Amber Rose is one of the most recognisable faces in pop culture — bold, unapologetic, and built entirely on her own terms. But behind the shaved head and the headlines is a story that starts on the streets of South Philadelphia, shaped by two very different people: her father, Michael Levonchuck, and her mother, Dorothy Rose. Their union brought together diverse cultural heritages and distinct personalities that collectively influenced Amber’s upbringing.
If you’ve ever wondered where Amber Rose’s resilience, mixed heritage, and fierce independence actually come from, the answer begins with her parents.
Who Is Amber Rose, Really?
Before getting into her family, a quick reset on the woman herself. Amber Levonchuck was born on October 21, 1983, in Philadelphia, to Dorothy Rose and Michael Levonchuck. You probably know her as Amber Rose — the stage name she adopted from her mother’s surname. She later adopted her mother’s name.
She is an American model, rapper, actress, socialite, and TV personality. She rose to fame after appearing in the Put On music video by Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West in 2008. From there, she became a fixture in hip-hop culture, walked runways, launched the SlutWalk movement, and authored a book — all while being loudly herself.
None of that happened in a vacuum. Her parents’ story is the foundation.
Michael Levonchuck: Amber Rose’s Father
Amber Rose’s father, Michael Levonchuck, was born and raised in Philadelphia, United States. Her father is of Irish and Italian descent. That makes him one of the threads in Amber’s richly multicultural background.
In terms of career, accounts vary slightly across sources, but the broad picture is consistent. After divorcing his wife, Michael remarried Anayansi Levonchuck, with whom they have two children. He is alleged to reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a delivery driver for Tastykake Bakery Company. Michael is reported to have served in the military for around 20 years before working in blue-collar jobs, including as a delivery driver.
Michael’s military career also instilled a sense of discipline and structure in life. Despite the challenges of growing up in a military family, she has often expressed gratitude for the experiences and lessons learned from her father’s career.
The military background also reportedly meant the family moved around during Amber’s childhood, exposing her to different environments and people — which many observers tie to her adaptability and open-minded worldview as an adult.
His role in Amber’s life has undoubtedly been significant. His background and experiences have played a part in shaping who she became, even if his influence is less visible in interviews than her mother’s.
After the divorce from Dorothy, Michael married Anayansi Levonchuck, and the couple had two children together. Even after the divorce, he has remained supportive of Amber Rose.
Amber has two paternal half-siblings: Michael Levonchuck Jr. and Brian Levonchuck.
Dorothy Rose: Amber Rose’s Mother
Dorothy Rose is the parent Amber has spoken about most publicly — and their relationship has been anything but simple.
Her mother is of Cape Verdean African and maternal Scottish descent from Ayrshire. She immigrated to Philadelphia, where she met Michael Levonchuck and started a family. Dorothy Rose was born to her parents in Cape Verde, Africa, between 1963 and 1966, according to sources.
Dorothy eventually became an entrepreneur based in the US. Dorothy lives in Los Angeles, California, working as Amber’s personal assistant. Apart from helping her with finances and schedules, she also babysits her two grandchildren. That arrangement — mother as PA and babysitter — speaks volumes about just how close the two were for many years.
Dorothy, of Cape Verdean descent, was a hardworking woman who raised Amber as a single mother. Amber has often praised her mother for the sacrifices she made to ensure that Amber and her family were provided for.
Amber even has a tattoo of her mother’s portrait on her body — one of the more permanent declarations of love you’ll find.
The Complicated Reality
The Amber and Dorothy relationship isn’t a simple feel-good story though. On Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast in March 2025, Amber revealed that their relationship was also shaped by emotional challenges. She explained: “My mom suffered severely from anxiety and depression most of my life. I became her mom at a very young age, and I had to raise her and say, ‘Everything is going to be okay. It’s okay to cry.’ For many years, I resented my mom for that.”
That’s a raw and honest admission — and it reframes what looks like a picture-perfect mother-daughter bond into something far more human. Amber essentially reversed roles with her mother during some of her most formative years, which likely explains a lot about the maturity, independence, and emotional directness she’s shown throughout her career.
Their relationship hit a very public low point in 2021. In August 2021, Dorothy became part of media headlines after her daughter Amber severed ties with her. Amber also claimed that her boyfriend, Alexander Edwards, cheated on her with at least 12 women. Reports at the time suggested the two had a falling out connected to the breakup and the fallout around it, though whether their relationship has since been repaired hasn’t been confirmed publicly as of mid-2025.
Amber Rose’s Heritage: A Genuinely Multicultural Background
Put it all together and Amber Rose’s ethnic background is genuinely complex. Her mother hails from a Cape Verdean-Scottish background, while her father is of Irish-Italian heritage.
Cape Verde itself is a West African island nation with strong Portuguese colonial influence, meaning its people often carry African, European, and indigenous Creole roots. Add Scottish heritage on Dorothy’s side, plus Irish and Italian on Michael’s, and you get someone who sits outside easy racial categorisation.
Amber has spoken about this in interviews, noting that she doesn’t fully identify as Black or white. It’s a position that’s brought her both criticism and connection from fans who feel similarly unboxed by traditional identity labels.
Despite the challenges of adapting to a new culture, she maintained Cape Verdean traditions and passed them on to children. Amber often speaks fondly of her mother’s influence, crediting her for instilling a strong sense of identity and pride in heritage.
How Her Parents’ Divorce Changed Everything
When the girl was three, the parents divorced. Other sources suggest the separation happened during Amber’s early teens — accounts differ slightly, but the impact was consistent: financial strain and instability hit hard.
Rose began stripping at the age of 15 under the pseudonym “Paris” to provide for her family after her mother’s separation from her stepfather, an alcoholic. That’s a level of responsibility no teenager should carry — and it speaks directly to the economic reality her parents’ split created.
Amber has never shied away from this part of her story. She’s spoken about it on podcasts, in books, and in interviews precisely because she refuses to be ashamed of it. She opens up about growing up in South Philly, overcoming a tough childhood, and her early dreams of becoming an epidemiologist after witnessing the impact of HIV/AIDS in her community.
That detail — the epidemiologist dream — is rarely mentioned but tells you everything about what kind of kid Amber Rose actually was before fame entered the picture.
Amber’s Siblings
Amber Rose has three siblings in total, from both sides of her family.
The American actress has one biological brother, Antonio Hewlett, and two paternal half-siblings, Michael Levonchuck Jr. and Brian Levonchuck. Antonio Hewlett shares the same mother and father as Amber and grew up with her in South Philadelphia.
Her half-siblings, through Michael Levonchuck’s second marriage, maintain very private lives and rarely appear publicly.
The Name Change: Why She’s “Amber Rose” and Not “Amber Levonchuck”
It’s worth addressing because a lot of people get confused about this. Amber was born Amber Levonchuck. She took her mother’s surname, Rose, as her professional name and public identity. It’s a choice that tells its own story — aligning herself with the parent who raised her, stayed present, and sacrificed for her.
The name change isn’t just branding. It’s a statement about where she places her loyalty and her sense of self.
FAQ
What are Amber Rose’s parents’ names? Her mother is Dorothy Rose and her father is Michael Levonchuck.
What ethnicity is Amber Rose? She has a mixed-racial background. She is a mixture of Cape Verdean-Scottish background from her mother’s side and Irish-Italian from her father’s.
Are Amber Rose’s parents still together? No. They divorced when she was a young girl, leading to a series of ups and downs in Amber’s family.
What does Dorothy Rose do for work? Dorothy is an entrepreneur and celebrity family member. According to sources, she is concentrating on her numerous side businesses. She previously worked as Amber’s personal assistant in Los Angeles.
Does Amber Rose have siblings? Yes. She has one biological brother, Antonio Hewlett, and two paternal half-siblings, Michael Levonchuck Jr. and Brian Levonchuck.
Why did Amber Rose take her mother’s last name? Amber Rose was born Amber Levonchuck. She later adopted her mother’s name. It became her stage and public name throughout her career.
Amber Rose’s story is often told through the lens of celebrity relationships and viral moments. But the real origin story starts in South Philly, with a Cape Verdean mother holding everything together and a father whose cultural roots trace back to Ireland, Italy, and the US military. That combination built something genuinely unusual — a woman who doesn’t fit a box, doesn’t want to, and built an entire career on exactly that refusal.
