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When you think about rap legend E-40, born Earl Stevens, you think about the Bay Area, his signature voice, and hits like “Tell Me When to Go.” You probably don’t think anything about his romantic life, but you probably should. He and wife Tracy are relationship goals.

They’ve been with each other since meeting back in high school in 1985 and said “I do” in 1991 (though he claims he had a think for her since the 8th grade). According to the rapper, she kept him out of trouble.

“You had my back before rap,” he wrote for her birthday, “And helped me beat the trap salute to my best friend.
“God Continue to bless you pass 102 I salute you my beautiful Queen I LOVE YOU!” he added. “Thank you Jesus for bringing me a strong black intelligent beautiful woman.”

The secret to keeping things on track after more than 30 years together and 27 years of marriage, according to the 51-year-old, is having a lot in common and making good conversation.

“It’s always good when two people like the same things,” he told XXL in 2013. “The conversation has to naturally happen. That’s when you get into ‘what you like’ and ‘what are you in to.’ Me and Her [Tracy] we love bowling, me and my wife. Any relationship, I’m talking about even with your kids, when you got something they can relate to—both of y’all—it helps. Otherwise it’s going to be like, ‘whats up, whats up.'”

“It’s good to adjust to each other liking because you might like something that she don’t like and vice versa,” he continued. “Communication, that keeps everything cool. Not holding anything back, you got to tell each other what’s on your mind, that’s really it. Otherwise when one gets mad at one, it can burst and you just let it out and it can just come out wrong.”

And they’ve certainly kept the fire going for a long time. Check out more photos of the pair looking very much in love over the years by hitting the flip.

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