Rickey Smiley's son: Who was Brandon, and who are Ricky's other kids?

Rickey Smiley's son: Who was Brandon, and who are Ricky's other kids?

Rickey Smiley is a top American comedian, television host, and radio personality. He has been in the entertainment industry for over three decades and is best recognised for hosting The Rickey Smiley Morning Show. While many know much about his career, the same cannot be said about his personal life, especially those he calls family. Learn more about Rickey Smiley’s son, Brandon, and what happened to him.

Rickey Smiley's son, Brandon, in Atlanta, Georgia, for the premiere of Rickey Smiley For Real (L). Rickey Smiley in an interview with TODAY (R)
Brandon, in Atlanta, Georgia, for the premiere of Rickey Smiley For Real Season 2 (L). Rickey Smiley in an interview with TODAY in 2023 (R). Photo: NBC, Marcus Ingram (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Comedian Rickey Smiley has biological children he raised alongside other adopted kids as one big family. Rickey Smiley’s son, Brandon, admired his father's career and has shown interest in comedy and acting. However, he lost his life after a tragic incident in 2023, cutting short his dreams.

Profile summary

Full nameBroderick Dornell Smiley
GenderMale
Date of birth10 August 1968
Age55 years old (as of May 2024)
Zodiac signLeo
Place of birthBirmingham, Alabama, United States
Current residenceBirmingham, Alabama, United States
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityAfrican-American
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Height in feet6'
Height in centimetres183
Weight in pounds181
Weight in kilograms82
Hair colourBlack
Eye colourDark brown
MotherCarolita Smiley Lester
FatherJames Smiley
Siblings1
Relationship statusSingle
Children5
SchoolWoodlawn High School
CollegeAlabama State University, Tuskegee University
ProfessionComedian, actor, TV host, radio personality
Instagram@rickeysmileyofficial
X (Twitter)@RickeySmiley
Facebook@RickeySmileyOfficial
YouTubeRickey Smiley

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What happened to Rickey Smiley’s son, Brandon Smiley?

Brandon Smiley, the stand-up comedian’s eldest child, was born on 9 February 1990. Growing up, he had a promising entertainment career, following in his father’s footsteps as a comedian and actor.

What happened to Brandon Smiley? The aspiring actor struggled with substance addiction, and despite attempts by his parents to help him recover from the menace, he relapsed.

Brandon and his family during TV One's "Rickey Smiley For Real" Season 2 Premiere Screening
Comedian Rickey Smiley and family attend TV One's "Rickey Smiley For Real" season 2 premiere at SCADshow on May 4, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Marcus Ingram
Source: Getty Images

On 29 January 2023, Brandon reportedly died of fentanyl and ethanol toxicity, and an autopsy report released by the Jefferson County medical examiner disclosed that it was an accidental OD.

Who are Rickey Smiley’s other kids?

In an interview with The Real Daytime, the Friday After Next actor revealed that he is raising ten kids.

I have two biological kids, and the rest are adopted, mixed with nieces and nephews.

He added;

I just appreciate my sons for uh...opening up their hearts and their home and accepting other the kids but we have really pretty much raised between 12 and 15 children.

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Below is more information about his two biological and three adopted kids.

1. D'Essence Elizabeth Smiley

D'essence Elizabeth (C) attends TV One "Rickey Smiley For Real" live watch party at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, Georgia
D'essence Elizabeth (C) attends TV One "Rickey Smiley For Real" live watch party at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Marcus Ingram
Source: Getty Images

D'Essence Elizabeth is the entertainer’s eldest adopted child. She was reportedly born in 1998 and is 26 years old as of 2024. She appeared in TV One’s reality show Rickey Smiley For Real. Her Instagram page shows she owns the online apparel store The Dessence Collection.

2. Malik Smiley

Malik is comedian Rickey Smiley's second biological child, born on 17 May 2001. He is 23 years old as of 2024. He completed his undergraduate studies at Alabama State University in December 2023.

Unlike his older brother, Brandon, who chose their father’s career path in entertainment, Malik has opted for sports. During college, he played basketball for the Alabama State Hornets as a guard.

3. Aaryn Smiley

Aaryn is Rickey Smiley’s second adopted daughter. She was born on 3 July 2001 and is 22 years old as of May 2024. She reportedly completed her undergraduate studies at Baylor University. Aary is a rising social media personality with a significant audience on her Instagram page.

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What happened to Rickey Smiley's child? In July 2020, she was a victim of a road rage shooting. The comedian’s youngest daughter was shot at a traffic light while driving to Whataburger with her boyfriend. Her leg was seriously wounded, but she recovered after surgery.

4. Craig Smiley

Craig (C) and Porsche (R) attend the "Rickey Smiley For Real" Season 4 Premiere at Regal Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia
Craig (C) and Porsche (R) attend the "Rickey Smiley For Real" Season 4 Premiere at Regal Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Paras Griffin
Source: Getty Images

Craig is Rickey’s only adopted son. Although he hails from a well-known family, he has maintained a low profile, and little is known about him. He shares his lifestyle and family pictures on his Instagram account.

Rickey Smiley’s grandchildren

How many grandkids do Rickey Smiley have? The comedian and TV personality has three grandchildren: Grayson, Storm, and Denver Elizabeth Owens. Storm is Brandon’s daughter and only child, born in August 2019, while Denver is D'Essence Elizabeth’s daughter, born on 7 December 2022. However, the parents of his grandson, Grayson, are unknown.

Why is Rickey Smiley raising his grandson? He has not disclosed the reason. However, the radio personality is known to be a nurturing person who has raised many of his relatives and even adopted kids. He revealed in the Tamron Hall Show that his grandkids helped him heal from his son’s demise.

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FAQs

  1. How many biological kids does Ricky Smiley have? The radio personality has two biological kids.
  2. How many adopted kids does Rickey Smiley have? The comedian adopted three kids: D'Essence Elizabeth, Aaryn, and Craig.
  3. Who are Rickey Smiley’s sons? He has three sons, Brandon, Malik, and Craig Smiley.
  4. Why did Rickey Smiley's son pass away? His son, Brandon, reportedly died of substance abuse.
  5. How did Brandon Smiley die? An autopsy report after his demise revealed he had taken in excess fentanyl and ethanol.
  6. What happened to Rickey Smiley’s daughter? His daughter, Aaryn, was shot in July 2020. Even though she sustained a severe injury on her leg, she recovered.
  7. Does Rickey Smiley have grandkids? He has three grandchildren: Grayson, Storm, and Denver.

Like his father, Rickey Smiley's son, Brandon, was a promising talent in acting and comedy. However, he died of substance abuse in January 2023, survived by a daughter. Rickey has four other children and three grandchildren.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Mercy Mbuthia avatar

Mercy Mbuthia (Lifestyle writer) Mercy Mbuthia is a content writer with five years of experience writing on various topics, including biographies, entertainment, and lifestyle. She joined the Legit team in 2019. Mercy earned a Master of Science (Food, Nutrition & Dietetics) from Dedan Kimathi University in 2022. Her articles have appeared on several media sites such as The Health Channel, The Nation, Tekrati, ValiantCEO and Celebrity Leader. In 2023, Mercy finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Email: mercymmbuthia18@gmail.com