Kandi Burruss is famous today mostly because of her time on 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' But her ties to Hollywood go far deeper than reality TV.
Fans may recall that Kandi originally rose to fame because of her ties to the music industry. She's been penning songs for hit artists for decades already, including a long list of '90s chart-toppers.
She's written so many hit songs, it's hard to count them all, but suffice it to say she's completed at least ten mega-hits over the years.
Not only that, but Kandi is reportedly the highest-paid cast member on 'RHOA.' Obviously, her hard work over the years has paid off. And yet, there's one thing that even money couldn't help with: her struggles with building a family with her husband.
Does Kandi Burruss Have Biological Kids?
Some fans may already know that Kandi has an older daughter from a previous relationship. Now, though, she's married to Todd Tucker, and the two share two more kids together.
It wasn't easy getting there, though. While all three of Kandi's kids are her biological children, it hasn't been an easy journey to building the family she and her husband want.
How Old Is Kandi Burruss' Daughter?
Kandi Burruss' daughter Riley is a teenager these days, and she features heavily in her mom's reality TV life and social media. Riley was born in 2002, and her dad is Russell Spencer.
Kandi was never married to Russell "Block" Spencer, and when Riley was about six, Kandi was in a relationship with another man. Tragically, that man passed away before he and Kandi were able to get married, though they were engaged for nearly a year beforehand.
But a few years later, Kandi got engaged to Todd Tucker, whom she met on the set of 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta,' and the two were married in 2014.
Did Riley Burruss Have A Baby?
Because Riley is so much older than Kandi's other two kids, a lot of fans were confused about whether the eldest Burruss kid was the one who had a baby. But in fact, it wasn't the teen who had a child; it was her mom.
Fans may also have been confused by Todd Tucker's daughter, Kaela Tucker, sharing videos and snapshots of herself with her little sister.
Kaela, who is in her 20s, is Todd's daughter from a prior relationship, but she has a close bond with her baby sister. Kaela doesn't appear to have kids of her own, though.
It's clear that the whole family dotes on the newest addition, who's now a toddler, but Kandi Burruss' youngest daughter did arrive in a bit of an unconventional way.
How Did Kandi Feel About Using A Surrogate?
Though most celebrities are tight-lipped about their choice to use a surrogate to grow their families, Kandi has been fairly open about the experience. Her first child with hubby Todd arrived the 'normal' way, though the couple did use IVF to conceive.
Their son Ace was born in 2016, but when Kandi and Todd decided to try for another baby (the third for both), they were down to only one option. In a podcast with Parents, Kandi elaborated on her experience with surrogacy and how she felt about the whole thing.
Kandi admitted that it was a tough decision for her and Todd, but only because "how can you trust somebody with your most precious possession, your most precious gift?"
Plus, a family member who was pretty tactless outright asked Kandi whether she was worried about not having a bond with her newest baby, because she wasn't going to be giving birth to baby Blaze.
Burruss noted that was hard, especially since she'd given birth twice before and had essentially had the same concern herself. She also felt somewhat guilty, because people didn't always understand why she chose to have a surrogate to bring Blaze into the world.
Why Did Kandi Burruss Use A Surrogate?
Kandi elaborated that when she got pregnant with her son Ace, it was after IVF treatment. But once Ace was born, complications meant she no longer had the option to carry another child.
In the podcast interview, it was noted that Kandi "had uterine fibroids that could affect her ability to carry another baby." But some people thought she wanted a surrogate for "vain reasons," Burruss elaborated, and that was difficult to deal with.
These days, though, having gone through the experience, Kandi admitted, "But, now that it's all said and done, I wouldn't change a thing. It was the best decision that we could have made."
Even if not everyone understood her motivation for choosing a surrogate, Kandi felt lucky that she and her husband found their surrogate, Shadina, and that the experience went well. And now, they're a happy blended family of six.