Kevin Gates and Dreka Gates spent more than 20 years together before their marriage ended in a contentious divorce battle. Now, their relationship is making headlines again after an October 21, 2026, court order reportedly directed more than $1 million from the rapper’s music catalog sale to Dreka.
The divorce marks the end of a longtime partnership that began when both were teenagers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Before Kevin achieved mainstream success, Dreka was helping book his performances, manage his career, and build the business behind his music.
Their relationship began around 2003, years before Kevin became a recognizable name in hip hop. During a 2016 interview with The Source, Dreka recalled meeting Kevin when he was recording music at his grandmother’s house.
When Kevin decided to pursue music professionally, Dreka began educating herself about the industry. She studied artist management, connected with promoters, and worked to secure performances for him despite having little experience in entertainment.
“We pretty much just made our own path,” Dreka told The Source while describing their early efforts.
By 2010, the couple had cofounded Bread Winners’ Association, the independent record label that helped establish Kevin’s career. Dreka served as his booking manager and handled business responsibilities while Kevin developed his sound and audience.
Their family grew with the arrival of daughter Islah Koren in November 2012 and son Khaza Kamil in May 2014. Both children eventually inspired album titles, with Kevin naming his 2016 debut studio album Islah and his 2022 project “Khaza” after them.
After approximately 12 years together, Kevin and Dreka officially married on October 17, 2015.
In a January 2016 interview with SPIN, Kevin spoke about the marriage and their shared business interests.
“I married my best friend that happens to be a girl,” he said.
That same month, Kevin released “Islah,” which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The album marked a major career breakthrough for the rapper, whose professional success had been closely tied to Dreka’s management and business involvement.
The couple continued sharing parts of their relationship publicly. In February 2020, Kevin released “Dreka,” a song dedicated to his wife, accompanied by visuals featuring moments from their life together.
However, their lifestyle was changing. During a March 2024 appearance on The Baller Alert Show, Dreka revealed that she had stepped away from regularly touring with Kevin and was focusing more on herself, their children, and her business ventures.
She explained that she began reconsidering her direction around December 2019, eventually moving to the family’s Mississippi farm in early 2020. After devoting approximately 17 years to Kevin’s career, she wanted to discover her own interests and identity outside their professional relationship.
Dreka also addressed why the couple had been seen together less frequently.
“But at the end of the day, it’s my best friend,” she said, explaining that they had been together since they were young.
She described their time apart as an opportunity for both of them to work on themselves individually rather than offering a definitive announcement about their marital status.
Their relationship attracted renewed attention in June 2025, when Brittany Renner revealed that she had entered a brief spiritual marriage with Kevin. According to People, Renner said their union lasted 52 days, beginning April 6 and ending May 28, 2025.
Neither Kevin nor Dreka publicly established Renner’s relationship as the reason for their separation.
On July 30, 2025, Dreka formally filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, she listed July 10, 2025, as their date of separation.
Her petition requested joint legal and physical custody of their two children, spousal support, and attorney’s fees. The filing came less than three months before their tenth wedding anniversary.
By October 2025, the Kevin Gates divorce had developed into a major financial dispute. Dreka requested $27,193 per month in child support and $46,274 in spousal support, totaling $73,467 monthly.
According to TMZ’s reporting on court filings, Dreka alleged that Kevin stopped covering certain family expenses beginning in late 2021, including property taxes and their children’s private school tuition. She also raised concerns involving their Mississippi farm, which she said faced foreclosure.
Those allegations were part of Dreka’s legal filings and were not established as court findings.
The conflict escalated in January 2026, when Kevin publicly accused Dreka and members of her family of repeatedly stealing money from him during their marriage.
He also disputed her account of their children’s living arrangements, claiming they had been residing with him for two years. Dreka had previously claimed the children spent most of their time in her care.
Kevin did not publicly provide documentation supporting his theft allegations. Dreka’s attorney, Marty Singer, rejected the accusations in a statement to TMZ.
“The outrageous and defamatory allegations are completely false and fabricated.”
The financial proceedings reached another development on October 21, 2026, when TMZ reported that a court order outlined how proceeds from Kevin’s music catalog sale would be distributed.
Under the reported arrangement, Dreka is allocated $929,341.50 for child and spousal support, along with an additional $150,000 payment, bringing her total to $1,079,341.50.
Kevin is allocated $538,798 upfront, followed by $225,000 in monthly payments beginning in October 2026. Additional money is designated for legal fees, accounting expenses, and mediation services.
The reported order addresses proceeds from the music catalog sale, but it does not confirm that the divorce has been finalized or that the couple’s remaining disputes over custody and marital property have been resolved.
