let it go. She returned to Instagram to push for divorce, dismissing Shields’ “tough talk” and challenging Papoose to finalize their separation. Papoose responded with receipts of his own, posting documents that he claimed proved he had already filed for divorce. He accused Remy of “pump faking” and even trying to reconcile, writing, “You just called me YESTERDAY trying to get back with me. And I said NO!”

By mid-summer, Claressa Shields appeared on The Pivot podcast and revealed that she and Papoose were already planning a family. Her words were direct: “I’m gonna have a baby next year. We already had it planned out. I’m gonna have a baby next year. And then after I go through my stuff, then I’ll come back and fight and fight some more, and then probably have another one and then do the same thing again.”

For Shields, the announcement was framed with intention. She explained that she didn’t want to wait too long to have a child, and Papoose understood that direction. However, critics questioned the timing, pointing out that Papoose was still legally married to Remy Ma, even if the two had been separated for years. For some, the idea of mapping out children before the ink dried on divorce papers made the relationship look reckless, even if Shields saw it as strategic.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tamron Hall Show (@tamronhallshow)

In the months since, Papoose and Claressa Shields have embraced the spotlight with a different energy. Instead of leaked texts or courtroom filings driving the narrative, it’s been red carpet appearances, coordinated “fit checks” on Instagram, and public displays of support at each other’s events. Shields posts clips of Papoose hyping her before training sessions. He shares photos of the two draped in designer looks, captioned with words that frame her as his partner, not just his plus-one.

Last week, the pair even appeared on the Tamron Hall Show, where they spoke gleefully about wedding plans and future marriage. Rather than trading shots with Remy Ma online, the couple seems intent on making their relationship about presence, not past grievances. They haven’t erased the drama—the divorce headlines, the accusations, break-up rumors, or family-planning discourse—but they’ve worked to put new images forward of unity.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tamron Hall Show (@tamronhallshow)

For now, it’s working. Papoose and Shields are redefining themselves in public view, as much a cultural conversation as they are a romance. What comes next remains to be seen, but today, they’re moving as a couple determined to keep the noise at arm’s length and center their own version of love.

[via][via][via]