Tracey Hinds is best known as Grammy winner Macy Gray’s ex-husband. Born in 1970, he was a former basketball player who became a successful mortgage broker. Hinds married Gray in 1996 before her fame, and they had three children—Aanisah, Tahmel (also called Mel or Tracy), and Happy—before divorcing in 1998. He maintained a private life away from the spotlight despite his connection to the famous R&B singer.
Quick Facts About Tracey Hinds
| Personal Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tracey Hinds |
| Birth Year | 1970 |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Early Career | Basketball player |
| Profession | Mortgage broker |
| Ex-Wife | Macy Gray (R&B singer) |
| Marriage Duration | 1996-1998 (2 years) |
| Dating Period | 1994-1996 (approximately 2 years) |
| Children | Three (Aanisah, Tahmel, Happy) |
| Known For | Being Macy Gray’s former husband |
| Death | Reportedly passed in 2021 (unconfirmed) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $1.1 million at time of death |
| Privacy Level | Extremely private, minimal public presence |
Who Is Tracey Hinds?
Tracey Hinds was a mortgage broker who lived most of his life away from public attention. He was born in 1970 somewhere in the United States, though specific details about his birthplace stay private.
Before his business career, Hinds played basketball. He showed athletic talent in his younger years but eventually transitioned from sports to the financial sector. This career change happened sometime in the early-to-mid 1990s.
His name entered public consciousness only because he married Natalie McIntyre—better known as Macy Gray—two years before she became one of R&B’s most distinctive voices. While Gray’s raspy vocals and emotional songs won Grammy Awards and sold millions of albums, Hinds chose to stay behind the scenes.
Unlike many celebrity ex-spouses who write tell-all books or give interviews about their famous partners, Hinds maintained almost complete silence about his personal life. This makes documenting his story challenging because most information comes through Gray’s interviews or entertainment websites rather than direct sources.
Early Life and Background
Details about Hinds’ childhood and family remain largely unknown. He was born in 1970, making him about three years younger than Macy Gray, who was born in 1967.
We don’t know where he grew up, what schools he attended, or who his parents were. We don’t know if he has siblings or what his family situation looked like. This information gap is unusual in our digital age but shows Hinds’ commitment to privacy.
What we do know is that he played basketball during his younger years. Whether he played in high school, college, or both isn’t documented. Whether he considered a professional basketball career or simply enjoyed the sport recreationally also remains unclear.
His education likely included some focus on finance or business, given his later career as a mortgage broker. But again, specific schools, degrees, or educational achievements aren’t part of the public record.
Career as a Basketball Player
Hinds played basketball before entering the mortgage industry. This athletic background distinguished him from Gray’s artistic world of music and performance.
Basketball requires discipline, teamwork, and physical conditioning. These qualities probably served Hinds well in his later business career. The sport also suggests he was athletic and physically active during his younger years.
Why he left basketball for business isn’t documented. Many athletes face this transition when professional sports careers don’t materialize. Others simply move on to different interests as they mature. Without Hinds’ own account, we can’t know his specific reasons.
The timing of his career change probably happened in his early-to-mid twenties, around the time he met Gray. By the time they married in 1996, he was already working as a mortgage broker rather than pursuing basketball.
Meeting Macy Gray: The Beginning
Tracey Hinds met Macy Gray in Los Angeles around 1994. Gray had recently moved from her hometown of Canton, Ohio, to pursue her music dreams in California.
At the time, Gray was working as a cashier at Beverly Hills coffee shops while performing at small jazz cafés. She was struggling financially—she’s mentioned living in her car at one point. She was writing songs and developing her distinctive vocal style but hadn’t landed a major record deal.
Hinds and Gray connected during this difficult period in her life. While she searched for work and music opportunities, she found love instead. Their relationship started simply, two people trying to make their way in Los Angeles.
They dated for approximately two years before getting engaged. During this time, Gray had their first child, daughter Aanisah, in January 1995. Their second child, son Tahmel, arrived in December 1995 while they were still dating.
This means Hinds and Gray started their family before marriage. They had two children as an unmarried couple, then decided to formalize their relationship with a wedding in 1996.
Marriage to Macy Gray: Two Years Together
Tracey Hinds and Macy Gray married in 1996. The ceremony took place in California, though specific details about the wedding remain private.
When they married, Gray was still unknown in the music industry. She had a development deal with Atlantic Records but got dropped when her A&R representative left the label. She returned to Ohio briefly before coming back to Los Angeles to try again.
This meant Hinds married a struggling artist, not a celebrity. He didn’t know his wife would become Grammy-winning Macy Gray. He married Natalie McIntyre, a woman with an unusual voice, two young children, and big dreams but no guarantees.
The marriage lasted only two years. Problems started after the wedding, despite their smooth dating relationship. Sources mention “everyday disagreements” and “unhappiness” but don’t specify exact issues.
Money was probably a factor—they were raising two young children while Gray pursued an uncertain music career. Stress from financial pressure destroys many relationships. The demands of young children while both partners work creates additional strain.
By 1998, they decided to separate. The timing was particularly difficult because Gray was pregnant with their third child when they divorced. Their youngest daughter, Happy, was born on October 6, 1997, shortly before or during the divorce proceedings.
The Divorce: Timing and Circumstances
Hinds and Gray’s divorce finalized in 1998. This happened just one year before Gray’s breakthrough album “On How Life Is” was released in 1999.
The album’s hit single “I Try” reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. The song’s emotional lyrics about a relationship ending made many people assume it was about Hinds and their divorce.
Gray has never confirmed this directly, but the timing fits. The pain in lyrics like “I try to say goodbye and I choke / Try to walk away and I stumble” could easily reflect her divorce experience.
This means Hinds missed out on Gray’s fame and fortune by just one year. If they’d stayed married through 1999, he would have been her husband during her career explosion. Instead, he was already her ex-husband when she became famous.
The divorce settlement details remain private. We don’t know about child support arrangements, custody agreements, or financial divisions. California’s community property laws would have split their marital assets, but since they had limited assets in 1998, this probably wasn’t significant.
His Three Children with Macy Gray
Tracey Hinds has three children with Macy Gray, though their relationships with him appear complicated.
Aanisah Hinds was born on January 16, 1995, making her the oldest at 30 years old in 2025. She studied Visual and Performing Arts and graduated with a focus on painting. She established herself as a talented graphic designer and artist based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work spans brand creation, web design, SEO, and logo design. She operates as a freelance graphic designer, showcasing creativity that differs from her mother’s musical path. In 2024, Aanisah filed for a restraining order against her brother Tracy after alleged family altercations.
Tahmel Hinds (also called Mel or Tracy Melvin Hinds) was born in December 1995, making him 29 years old in 2025. He followed his mother into music, working as a recording artist. Like Gray, he pursued creative expression through songwriting and performance. In 2024, family tensions erupted when Aanisah filed a restraining order against him following alleged incidents involving their mother. Tracy denied wrongdoing on social media, calling reports “fake news.” Macy Gray defended her son, stating “Me and my son love each other and he would never think of causing me any physical harm.”
Happy Hinds was born on October 6, 1997, making her 27 years old in 2025. She became Editor-In-Chief of Happy Hinds Magazine, a digital platform promoting creative works. Her career path diverged from both music and visual arts, focusing instead on media and editorial work. She reportedly posted a tribute to her father on social media after his death in 2021, expressing gratitude and love.
Multiple sources mention that Hinds didn’t maintain close relationships with his children after the divorce. Gray raised all three as a single mother while building her music career. The children saw their father occasionally but didn’t have a consistent paternal presence during their upbringing.
Career as a Mortgage Broker
Hinds built his career in the mortgage industry, helping people secure home loans and navigate real estate financing. This career choice positioned him in a stable, private profession far removed from entertainment industry chaos.
Mortgage brokers work with banks, lenders, and clients to arrange home financing. They analyze financial situations, present loan options, and guide people through complicated paperwork. It’s detail-oriented work requiring math skills, financial knowledge, and people skills.
The profession allowed Hinds to earn a steady income without public scrutiny. Unlike actors or musicians who need publicity to succeed, mortgage brokers build businesses through referrals and professional networks. This fit perfectly with Hinds’ preference for privacy.
Hinds worked in California’s real estate market, though specific companies or locations aren’t documented. California’s housing market offers significant opportunities for mortgage professionals, with high property values creating substantial commissions.
At the time of his reported death in 2021, Hinds had an estimated net worth of $1.1 million. This suggests a successful mortgage broker career spanning roughly 25-30 years. It’s not celebrity wealth, but it represents solid middle-to-upper-middle-class financial success.
Life After Divorce: Maintaining Privacy
After his 1998 divorce from Gray, Hinds disappeared almost entirely from public view. While his ex-wife’s career exploded with Grammy Awards, movie roles, and worldwide fame, he continued working quietly in real estate finance.
He didn’t give interviews about his famous ex-wife. He didn’t write a memoir. He didn’t appear on reality TV or sell stories to tabloids. This restraint is remarkable given how many celebrity ex-spouses monetize their connections.
Hinds’ post-divorce relationships remain unknown. We don’t know if he remarried or had more children. We don’t know where he lived or how he spent his free time. This information vacuum is exactly what Hinds wanted—complete privacy despite his connection to fame.
His relationship with his three children appears to have been distant. Sources consistently mention that Gray raised the children as a single mother. Hinds saw his kids “occasionally” but wasn’t a consistent presence. Whether this was his choice, Gray’s choice, or mutual agreement isn’t documented.
This paternal absence affected his children. Growing up without regular father involvement leaves emotional impacts, even when mothers work hard to fill the gap. Gray toured extensively and recorded albums while raising three kids alone, which required incredible dedication.
Macy Gray: Understanding His Ex-Wife’s Fame
To understand Hinds’ story, you need to know about Macy Gray’s remarkable career. She was born Natalie Renée McIntyre on September 6, 1967, in Canton, Ohio.
Gray’s mother was a math teacher and her father worked in the steel industry. She began piano lessons at age seven. She adopted her stage name after seeing it on a mailbox during childhood.
Gray attended the University of Southern California, studying screenwriting. She started writing songs and performing at Los Angeles jazz cafés while working cashier jobs to survive.
Her big break came in 1998 when Epic Records signed her. The label put substantial resources behind her debut album “On How Life Is,” which released in July 1999—just one year after her divorce from Hinds.
The album went triple platinum, selling over three million copies in the United States alone. The single “I Try” became a worldwide hit. Gray won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001.
Her distinctive raspy voice became her signature. She’s described it as influenced by Billie Holiday and other jazz vocalists. What she initially saw as a vocal flaw became her greatest asset.
Gray has released ten studio albums and sold over 25 million records worldwide. She appeared in films including “Training Day,” “Spider-Man,” “Scary Movie 3,” and “The Paperboy.” She was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2014.
This success happened entirely after Hinds. He knew Natalie the struggling artist. The world knew Macy Gray the Grammy winner.
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The IMDb Confusion: Two Different People?
An assistant director named Tracey Hinds appears on IMDb with credits for several productions. This creates confusion about whether the mortgage broker and the film professional are the same person.
Entertainment websites often combine both careers into one biography without verification. They describe Hinds as both a mortgage broker and assistant director with film credits. But no solid evidence connects these two careers to one person.
Tracey is a relatively common name. Hinds is a reasonably common surname. Two different people sharing this name could easily exist in California, especially in greater Los Angeles where both entertainment and real estate industries thrive.
The IMDb profile for the assistant director doesn’t include biographical details linking him to Macy Gray. No photos confirm identity. No interviews clarify the connection.
Responsible reporting means treating these as potentially separate individuals unless evidence proves otherwise. This article focuses on Tracey Hinds the mortgage broker and Gray’s ex-husband, not the assistant director, because we can’t confirm they’re the same person.
Death Rumors: What We Know
Multiple websites claim Tracey Hinds died in 2020 or 2021. However, no obituaries from reputable news outlets, no death certificates, and no official family statements confirm this.
The rumor appears to originate from celebrity gossip sites and fan pages rather than verified sources. One source mentions that his daughter Happy posted a tribute on social media after his death in 2021, but this post hasn’t been independently verified.
If Hinds did pass away in 2021, he would have been approximately 51 years old. This is relatively young, though without confirmed cause of death, speculation is pointless.
The difficulty in confirming his death shows how successfully Hinds avoided public documentation. Most people leave digital trails—social media posts, professional listings, news mentions. Hinds apparently left almost nothing, making it hard to verify basic facts about his life and death.
Until reputable sources confirm his passing with proper documentation, his death should be treated as unverified rumor rather than established fact.
Net Worth and Financial Status
At the time of his reported death in 2021, Tracey Hinds had an estimated net worth of $1.1 million. This figure comes from entertainment websites rather than financial disclosures, so treat it as approximate.
For a mortgage broker working 25-30 years in California’s expensive real estate market, $1.1 million represents solid success. It’s not wealthy by California standards but indicates financial stability and smart career management.
This net worth contrasts sharply with Macy Gray’s estimated wealth. Gray’s net worth is approximately $10-12 million, built through album sales, touring, acting roles, and songwriting royalties over 25+ years.
Had Hinds remained married to Gray, California’s community property laws would have entitled him to half of earnings during their marriage. But they divorced in 1998 before her breakthrough, so he missed out on her wealth accumulation.
Child support payments likely provided some income over the years. California requires both parents to support their children financially based on income levels. Gray’s substantial earnings would have created meaningful support obligations.
Legacy and What We Can Learn
Tracey Hinds’ story offers interesting lessons about fame, privacy, and life choices. He married someone who became extraordinarily famous one year after their divorce. He could have used this connection for attention, money, or opportunities. He chose not to.
This restraint says something about his character. Whether you view his distance from his children positively or negatively, his refusal to exploit his Gray connection shows dignity. He didn’t sell stories, give interviews, or try to ride her coattails.
His commitment to privacy also meant his children grew up without constant father involvement. This created challenges for them and for Gray, who managed single parenthood while touring and recording. Whether different choices could have prevented family tensions isn’t clear.
Hinds’ timing was both fortunate and unfortunate. He met and fell in love with an undiscovered artist, showing he valued her as a person rather than for fame. But their marriage ended just before her success, meaning he didn’t benefit financially from her breakthrough.
His successful mortgage career proves you don’t need celebrity connections to build a good life. He created stability and accumulated wealth through regular professional work, showing that traditional careers can provide security and satisfaction.
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FAQs About Tracey Hinds
Who is Tracey Hinds?
Tracey Hinds was a mortgage broker born in 1970 who was previously married to Grammy-winning R&B singer Macy Gray. He was a former basketball player who transitioned to real estate finance. Hinds maintained an extremely private life throughout his marriage and after his 1998 divorce from Gray.
How many children does Tracey Hinds have with Macy Gray?
Tracey Hinds has three children with Macy Gray. Their eldest daughter Aanisah was born in January 1995 and works as a graphic designer. Their son Tahmel (also called Mel or Tracy) was born in December 1995 and is a musician. Their youngest daughter Happy was born in October 1997 and is a magazine editor-in-chief.
When did Tracey Hinds and Macy Gray get divorced?
Tracey Hinds and Macy Gray divorced in 1998 after two years of marriage. They dated for approximately two years before marrying in 1996. Their divorce happened just one year before Gray’s breakthrough album “On How Life Is” was released in 1999 and made her an international star.
What was Tracey Hinds’ profession?
Tracey Hinds worked as a mortgage broker in California’s real estate market. Before his business career, he played basketball. As a mortgage broker, he helped clients secure home loans and navigate real estate financing. His career allowed him to maintain privacy while building an estimated net worth of $1.1 million.
Is Tracey Hinds still alive?
Reports suggest Tracey Hinds passed away in 2021 at approximately 51 years old, but this hasn’t been confirmed through official sources like obituaries or death certificates. The claim originates from entertainment websites and alleged social media posts from family members, but no reputable news outlets have verified his death.
