Real Life, Real Love: Life Lessons on Joy, Pain & the Magic That Holds Us Together

by DJ Envy, Gia Casey

Overview

A USA Today national bestseller, Real Life, Real Love features advice on how to have healthy, dynamic relationships from Raashaun (DJ Envy) and Gia Casey—revealing their secrets to navigating marriage, family, and faith.

Gia and Raashaun Casey met when they were two teenagers living around the corner from each other in Queens. They have been together for an astounding 25 years and have remained together through Raashaun’s growing fame, a devastating (and very public) cheating scandal, and the births of five children. Now, a quarter of a century into their relationship, they are stronger and more committed to each other than they’ve ever been, and their fans are clamoring to know how they did it.

In Real Life, Real Love, Gia and Raashaun explore the entire chronology of their love story with remarkable vulnerability, searing honesty, and a lot of humor. It’s a riveting narrative about how to grow together, an aspirational guidebook for people who seek the same unconditional love in their relationships, and an in-depth look at how to remain equals after being thrust into the public eye.

Includes a 16-page photograph insert

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419752797
Publisher:	Abrams Image
Publication date:	04/25/2023
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	123,285
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

RaaShaun Casey, also known as DJ Envy, and Gia Casey have been together for 25 years and married for 18. They host The Casey Crew, a podcast exploring the good, bad, and ugly sides of relationships and family life. It has been ranked by Essence as one of the best podcasts about Black love and family. RaaShaun is also a host on The Breakfast Club, alongside Charlamagne tha God and Angela Yee. RaaShaun and Gia live in New Jersey.

Table of Contents

This Thing Called Life … a Note from Gia and Envy xv

Introduction: We Wanted This xviii

Part I Personal Life and Identity

Chapter 1 Finding Life's Common Denominator 3

Chapter 2 100 Stitches 11

Chapter 3 When "Protect and Provide" Goes Too Far 25

Chapter 4 Perception Isn't Reality 33

Chapter 5 Ladies, Don't Fall for the "Mind-Bleep" 40

Chapter 6 How I Became DJ Envy 43

Reflections: Dahlia Haynes, Rasheed McWilliams, Sasha McWilliams 45

Part One Q&A 49

Part 2 Love and Relationships

Chapter 7 What Happened (According to Him) 57

Chapter 8 What Happened (According to Her) 69

Chapter 9 The New Deal 96

Chapter 10 "Faking It" in a Real Relationship 107

Chapter 11 Use Your (New) Words 116

Chapter 12 Twenty-Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Get Married 119

Reflections: DJ Clue, Kirk and Tammy Franklin 122

Part Two Q&A 124

Part 3 Parenting and Family Life

Chapter 13 Like Mother, Like Daughter 133

Chapter 14 The Talk(s) 142

Chapter 15 Five + Baby Makes Six 148

Chapter 16 Do as I Say … Not as I Did 159

Chapter 17 Ten Things Every Parent Should Know 168

Chapter 18 Envy Wins Father of the Year 169

Reflections: Madison Casey, Sean "Diddy" Combs 172

Part Three Q&A 174

Part 4 Priorities and Goal-Setting

Chapter 19 Own the Dirt 183

Chapter 20 We Got Us 191

Chapter 21 Family Mission Statements 195

Chapter 22 All Is Fair in Love and the Fifty-Yard Dash 201

Chapter 23 12 Days 203

Chapter 24 Three Steps to Creating a Vision for Your Marriage and Family 205

Reflections: Charlamagne tha God, 50 Cent 207

Part Four Q&A 210

Conclusion: We Created This 217

Acknowledgments 223