The Tragedy Of Montell Jordan Is Beyond Heartbreaking…!

Montel Jordan: The Real Story Behind the Music, Marriage, and Redemption.

Montel Jordan is a name synonymous with one of the most iconic party anthems of the 1990s, “This Is How We Do It.” For decades, fans have sung his lyrics at weddings, birthdays, and every moment that mattered.

Yet, behind the music and the fame lies a story of struggle, betrayal, forgiveness, and ultimately, redemption—a journey that reveals the true cost of success and the power of grace.

Early Life: Between Church and Chaos

Born on December 3, 1968, in South Central Los Angeles, Montel grew up in a world divided. Inside the church, everything was sacred; outside, the streets were dangerous, torn apart by gang violence.

His parents, Elijah and Dois Jordan, were deacons, and Montel spent his childhood at the piano, playing for the congregation.

“I was brought up a church kid,” he recalls, “but when those church doors closed, South Central was a war zone.” Early on, Montel learned to code-switch—one version for church, another for the block, and eventually a third for the world.

Finding His Voice

By the mid-1980s, Montel attended Junipero Serra High School, standing at 6’8″, with many assuming he’d pursue basketball. Instead, he had other plans.

In 1989, Montel enrolled at Pepperdine University, majoring in communications, and pledged Kappa Alpha Psi. He graduated in 1991, discovering that music didn’t define him—he defined music.

Meeting Kristen: A Love Story

Montel’s life changed at a college fraternity ball in 1991. He spotted Kristen Hudson across the room and approached her with confidence, only to be met with skepticism.

Kristen had just met several broke guys, so when Montel asked her to dance, she replied, “If I dance with you, will you leave me alone?” But after a synchronized dance routine with his fraternity brother, Kristen was intrigued.

They talked for eight hours straight, and when the sun came up, Montel knew he’d found something rare. In June 1994, seven months before the world would know his name, Montel married Kristen Hudson.

The Rise to Fame

Before he ever sang professionally, Montel was a rapper. But Kristen encouraged him to sing, noticing his talent. At college parties, Montel saw the power of Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” and vowed to sing over that record if he ever got into the music business.

After graduation, Montel worked in TV infomercials, but music was always his dream. He made a mixtape, flew to New York, and met Russell Simmons at Def Jam Records.

In 1995, Montel signed with Def Jam, becoming only the second R&B artist on the label. He took the Slick Rick sample and wrote lyrics capturing what it felt like to be young, Black, and alive in LA.

On March 2, 1995, Def Jam released “This Is How We Do It.” By April 8, the song hit number one, staying there for seven weeks.

The album went platinum, but the label initially pressed only 300,000 copies—Montel told them they’d sell a million, and he was right.

He recorded custom versions for different cities, singing the song over a thousand times. Montel Jordan was a superstar.

The Price of Fame

Success, however, came with a cost. Every record after “This Is How We Do It” was measured against it.

“Something for the Honey” peaked at number 21; “Let’s Ride” hit number two and went platinum, but fans still said, “Yeah, but it’s not ‘This Is How We Do It.'” Montel was winning, but behind the scenes, his life was unraveling.

The industry demanded that Montel hide his marriage—Def Jam insisted that an unavailable R&B singer wouldn’t sell records.

Kristen became “Kristen Hudson, the manager,” not “Kristen Jordan, the wife.” Nobody knew they went home to the same house or had a daughter together.

Montel was living multiple lives: the Montel at home, on stage, in interviews, and at afterparties. He called it “spiritual schizophrenia,” and it was tearing him apart.

By the late 1990s, at the peak of his fame, Montel was in clubs and situations he shouldn’t have been in. Eventually, those situations became relationships.

One of Montel’s closest friends discovered his secret—a woman on the tour bus, not Kristen. The friend carried the secret until he couldn’t anymore, forcing Montel to confess everything to Kristen.

Betrayal and Forgiveness

Kristen had every right to walk away, but she chose to stay, fight, and rebuild. Forgiveness doesn’t erase the wound—it just gives permission to start healing.

For years, Montel asked God how Kristen could forgive him, and God stayed silent until, years later, Kristen herself cheated.

It wasn’t planned or revenge—it started innocently, but the emotional distance opened the door. Montel was shattered, but he chose forgiveness, finally understanding grace as a lived reality.

Transformation and Ministry

That moment didn’t just save their marriage—it transformed it. By 2003, Montel left Def Jam, tired of being marketed as a sex symbol and hiding his truth.

He signed with Koch Records and released “Life After Death,” but the hits stopped and money slowed.

Then, tragedy struck: Montel and Kristen lost a child and filed for bankruptcy. Their house, savings, and security were gone. Montel called this period the “seven years of darkness.”

In the middle of that darkness, Montel found himself at Victory World Church in Georgia. He wasn’t looking for religion—he was looking for relief. For years, Montel stayed away from music, but eventually returned, not to chase fame, but to be a light in dark places.

In 2010, Montel became the lead worship pastor at Victory World Church, coming full circle from the kid playing piano in South Central to a pastor standing in the light.

The Cancer Battle

In January 2024, Montel faced another fight. During a routine checkup, doctors found elevated PSA levels—stage 1 prostate cancer. Montel and Kristen kept it secret for six months, then began documenting everything.

On November 5, 2024, Montel underwent surgery; the cancer was gone, but in September 2025, it returned. Montel is currently undergoing 37 sessions of proton therapy, filming his journey for a documentary called “Sustain.”

He partnered with Zero Prostate Cancer and is launching a 30-city tour, “This Is How We Cure It,” with performances and free screenings.

Legacy and Redemption

One in eight men get prostate cancer—six of those eight are Black men. Caught early, it’s 99% treatable.

In 2022, Montel and Kristen received a miracle—a 13,000 square foot estate in Atlanta, “The Jordan River,” where public marriages heal in private. It’s headquarters for Masterpiece Church, a virtual ministry they lead every Sunday.

Christmas Day 2025, Montel posted an update: his PSA levels were undetectable.

He’s not cancer-free yet, but he’s winning, and he’s doing it with cameras rolling. Montel made a promise—no more hiding. Not his marriage, not his struggles, not his cancer, not his story.

Conclusion

Montel Jordan’s legacy isn’t just a song. It’s a marriage that survived betrayal—twice. A man who walked away from fame to find himself.

A pastor bringing light into dark rooms. A warrior fighting cancer so someone else won’t walk that road alone.

Today, Montel and Kristen have been married 32 years, with five children and four grandchildren. They run Masterpiece Church at the Jordan River Retreat Center, streaming every Sunday from their living room.

Montel learned you don’t have to hide to be loved, lie to be accepted, or be perfect to be redeemed. You just have to be real.

If you ever wondered what redemption looks like, look at Montel Jordan—a man who lost everything and found something better, who betrayed and was betrayed, and chose grace anyway. Who walked through fire and came out singing. That’s how he did it.