The American rapper, 48, shared their pregnancy news with PEOPLE, telling the magazine that it’s “been quite a journey” and that “there’s a lot of stuff we learned about women over the age of 40”.
Da Brat first confirmed her relationship with Harris-Dupart, the CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, in March 2020. Last February, they tied knot in Georgia.
In a joint Instagram post around the same time, they couple announced they were “extending the family” alongside images of them holding Harris-Dupart’s stomach with their hands in a heart shape.
Da Brat said it “started as a joke”: “But then we got a huge response. It was like, ‘Oh my God do we want to actually have kids, and if we do, girl, we better hurry up!’”
The rapper, who rose to fame in the 1990s, said she never originally planned to have kids. “I never thought I was going to have kids,” she explained. “I just thought it wasn’t in the cards for me. I’ve had a great career, a full life.
“I felt like, because I didn’t get pregnant earlier on, then it just wasn’t going to happen for me.”
When she met Harris-Dupart, who is a mother of three from a prior relationship, she “started looking at life so differently,” adding: “I was like, I want a little me with you. Something special from the both of us that we can share and raise and love unconditionally.”
Although Da Brat wasn’t sold on the idea of carrying a child, Harris-Dupart said she convinced her wife to “have the experience” after a “little tug-o-war”. It was the best decision, too, given Harris-Dupart’s previous health issues from an egg retrieval procedure.
Da Brat, however, also experienced complications after she had to undergo surgery to remove fibroids and polyps prior to her embryo transfer procedure. Later, she suffered a miscarriage.
“I had never been so excited about something that I didn’t even know I wanted,” she said. “I fell in love with the idea and then it was all snatched away from me.”
“Luckily,” the couple still had a few eggs left from their anonymous donor, who they described as an “eager entrepreneur”.
Da Brat is now 18 weeks pregnant and in her second trimester.
“It’s just a blessing. I’m excited!” she said. “I don’t have any cravings or nausea, but I’m always sleepy. It’s crazy!”
Check out photos from Da Brat and Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart’s pregnancy announcement with PEOPLE below.