Proud Papas: Celebrity Dads Celebrating Their First Father’s Day

Father’s Day hits a little differently when it’s your very first one.

Across entertainment, sports, and pop culture, a new generation of Black celebrity dads is stepping into fatherhood and celebrating their first Father’s Day with diaper duty, baby cuddles, and plenty of unforgettable milestones. From chart-topping artists to reality TV favorites and former athletes, these stars are embracing one of life’s most rewarding roles: being a dad.

Here are a few celebrity fathers celebrating their very first Father’s Day this year.

Mario

Father’s Day is taking on a new meaning for Mario this year.

The R&B singer, best known for hits including “Let Me Love You,” is celebrating his first Father’s Day after welcoming a baby boy, Lord Nasir Barrett, with girlfriend Esmeralda Rios earlier this year.

Mario announced the arrival of his son in January, sharing a hospital selfie on Instagram Stories while still dressed in scrubs from the delivery room. The singer, born Mario Dewar Barrett, jokingly dubbed himself “Doctor Barrett” before reflecting on the experience of witnessing Lord Nasir’s birth.

“Women are God’s greatest creation cuz what I witness today was ONLY GOD’S work!” he wrote. “Healthy baby boy!”

The milestone arrival came just months after Mario revealed the couple was expecting. In August, he shared a photo of his hand resting on Rios’ baby bump and expressed his excitement about becoming a father.

“It’s a whole universe in there! I can’t wait,” he wrote at the time.

Now, nearly five months after welcoming Lord Nasir, the proud papa is officially marking his first Father’s Day.