Coco Austin and Bunnie Xo are sparking a new round of conversation about what it means to have an “old-fashioned” marriage—something both women say works beautifully in their homes.
During a recent conversation on the “Dumb Blonde” podcast, Coco opened up about her relationship with her husband, rapper and actor Ice-T. She admitted she’s happy taking what she calls a “submissive” role in their marriage, something she knows may sound controversial. Before meeting Ice-T back in 2001, Coco described herself as a “party girl” who loved having fun. But Ice-T, she said, was “very straight-laced,” and even after more than 20 years together, “not much has changed.”
The couple met on the set of a music video and married just a few months later. They renewed their vows in 2011 and welcomed their daughter, Chanel, in 2015.
Now 46, Coco said that Ice-T “has to be in control” in their relationship, and that people often underestimate her role in his success. “He goes, he does his job, works hard, works hard for his money, and I feel like my place is – keep the house right,” she told Bunnie. “I manage the house, I keep it right. I keep everything sane because when he comes out from the streets into the home, he can now relax.”
She added that their dynamic is what keeps their marriage strong. “I feel like we have an old-fashioned type of love, an old-fashioned relationship.”
Bunnie, who married Jelly Roll in 2016, said she relates. She agreed that she also makes sure her husband feels like he’s in charge. Coco said too many women feel the need to prove they don’t need anyone. “Nowadays, I feel like women must be independent… I don’t need a man,” she said. “OK, well, if you use that, you’re never going to get a man… Men, they want a woman to be submissive. I know I’m probably going to get a lot of hate for that.”
Bunnie pushed back on the idea that independence and submission can’t coexist. “You can be independent and still be submissive for a person that you love,” she said.
Coco agreed, saying, “That’s what I do with Ice. I’m very submissive, I just bring it down for him… A man wants to be a man, why can’t a woman be a woman?”
She even shared advice she gives to women who ask how to “level up” in their relationships. “Stop trying to be such a boss. Bring it down,” she said. “You can be a boss in your world, but bring it down a little bit. Men gotta feel like they’re protectors.”
Bunnie chimed in again: “They want to feel like they’re taking care of business, like they’re able to be a man.”
For Coco, it all comes down to what has worked for “thousands of years.”
As for Jelly Roll and Bunnie, they credit something different for the strength of their marriage. When asked at the 2024 CMT Music Awards how they stay strong, Jelly Roll said it’s all about “open, real, honest communication.” He explained, “We talk about the uncomfortable stuff up front. It’s a real important thing in our marriage.” And above all, he said, they try to keep things light: “Have a short memory. Laugh as much as you can. Laughter is the best medicine.”