Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Marcelene Octave (reported maiden name: Marcelene Sainmelus) |
| Birth year | 1972 |
| Birthplace | Haiti |
| Age | 53 (as of 2025) |
| Nationality | Haitian-American |
| Languages | Haitian Creole, English |
| Religion | Christian |
| Height | 5’5” (reported) |
| Residence | Pompano Beach, Florida, USA |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Children | Masnik Sainmelus (aka John Wicks), Bill Kahan Kapri (Kodak Black), “Lil Two” (private) |
| Known for | Mother of rapper Kodak Black; immigrant matriarch who raised three sons in South Florida |
| Notable public moments | Public plea for her son’s safety (2020), 50th birthday celebration (2022), presence at honors for her son (2025) |
From Haiti to Florida: A Quiet Odyssey
Marcelene Octave’s story is the steady drumbeat beneath a louder, more famous melody. Born in Haiti in 1972, she came of age amid political and economic uncertainty, then immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s. She landed in Pompano Beach, Florida—sun-scorched streets, concrete courtyards, and the Golden Acres public housing community that would become the forge for her family’s future.
She brought with her the dual anchors of language and faith. Fluent in Haitian Creole and English, and grounded by Christianity, she navigated a labyrinth familiar to immigrants: paperwork and paychecks, hope and hard ceilings. The work was often unglamorous—service or retail shifts stitched around school schedules—but the goal was simple and unwavering: keep her three sons on course.
Motherhood in the Golden Acres
Divorced and, by the mid-2000s, raising her boys largely on her own, Octave turned a small apartment into a resilient harbor. The apartment wasn’t big, but the rules were: faith, focus, and family first. She has spoken more through presence than press releases—showing up when it mattered, stepping back when it didn’t, and letting her sons’ talents find their own oxygen.
While details about her ex-husband remain sparse—and reports linking the surname “Sainmelus” to earlier records are unconfirmed—what’s clear is that by around 2006 she was effectively the household’s center of gravity. In the years that followed, that steadiness would be tested often.
Her Children
Octave’s three sons form a tight but complicated constellation: two artists with public footprints, and one youngest son who prefers the shadows to the spotlight.
| Child | Also known as | Born | Notable for | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masnik Sainmelus | John Wicks | Early 1990s (approx.) | Rapper and collaborator | Featured on tracks with his brother; has faced legal issues, including an October 26, 2024 arrest in Central Florida reportedly involving a crash, possession, and resisting arrest |
| Bill Kahan Kapri | Kodak Black (born Dieuson Octave) | June 11, 1997 | Grammy-nominated rapper | Breakout with “No Flockin” (2014); subsequent major hits; legal ups and downs; public dedications to his mother |
| “Lil Two” | — | Early 2000s (approx.) | Private family member | Keeps a low public profile; occasionally alluded to in family conversations and fan posts |
The family’s warmth often shows in small moments: her cheering at events, a son’s surprise gift, a shared prayer before a milestone. Even the turbulence—arrests, tours, staring lights—has been navigated with her quiet presence in the background.
The Matriarch Behind a Star
Octave’s role in Kodak Black’s rise wasn’t managerial; it was maternal. She noticed the spark early and didn’t smother it. By 2014, when “No Flockin” began to echo through phones and car speakers, the house rules had turned into a launchpad. Through the years, Kodak has publicly credited his mother, even dedicating music to her while incarcerated in 2018.
They celebrated wins together, too. In 2017, he reportedly surprised her with a Mercedes. In April 2022, her 50th birthday became a royal-themed family affair—festive, loud, and unmistakably proud—and she was seen displaying a Sniper Gang tattoo that underscored their bond. Yet not all attention felt like triumph: a 2021 party clip of mother and son dancing drew criticism; he later brushed it off as harmless, adding another layer to the scrutiny that comes with fame.
Her most public moment may still be the most human: an emotional 2020 plea for her son’s safety during a period of incarceration, when cameras captured a mother asking for basic dignity for her child. It was not celebrity. It was motherhood.
Work, Finances, and the Measure of Success
Octave’s “career” is best measured in years at the kitchen table rather than titles on a résumé. She worked steadily—whatever would help keep the lights on—while steering three boys through South Florida’s street-level challenges. There are no public awards to list, and her net worth is not documented; it’s likely modest. Gifts from her successful middle son—a car, a moment of luxury—appear more as son-to-mother gestures than a change in her core lifestyle. The bigger prize has always been stability, and the grandchildren who now cluster around her on holidays and birthdays.
She is known to have multiple grandchildren, including Kodak’s son, King Khalid (born 2018), and others often referred to by family and fans as Queen Yuri and Izzabella. They are the second chorus to a first verse that began in Haiti.
Recent Visibility (2024–2025)
Octave herself does not court attention. Even so, the family’s news cycle has put her name into headlines from time to time—usually because of Kodak or his eldest brother. In mid-2025, when Kodak Black was honored with a key to the City of Pompano Beach, ceremony speeches and coverage highlighted Octave’s immigrant journey and perseverance. In late 2024, Masnik’s legal troubles briefly re-centered attention on the family. Throughout, social media chatter has tended to be nostalgic or celebratory rather than revelatory.
| Date | Event | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 2024 | Reported arrest of Masnik “John Wicks” in Central Florida | Renewed scrutiny of the family’s challenges and resilience |
| Feb 2020 | Marcelene’s public plea for Kodak’s safety while incarcerated | A rare, raw public moment from a typically private mother |
| Apr 2022 | 50th birthday celebration | A milestone that showcased family pride and unity |
| Jul 2025 | City key honor for Kodak in Pompano Beach | Civic recognition that spotlighted his mother’s immigrant story |
A Family Thread Woven Through Hip-Hop and Haitian Heritage
Octave personifies a thread that’s easy to miss when headlines fixate on court dates and chart positions. She left Haiti for a future she couldn’t guarantee, in a language she had to master, in a neighborhood that wasn’t always kind. Her sons’ music bears the grit of that journey: the push-pull between love and pressure, risk and redemption.
She is not a manager, mogul, or influencer. She is, instead, a center—an unmoving point around which a very public family orbits. Through birthday bashes and courtroom backdrops, red carpets and rough nights, Marcelene Octave remains the quiet instrument that keeps time when everyone else is playing louder.
FAQ
Who is Marcelene Octave?
She is a Haitian-American mother best known as the mom of rapper Kodak Black, an immigrant matriarch who raised three sons in Pompano Beach, Florida.
How old is she?
She was born in 1972 and is 53 years old in 2025.
Where was she born?
She was born in Haiti and immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s.
Is she married?
She is divorced; her ex-husband’s name has not been publicly confirmed.
How many children does she have?
She has three sons: Masnik Sainmelus (John Wicks), Bill Kahan Kapri (Kodak Black), and a youngest son known privately as “Lil Two.”
What languages does she speak?
She speaks Haitian Creole and English.
What is her religion?
She is Christian.
What does she do for a living?
Primarily a homemaker, she has worked various service and retail jobs over the years.
What is her height?
She is reportedly 5 feet 5 inches tall.
What is known about her finances?
Her net worth is not public; it’s generally presumed modest, with occasional gifts from her successful son.
What is her relationship with Kodak Black like?
Supportive and close, visible in public dedications, shared celebrations, and her advocacy during his legal challenges.
Who is John Wicks?
John Wicks is the stage name of her eldest son, Masnik Sainmelus, a rapper who has collaborated with Kodak Black and has had legal issues reported in 2018 and 2024.
Who is “Lil Two”?
He is her youngest son, who maintains a very low public profile.
Does she have grandchildren?
Yes; they include Kodak’s son King Khalid (born 2018) and other grandchildren often referred to by family and fans as Queen Yuri and Izzabella.
Is she active on social media?
She keeps a low profile; most public mentions come through family events and fan posts rather than her own accounts.
