Keeping up with the Kardashians is no easy task. This busy brood is always hustling to launch a new product line, filming for their reality TV show or jet-setting all around the world to promote their multi-billion-dollar brand. It seems like everything they do is newsworthy…especially when it comes to their very active love lives. Of course, the Kardashians have collectively canoodled with memorable partners that pique everyone’s interest but just like the rest of us, even they have dated their fair share of duds. Here are 15 former Kardashian flames you forgot even existed.
15
Ray J
Let’s face it – even though Ray J once had somewhat of a career as an actor slash rapper, his main claim to fame was getting hot and heavy with Kim Kardashian on the former couple’s now infamous celebrity sex tape. We all know that the “leaked” adult home movie was what made Kim K. a household name, but Ray J wasn’t quite as lucky. Since the pair’s x-rated romp in 2003, not many of us have been left wondering what Ray’s next big move will be. In addition to his shameless attempt of starring in his own reality TV dating show, Ray has been desperately trying to stay relevant by dropping his ex’s name every chance he gets. In 2013, the one trick pony released a song called “I Hit It First,” where he bragged about bedding Kim before her bevvy of famous beaus that have followed in his footsteps. Most recently, Ray J once again gave an interview about him and Kim’s past love life, revealing that she kept a “Louis Vuitton trunk of sex toys.” Kim was quick to fire back at her old flame, calling Ray J a “pathological liar” on Twitter. Regardless of his futile attempts at relevancy, nobody really wants much to do with Ray J these days…and who could blame them?
14
Lamar Odom
Although Lamar Odom worked hard throughout his professional career as a championship winning basketball player, his accolades have been permanently overshadowed by his mounting personal troubles and his former relationship with a Kardashian. Odom was a standout player for the LA Lakers when he caught the attention of Khloe Kardashian in 2009. The couple’s relationship suddenly got serious when they decided to tie the knot after only one month of dating. Following their fast-paced nuptials, Khloe and Lamar’s popularity skyrocketed as they flaunted their newfound love every chance they got. Between starring in their own reality show and launching a fragrance line together, Khloe and Lamar were fully submerged into the spotlight and their relationship became a focal point for their brand.
However, even though the couple appeared to have an unbreakable bond it soon became clear that their marriage was crumbling behind the scenes. After months of speculation, Khloe filed for divorce from Odom in 2013 after it was revealed that Khloe had enough of his addictions and his cheating ways. The pair were unexpectedly reunited in 2015 when Lamar’s hard-partying ways almost cost him his life after overdosing in a Las Vegas brothel. While it briefly appeared like there was hope for the pair to reconcile, Khloe and Lamar ultimately parted ways for a second and final time. If you’re curious to what Odom has been up to since then, the answer is…not a whole lot. Most people have all but forgotten about the retired athlete while the Kardashian’s fame has reached new heights with no end in sight.
13
Younes Bendjima
After welcoming three children together during a tumultuous decade-long relationship with Scott Disick, Kourtney Kardashian decided that she was better off single and broke it off for good with her baby daddy in 2015. It didn’t take long for fans to notice that she had set her sights on a new beau – a male model named Younes Bendjima, who was twenty-four years her junior. After initially trying to hide their romance, Kourtney and Younes became the talk of the town and were often spotted enjoying elaborate dates and exotic vacations. While nobody had really heard of Bendjima before he linked up with Kourtney, it soon became clear that he would become famous by default as long as Kardashian was by his side.
Although the young model surely enjoyed all of his newfound attention due to his high-profile partnership, he surely didn’t appreciate the paparazzi capturing him canoodling with another woman earlier this year. The photos were further confirmation that the couple were heading towards a split after they had unfollowed each other on Instagram several weeks prior. Bendjima publicly lashed out at reports of his infidelity, but he also has used social media as a platform to slam his significant other as well, taking to Instagram to shade Kourtney for sharing a photo of her scantily clad backside. Kourt’s sister, Khloe, came to her defense and slammed her immature ex by commenting, “Alexa play ‘heard it all before’ by Sunshine Anderson”. It appears that the Kardashians got the last laugh after all, because since his split from Kourtney it doesn’t look like anyone is keeping up with Younes.
12
Tyga
Kylie Jenner’s relationship with Tyga lasted a lot longer than most probably thought it would, but that’s likely because he was using her to boost his own career. Their taboo love affair raised some serious eyebrows when the rapper first linked up with the future makeup mogul long before her eighteenth birthday, but that was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the controversy surrounding Kylie and Tyga.
There’s no denying that Tyga experienced a bump in popularity when he was standing alongside Jenner. It was often reported that she would be the one to pay for his living expenses and lavish gifts. To make things even crazier, Tyga shared a child with Blac Chyna, who would eventually become romantically involved with Kylie’s brother, Rob. The whole thing was one big hot mess. Despite their unique dynamic, the couple seemed to be invested in making it work. However, once they split up in 2016 Tyga’s fame faded away along with the memory of their long-lost romance. We don’t really hear Tyga’s songs on the radio anymore and the only time he appears in headlines is when he mentions Kylie. Clearly, Tyga’s existence has become virtually irrelevant now that he’s detached from the Kardashian/Jenner brood.
11
Kris Humphries
The Kardashians always seem to find a way to make anything profitable. Whenever it’s a reality show, a makeup line or everything in between, this family sees dollar signs everywhere they go. So, it should be no surprise that Kim’s 2011 wedding to Kris Humphries became a national spectacle…only to be outdone by their messy divorce filing a mere 72 hours later. Sure, Kim and the NBA star looked like the perfect couple on paper and they made certain that the spotlight was always on their relationship. But their love wasn’t built to last and Kim ultimately pulled the plug on their union at lightning speed.
Although their relationship had come to an end, Kim and Kris battled it out in court regarding the details of their divorce settlement. Humphries argued that Kim’s entire reason for getting hitched was in the name of fame and publicity, citing the large sums of money that Kardashian earned by making their relationship so public. After refusing to sign on the dotted line and grant Kim the divorce she desperately wanted, Kris finally caved in 2013 when Kim was heavily pregnant with Kanye West’s first child. Humphries admitted that life with Kim wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and these days he’s keeping himself out of the Hollywood scene. The former ballplayer is laying low somewhere in Minnesota while venturing into the food industry with a couple of restaurant franchises in the works. The simple life sure seems like a far cry from the days when he was Kim K.’s better half.
10
Blac Chyna
Blac Chyna had already been linked to her fair share of famous men and had a baby with Tyga but she reached full celebrity status when she sunk her hooks into Rob Kardashian. The former exotic dancer and Rob first became a thing in 2016, much to the chagrin of the entire Kardashian family. While pretty much every single one of his sisters protested their relationship, Rob retaliated by getting more serious with Chyna. Soon enough, they were engaged, Chyna got pregnant and they landed a reality show of their very own, but it was only a matter of time before their relationship imploded while the whole world watched in awe. Between televised fights and public bashing of each other on social media, these two were too toxic to function. While Rob was wallowing in self-pity on his Instagram stories, Chyna was laughing all the way to the bank. Although Chyna had a good run leeching off of the Kardashian family name, she’s been easy to forget ever since she and Rob parted ways.
9
Damon Thomas
It might feel like Kim Kardashian tries her hardest to over-expose herself and her relationships, but there’s one old flame that she tries her best to keep under wraps. Long before getting married to Kris Humphries and eventually Kanye West, Kim was married to a man named Damon Thomas. The future reality star and the music producer secretly eloped in Las Vegas when Kim was just nineteen. It’s no secret that Kim keeps her lips sealed regarding her first marriage because it was nothing short of a disaster. Kardashian and Thomas got divorced after three years together, and the specifics of their separation were gruesome. According to Kim, her first husband was verbally and physically abusive throughout their marriage. The star also asserts that Damon was overly controlling and demanded she get plastic surgery to improve her looks. Their split was finalized in 2003 and Thomas has since given trash-talking interviews to the media regarding his famous ex…but let’s face it, this bad romance was easy to forget because it happened way before anybody even knew who Kim was.
8
Rashad McCants
Khloe Kardashian has dated her fair share of famous athletes…and Rashad McCants was definitely not one of them. Khloe and Rashad dated for a short time in 2008 but their relationship was hardly ever acknowledged by longtime Kardashian fans. McCants was briefly mentioned on an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians when Khloe discovered that the former first-round draft pick was cheating on her. McCants insisted that their relationship was strictly made for TV in an attempt to save face, but there was no way for the former athlete to save his already sinking ship. Although their relationship was over before it even began, McCants is still quick to blame his ex for ruining his entire basketball career. Recently, the bitter ball player adamantly proclaimed that his reputation in the NBA was tarnished by being linked to a Kardashian. Of course, the demise of his career couldn’t have been attributed to his lackluster performance on the court…it must have all been Khloe’s fault.
7
Michael Copon
Every detail of Kim Kardashian’s love life has been well documented for public consumption, but most people are probably wondering two things: who is Michael Copon and when did he ever hookup with Kim Kardashian? The rise and fall of this forgettable faux-mance all played out on a 2010 episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and perhaps it’s hard to remember because nobody really cared in the first place. Although Copon isn’t a professional athlete or a rapper, the producers must have thought that creating an on-screen romance between him and Kim would make for a good storyline. On the show, Kim was seen flirting with and going on a couple of dates with the actor, who must have been desperately trying to grasp on to his final fifteen minutes of fame. While the twosome tried their best to convince viewers that their romance was the real deal, its safe to say that even clinging on to Kim wasn’t enough to salvage Copon’s career in show business.
6
Ben Flajnik
Perhaps the least memorable (and most perplexing) past relationship to come from the Kardashian camp is none other than the brief fling between Kris Jenner and Ben Flajnik. The matriarch and former Bachelor star were frequently spotted together in 2014 but many were left wondering what the real deal was between the mismatched pair. While Jenner has undeniably built an empire with the entire billion-dollar Kardashian brand under her belt, Flajnik seemed like an interesting choice to link up with. Not only was he nearly half of Kris’ age, but their awkward coupling seemed more like a PR stunt than a real love affair. We all know that Kris Jenner knows a good opportunity when she sees one and since Ben’s season of The Bachelor had just aired at the time, Kris knew that forming some sort of relationship with him would surely make headlines. Neither one of them would confirm or deny the status of their relationship outright, keeping everyone guessing when it came to how serious their bond really was. Of course, a lot has changed since Kris and Ben were trying to flaunt their potential fauxmance. While Jenner continues to reign supreme as ruler of the Kardashian roost, nobody has given the whereabouts of Ben Flajnik a second thought.
5
TJ Jackson
There’s simply no denying that the Jackson family has some seriously legendary DNA, but back when Kim dated TJ Jackson their relationship was anything but interesting. Kim and the son of Tito Jackson were in a serious relationship for most of Kim’s high school career. The two dated from the mid to late nineties and TJ was even Kim’s prom date. While it’s likely that a fifteen-year-old Kim thought she was hot stuff for dating Michael Jackson’s nephew, we can’t help but be bored by their teenage romance. Lots of more interesting men have made their way to Kim’s long roster of exes, and TJ Jackson is kind of a nobody in comparison. Unlike some of Kim’s other relationships, there’s really no juicy drama to speak of here which makes this old flame a non-factor.
4
Nick Cannon
Before Kim made it big she was already making her rounds on the Hollywood dating circuit. Kardashian briefly dated Nick Cannon for a few months in 2006 and 2007 but their relationship really wasn’t memorable. Of course, Cannon was the much bigger talent at the time but he and Kim allegedly parted ways after the actor discovered that her sex tape with Ray J was set to be released. According to Nick, Kim denied altogether that the film even existed…and we all know how that turned out. Cannon claims that he knew Kim and her momager were shopping around the tape in an attempt to become famous but when she flat-out lied about it he had no choice but to dump her.
Kim herself rarely speaks of her relationship with Nick, but frequently responds to questions regarding his former romance with the reality star. These days, Nick Cannon has since divorced from Mariah Carey and has lost his hosting gig on America’s Got Talent after a public spat with the show’s producers. It seems like everyone has tried to forget about Nick…especially Kim Kardashian.
3
French Montana
Khloe Kardashian never seems to stay single for long, but most people were surprised by her random rebound romance with French Montana. Khloe and the rapper linked up in 2014 following the end of her four-year marriage to Lamar Odom. Fans couldn’t help but wonder what exactly attracted her to him in the first place. He was a rapper and thats at least one of the prerequisites necessary to date a Kardashian, but their relationship never really made much sense. French really liked to mention that he was dating Khloe, he never missed an opportunity to appear on her reality show and it was all kinds of strange to watch. Not surprisingly, these two called it quits after a cheating scandal involving French and he eventually faded back into moderate obscurity where he belongs.
2
The Game
What better way for someone to promote their new album than to make a shocking allegation involving bedding three Kardashians? The Game knew exactly what he was doing when he released a song called “Sauce” in 2016 suggesting that he had been intimate with multiple members of the Kardashian clan. The rapper had been previously linked to Kim in 2006 and then Khloe in 2014, but that left practically everyone wondering who the third Kardashian was. Many people assumed it was Kourtney but after an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, The Game tip-toed around the fact that it was Blac Chyna who he had also slept with. The Game has had a decently successful career in the music industry, but after this tacky stunt, he’s been reduced to just another Kardashian clout-chaser.
1
Caitlyn Jenner
Just when you thought you had seen it all from the Kardashians, Caitlyn Jenner shows up and throws everyone for a loop. It’s no secret that Jenner had been married to the Kardashian family matriarch, Kris, for nearly twenty-four years before making a shocking announcement that would throw the entire family into a tailspin. The former Olympian revealed plans of a name change, a divorce from Kris and a complete transition from male to female. Jenner made some serious power-moves and was initially met with an outpour of support from the Kardashians but that all changed once she spoke out against her ex-wife.
Jenner released a memoir that didn’t exactly paint a favorable picture of Kris and the entire family turned on her in the blink of an eye. She went from playing a major role in the Kardashian brand to being completely forgotten about by both the public and her step-children. Without the Kardashian’s involvement, there’s really little interest in Caitlyn Jenner these days.
