LL Cool J and wife Simone I. Smith knows what it takes to have a thriving marriage.
After celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, the Smith’s spoke with PEOPLE about how they make it work.
“Having a couple TVs doesn’t hurt,” LL Cool J joked.
“A couple of TVs goes a long way,” he continued. “Because I might not want to watch reality all day long. I might want to watch a documentary or something so she could go watch reality, I can go in there and watch a documentary.”
LL also shared that “mutual respect” is a key component of their marriage.
“Just mutual respect. Keep it simple. That’s all,” he says.
Back in August, Simone, shared an Instagram post with a vintage photo,and she reflected on her more than three-decade journey with LL.
“30 years of marriage today. All glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ,” her caption read.
“Marriage isn’t for the weak, it’s for the faithful. It takes work, love, listening, picking your battles, being a friend, a prayer warrior, a cheerleader, and a safe place,” Simone continued.
She went on to explain that “every marriage has its own DNA” and that there is no “blueprint” for how to create a successful marriage. But “grace, commitment and two people willing to grow through every season together.”
“We’ve laughed, cried, prayed, forgiven, and grown—together,” she said. “We did the work, and God did the rest.
“30 years. Countless memories. One God who kept us. LORD I THANK YOU,” she added.
From meeting through a mutual friend in 1987 in New York City, the couple were an item for eight years before getting married.
The union has produced four children: son Najee and daughters Italia, Samaria, and Nina. The Smiths are grandparents, as Italia has two children of her own.