Ray J & Princess Love’s Relationship Never Escaped Chaos

This wasn’t the first time Ray J and Princess Love argued. It wasn’t even the first time police got involved. Yet, the footage that surfaced over the Thanksgiving holiday was different. This time, Princess was crying while holding their daughter, accusing Ray J of pointing a gun at them.

The couple spent the better part of a decade in the public eye, first as cast members on Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood. It didn't take them long to quickly move from a reality TV to a celebrity couple whose marriage also became a storyline for clicks. Divorce was always pending or postponed. Reconciliation was always happening or unraveling. Their relationship lived somewhere between unscripted television and real-life volatility.

However, this latest incident was a livestreamed confrontation where Princess alleged that her husband of aiming a firearm at her while she held their child. This argument demanded a different level of attention. We’ve watched it happen in the past, sometimes laughing, often cringing, but rarely stopping to name it for what it is. There has been a long record of harm between them. For years, it has been dismissed as yet another season of an ongoing series of dramatic moments.

Ten years ago, long before marriage or children, Princess Love was reportedly arrested after a violent altercation with Ray J inside a New Orleans hotel room. According to police reports cited by TMZ, officers claimed that Princess became physically aggressive after Ray J returned from a night out. She was accused of hitting him repeatedly, breaking his ribs, splitting his lip, and tearing his ACL.

She was arrested on charges of domestic battery and assault. He paid her bail.

The story didn’t lead to a court case. Time moved on, and coverage faded. The couple's infamy climbed, but their reconcilation was lavished in public affection. For most people, this incident was a footnote, but for those paying closer attention, it set the tone. This was the first documented incident where the relationship crossed into violence. While later incidents would be filtered through television producers and social media platforms, this one came straight from a police report.

There’s a specific kind of humiliation that lives forever when it’s televised.

On Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood, during an argument that spiraled mid-scene, Ray J pushed Princess Love into a pool. Drinks were thrown, and as it looked as if Princess was trying to nudge Ray into the water, but he instead got the best of her. Everyone was stunned, but cameras kept rolling.

VH1 marketed it as a dramatic hiccup in their ongoing love story. Viewers tweeted reactions and debated the level of disrespect the scene earned. Clips went viral, but ultimately, this was framed as just another wild moment in a messy relationship.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by HOLLYWOOD UNLOCKED (@hollywoodunlocked)

She was eight months pregnant when she said he left her behind. In one of their most volatile arguments, Princess Love publicly accused Ray J of abandoning her and their toddler daughter in a Las Vegas hotel room while he went out partying. According to her, he had been out all night with his friends and strippers. She posted her accusations to Instagram, where she also made clear that this wasn’t the first time she felt alone in the relationship.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Ray J denied the allegations, emphasizing that he hadn’t abandoned his family. The public response was divided. Conversations moved fast, but the weight stayed. Ray J later stepped forward with an apology, once again declaring his undying love for his wife.

They filed for divorce—and called it off—four times. The first petition came in May 2020, filed by Princess Love. By then, the Vegas incident was still fresh, and the couple’s tension had moved fully into the public eye. Two months later, the filing was dismissed. Later, that September, Ray J filed his own divorce paperwork. It was dismissed the following March. Another came in October 2021. Again in 2024. All walked back.

In the years between filings, they continued appearing together, occasionally in interviews, sometimes at events. Ray J would speak about keeping his family together. Princess Love would express that she wanted to protect her peace. Neither explanation ever quite matched the percepted reality.

Edging into 2024, Princess transformed her language. She no longer focused on cheating or being left behind. She wanted to move on, but she also wanted the world to know that Ray J was allegedly gaslighting her. The accusation wasn’t made during a fight. It wasn’t tied to a divorce filing. It came online and marked a new era.

The turn of 2025 looked good for the (former?) couple, but by March, it all took a turn. Reports surfaced that officers were dispatched to Ray J’s home after another dispute between him and Princess Love escalated. The incident occurred during what was reported as an argument over divorce paperwork. Neighbors called authorities after hearing yelling. When officers arrived, they detained Ray J, placing him in the back of a squad car for questioning.

For nearly a decade, their conflicts had played out through reality TV scripts. We've seen the social media back and forths, subliminal jabs, and direct verbal hits. The public had grown used to reading updates about Ray and Princess like plot points. It wasn’t scandalous anymore. It was familiar. And that’s what made it dangerous.

On a day when millions spend time with their loved ones to give thanks, Ray J went live on social media. What unfolded during that livestream was not a glitch or a misunderstanding. Viewers watched a man yelling at his estranged wife while she held their daughter with tears in her eyes. He accused her of being drunk, telling her she couldn’t leave the house with their children.

Meanwhile, Princess Love stood her ground. “You pulled a gun on me,” she repeatedly said. “In front of our kids.” That wasn't what Ray J wanted to acknowledge. He gave a flurry of excuses as to why he was upset, but at the crux of things, the mogul seemed angry that Princess wanted to leave with their children. He wasn't ready for the holiday to end just yet.

In a second clip, separate from the confrontation, Ray J complains to the camera about Princess. During the tirade, Ray is seen picking up a handgun and brandishing it toward the screen. The footage circulated fast. Hours later, Ray was arrested for suspicion of making criminal threats. His bail was set at $50,000. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the surfaced reports, noting that no one was physically harmed.

Following his release, Ray J continued to attempt to explain himself. While none of this should have been in the living rooms of worldwide spectators, once again, Ray and Princess have made their relationship fodder a headline. However, this wasn’t a reality show. This was a man with a gun, caught in real time.

Meanwhile, Ray J's mother would step in to defend him on social media after an Instagram user insulted her son.

One of the most telling parts about this most recent domestic incident involving Ray J and Princess Love was that there were many people who didn't seemed surprised. That’s the part people should sit with. The fact that it had all been building publicly, and visibly, for years. Accusation and arrests; reconciliations dressed up as healing.

We’ve watched these two perform love and violence on the same stage, over and over. The industry let it slide. Fans called it “toxic.” Networks built episodes around it. What happens when social media becomes the place where harm is broadcast and denied in real time? What are we normalizing when we keep clicking?

[via][via][via][via]