Let’s be honest: keeping up with Kim Kardashian’s love life has basically been a full-time job for the past decade. And somehow, I’m still seated every time.
From that infamous tape that broke the internet to a literal 72-day marriage that lives rent-free in pop culture history, Kim has given us romance, divorces, and heartbreak — all on camera. Like… this woman doesn’t just fall in love, she commits (sometimes a little too quickly, but we move).
We’ve watched her go from fairytale weddings to messy splits, from power-couple eras (hi, Kanye West) to post-divorce dating phases that had the internet talking (yes, I’m looking at you, Pete Davidson).
So if you’ve lost track — or just want a full recap of the lore — don’t worry, I’ve got you. I went deep (emotionally and historically) to piece together every boyfriend, husband, and headline-making romance leading up to and after her split from Kanye.
Let’s get into Kim Kardashian’s dating history… because it’s a journey.
Who is Kim Kardashian dating now?
Kim Kardashian is currently rumored to be dating Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. The pair have been spotted together multiple times with sources saying they’re “spending time together” and exploring a low-key romance, though nothing has been officially confirmed. More on that below!
A List of Kim Kardashian’s Boyfriends Over the Years
Jump to:
- TJ Jackson
- Joey Lawrence
- Damon Thomas
- Ray J
- Nick Lachey
- The Game
- Nick Cannon
- Benji Madden
- Evan Ross
- Reggie Bush
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Justin Bieber
- Miles Austin
- Gabriel Aubry
- Shengo Deane
- Kris Humphries
- Kanye West
- Drake
- Pete Davidson
- Odell Beckham Jr.
- Lewis Hamilton
Ex: TJ Jackson
Who is He? Record producer
Dated In: 1994 – 1996
Indeed, the Kardashians and Jacksons are connected! Well, kinda.
Kim’s first boyfriend was none other than TJ Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew. This puppy love was certainly a dream come true as Kim recalled going to Neverland Ranch, where she even had a birthday party at.
The SKIMS founder admitted in an Oprah interview that TJ was in fact “her first” at the age of just 14 years-old.
The young lovers went separate ways in 1996 and Kim went on to have a string of high-profile relationships, but the two still remain to be good family friends.
Rumored Ex: Joey Lawrence
Who is He? Actor
Dated In: 1999
Following her first sweetheart, Kim then went on to allegedly date actor, Joey Lawrence.
During an interview in 2023, Joey’s brother, Matthew, recalled finding Kim at his brother’s house, “I’m knocking on his door. And then Kim Kardashian answers the door,” he said.
But after a couple of dates, the spark fizzled out and the pair split up, and have never been spotted in the same room since. Guess it was just a teenage crush that was too good to be true.
Ex-Husband: Damon Thomas
Who is He? Songwriter/Music producer
Dated In: 2000 – 2003
Now this is where things take a serious turn in Kim’s love life. Before the fame, Kim had a whole secret marriage that feels almost unreal now.
At just 19, she eloped with music producer Damon Thomas, who was ten years older — very much a whirlwind, impulsive decision. Kim later admitted she was high on ecstasy when they got married… which already tells you everything you need to know about how this was going to end.
In her divorce papers, Kim accused Damon of being extremely controlling and physically abusive, saying he left her battered and bruised. She also claimed he isolated her from friends and family and even pressured her into cosmetic procedures to look “perfect.”
The marriage ended in 2003, and looking back, it’s clear this was one of the most difficult chapters of her life.
Definitely not the glamorous Kim K era we know now, but a huge part of her story.
EXTRA READING:
The Kardashian Family Tree Explained
Ex: Ray J
Who is He? Singer/Music producer
Dated In: 2003 – 2006
Okay… we have to talk about this era. Ray J is the man linked to the infamous tape that quite literally launched Kim into the spotlight.
The two met while Kim was working as a stylist for his sister, Brandy Norwood, and ended up in a serious relationship. But everything changed in 2007 when the tape leaked and was bought by Vivid Entertainment for $1 million.
And in true Kimmie fashion? She turned the scandal into a moment. She sued Vivid Entertainment for $5 million, took control of the narrative, and by the end of that same year, boom — Keeping Up With the Kardashians was born.
Ex: Nick Lachey
Who is He? Singer/Songwriter
Dated In: 2006
Next up in Kim’s boyfriend history is a very blink-and-you-miss-it situation with Nick Lachey. And the tea here is lowkey shady.
Fresh off his split from Jessica Simpson in 2006, Nick briefly dated Kim. But according to him… it wasn’t that deep. “To say that she’s my ex is a little bit of a liberal use of the term,” he said on Watch What Happens Live.
He also claimed Kim basically used him for clout (the early 2000s version of a PR relationship, if you will). According to Nick, their first date was super low-key (just a cinema night), but somehow, when they walked out, there were 30 paparazzi waiting. His takeaway? Kim tipped them off for a headline moment.
Rumored Ex: The Game
Who is He? Rapper
Dated In: 2006
And then we have this random-but-iconic rumor: Kim dated The Game. There’s no clear timeline here, but apparently, something did go down. In 2022, The Game spilled a little tea to Us Weekly, saying: “We start dating a little bit, but I would always hook my Xbox up. She had that good internet.”
Sir… priorities.
He also admitted he was “damn near in love,” which honestly adds a whole new layer to this very unexpected pairing. Was it serious? Probably not. Is it part of the Kim K dating multiverse? Absolutely.
Ex: Nick Cannon
Who is He? Rapper, actor & TV host
Dated In: 2006 – 2007
Before he was married to Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon had his own Kim K era… and it was messy. The two met on the set of Moesha and had a short-lived, on-and-off relationship. Things seemed cute… until they very much weren’t.
In a 2013 interview on The Howard Stern Show, Nick claimed the infamous tape played a huge role in their breakup. He said he confronted Kim about it before it leaked, and she denied being involved. “I was really into her, I was vibing. She broke my heart,” he later said.
Yeah… not exactly a clean exit.
CHECK OUT:
The Best Kardashian Merch for Fans
Rumored Ex: Benji Madden
Who is He? Musician
Dated In: 2007
At one point in the early 2000s, Kim was also rumored to be dating Benji Madden, aka pop-punk royalty.
The two were spotted together a few times, which was enough for rumors to start flying, but nothing further came out of this so-called fling.
Ex: Evan Ross
Who is He? Actor
Dated In: 2007
Next in Kim Kardashian’s dating history: Evan Ross, son of literal icon Diana Ross. Kim and Evan were reportedly dating for about two months after being seen together a handful of times. It was giving short, low-key fling… blink and you missed it.
Ex: Reggie Bush
Who is He? American footballer
Dated In: 2007 – 2010
After a few whirlwind romances, Kim seemed to finally find something real with NFL star Reggie Bush. They really were that couple. Their relationship played out on Keeping Up With the Kardashians, they were constantly in magazines, and the chemistry? Very much there.
But in true celeb fashion, busy schedules and long distance got in the way. Despite clearly having feelings for each other, the pressure took its toll, and they split in 2010.
No messy fallout though, just one of those “right person, wrong time” situations.
Rumored Ex: Cristiano Ronaldo
Who is He? Soccer Player
Dated In: 2010
Kim really said athletes only at one point, because next up: Cristiano Ronaldo.
The two were rumored to have linked up while he was playing in Spain, and things got spicy when photos surfaced of them allegedly making out. Keyword: allegedly — because it was never 100% confirmed that it was actually Kim in the pics.
Still, the chemistry seemed… convincing. But whatever this was, it didn’t last. Different worlds, busy lives, and yeah, maybe not much in common beyond being insanely good-looking.
Rumored Ex: Justin Bieber
Who is He? Singer
Dated In: 2010
THIS one had me side-eyeing hard… Kim had a flirty photoshoot with Justin Bieber for Elle, and rumors started flying that they were actually dating. Given that she was 29 and he was 16 at the time… yeah, people were cringing (to say the least).
Justin did not help the situation when he tweeted a pic of them together with the caption: “me and my girlfriend.” The media, of course, ran wild with it.
Kim later shut it all the way down, confirming they were never a thing and even saying she wanted to set him up with her younger sister, Kendall.
Age-wise that would’ve made a lot more sense…but not so much now as he’s literally married to Kendall’s BFF!
CHECK OUT:
Kendall Jenner’s Relationship Timeline
Ex: Miles Austin
Who is He? American footballer
Dated In: 2010
Post-Reggie Bush breakup, Kim stayed in her athlete era and started dating NFL player Miles Austin in 2010.
And for a second, it seemed like this might actually go somewhere. Sources even called their relationship “the real deal,” which is rare in Kim dating history terms.
But… timing just wasn’t on their side. With both of them juggling hectic schedules, the relationship fizzled out after just a few months.
Rumored Ex: Gabriel Aubry
Who is He? Model
Dated In: 2010
Next up: Gabriel Aubry, aka model and ex of Halle Berry.
Kim and Gabriel were spotted together at a Lakers game and on a movie date in November 2010, which was enough to get rumors going instantly.
But just as quickly as it started, it ended. Within a month, they were done. Some reports claimed Kim felt like he was using her for fame (yikes), while others said she had already moved on to her next relationship with Kris Humphries.
Ex: Shengo Deane
Who is He? Bodyguard
Dated In: 2010
Only Kim Kardashian could turn hooking up with her bodyguard into a whole reality TV storyline. During Kim and Kourtney Take New York, Kim got close to her Australian bodyguard, Shengo Deane, and viewers were locked in.
But despite all the flirtiness on screen, it apparently wasn’t anything serious — just a one-night stand. Shengo kept things super classy afterward. Even though tabloids reportedly offered him money to spill details about their hookup, he stayed loyal to Kim and never exposed their private business. That’s some rare behavior for a Kardashian ex.
Ex-Husband: Kris Humphries
Who is He? Basketball Player
Dated In: 2010 – 2011
Ah yes. The 72-day marriage heard around the world.
In 2010, Kim met NBA player Kris Humphries, and things moved way.too.fast. After just six months of dating, they got engaged, and in 2011, they tied the knot in a massive $20 million wedding that aired as a four-part E! special.
Anyone watching the show could see the cracks forming almost immediately, so when Kim filed for divorce after just 72 days, we weren’t completely shocked.
In a statement at the time, Kim said: “I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. We remain friends and wish each other the best.”
Years later, Kim admitted she felt intense pressure to go through with the wedding because it was being filmed for TV and she “didn’t want to let everyone down.” Which explains a lot.
Ex-Husband: Kanye West
Who is He? Rapper & Businessman
Dated In: 2012 – 2021
Long before they were “Kimye,” Kanye West was already obsessed with Kim. The two first met in 2004, and Ye later made his crush very obvious in his Knock You Down lyrics when he rapped: “You were always the cheerleader of my dreams…Seem to only date the head of football teams…And I was the class clown that always kept you laughing…”
Yeah, the foreshadowing was insane.
Over the years, Kim and Kanye kept crossing paths, and although Kim was always in another relationship, they stayed close friends. Kanye even reportedly warned her not to marry Kris Humphries, which, looking back, might’ve been the best advice he ever gave her.
Once Kim’s marriage ended, she reunited with Kanye, and sparks flew immediately. Kim admitted she “fell madly in love with him” and in 2013, Ye proposed to her.
The following year, the pair tied the knot during a lavish wedding in Italy and went on to build one of Hollywood’s most famous families, welcoming four children together: North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.
But by 2020, reports emerged that Kim and Kanye were separating, and in 2021, Kim officially filed for divorce. Many fans believe Kanye’s increasingly controversial behavior played a huge role in the breakdown of their marriage. Speaking during the KUWTK reunion, Kim explained: “It was not, like, one specific thing that happened on either part. I think it was just a general difference of opinions on a few things that lead to this decision and in no way would I want someone to think I didn’t give it my all or I didn’t try.”
Despite everything, she still spoke highly of him afterward: “I respect him so much,” she added. “That was my friend first, first and foremost for a long time. So I can’t see that going away. I will forever be Kanye‘s biggest fan. He’s the father of my kids. He will always be family.”
CHECK OUT:
Kanye West’s Dating History
Rumored Ex: Drake
Who is He? Rapper
Dated In: 2018
After Drake’s infamous feud with Kanye, fans became convinced that Kim was secretly the “Kiki” mentioned in Drake’s viral hit In My Feelings. Kim, however, shut the rumors down fast by posting a video reacting to all the theories with the caption: “It never happened. End of story.”
Still… fans weren’t fully convinced there wasn’t some mutual admiration there. In 2023, Drake released Search & Rescue, which sampled Kim talking about her divorce from Kanye on KUWTK: “I didn’t come this far, just to come this far and not be happy, remember that.”
And to make things even messier? The artwork for the single featured a woman who looked very similar to Kim in one of her Instagram photos.
So did Drake really date Kim? It might’ve just been a coincidence. Or was this all just Drake being Drake? Yeah, probably.
Ex: Pete Davidson
Who is He? Comedian
Dated In: November 2021 – August 2022
I’m sorry, but the entire internet collectively gasped when Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson became a thing. Like… Kim K and Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend?? Nobody saw that coming.
After the pair appeared together on Saturday Night Live in 2021 — including that now-iconic Aladdin sketch kiss — rumors started flying immediately. Then came the rollercoaster hand-holding photos, Valentine’s dates, Staten Island appearances… and suddenly this random celebrity pairing became very real.
Pete later confirmed the relationship himself in an interview with People, casually referring to Kim as his “girlfriend,” while Kim hard-launched him on Instagram not long after. Truly a shocking time to be alive.
Pete even got multiple tattoos dedicated to Kim and her kids — including the infamous “my girl is a lawyer” tattoo — which only made the internet more obsessed.
But after around nine months together, the relationship eventually fizzled out due to long distance and packed work schedules. Sources told E! News that the pair still had “a lot of love and respect for each other,” but their careers “made it really difficult to maintain a relationship.”
Rumored Ex: Odell Beckham Jr.
Who is He? NFL player
Dated In: Sep 2023 – April 2024
Even on The Kardashians, Kim proudly declared that she’d successfully managed to “stay single” for an entire year. But the second those 365 days were up? Rumor season began again. This time, the mystery man was NFL star Odell Beckham Jr.
While neither of them officially confirmed anything, People reported that Kim and Odell were “hanging out” and had “made a connection.” The rumors only intensified when Odell attended the Super Bowl with Kim and suddenly fans were fully invested in another Kim Kardashian athlete era.
And yes, the crossover lore gets even crazier because Odell has also previously been linked to Zendaya and Demi Lovato. Hollywood really is one giant group chat.
Whether Odell was Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend for a while is not confirmed, but People reported in April 2024 that the rumored fling had “fizzled out.”
Rumored Ex: Anonymous real estate investor
Who is He? Remains unknown
Dating Since: December 2024
Kim Kardashian’s love life hit the radar again at the end of 2024 when reports surfaced that she was quietly “dating somebody new.”
Unlike her previous headline-making romances, though, this mystery man was apparently not famous. According to Page Six, he was a real estate investor who “isn’t in the public eye.” Sources claimed Kim was “keeping it very under wraps” and that she met the entrepreneur through mutual friends.
Boyfriend: Lewis Hamilton
Who is He? Formula 1 Driver
Dating Since: February 2026-Now
Kim’s latest rumored romance has her speeding into her F1 era with Lewis Hamilton. Yeah, nobody had this on their 2026 bingo card.
Rumors that Kim and Lewis were secretly dating first exploded after they were spotted on a romantic UK getaway before flying to Paris on a private jet. Since then, they’ve been seen at the Super Bowl together and even attending events in the same friend circles. Sources told Entertainment Tonight that the two are “exploring” a relationship and enjoying spending time together, although neither Kim nor Lewis has officially confirmed anything.
Still, with all these sightings? I am fully convinced Kim might finally have found herself a Formula 1 boyfriend. LOVE THAT FOR HER!
After years of whirlwind romances, public heartbreaks, three divorces (!!), and some truly iconic pop culture moments, Kim Kardashian’s dating history truly deserves its own cinematic universe.
But now I need to know: Were Kim and Kanye your ultimate endgame? Or do you think one of her other exes suited her better?
This article was originally published in June 2020.
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#Kim/ bucket sl*t kartrashion
That’s all I can say bout kk