On last night’s Love & Hip Hop, it was the Producer’s Tell All! I have to say I didn’t hate the format as much as I thought I would. With the ladies not yelling over one another, it was easier to get more questions answered… and they seemed to ask the questions viewers would want to know, aka no John Salley softballs!
The show’s executive producer Mona Scott-Young reveals that because one several cast members now refuse to be in the same room together, coughs Chrissy, the show has to forgo the traditional reunion format. Instead, viewers are treated to a behind the scenes look at the inner-workings of the show as well as one-on-one interviews with the cast.
First up, Jim Jones! The man, the myth, the dude at the center of a lot of the ladies’ drama. This season’s new cast mate, Yandy Smith was the rapper’s manager for the past eight years, and she was supposedly brought on at the request of his girlfriend Chrissy Lampkin. However, quickly, the ladies began feuding, with Jim caught in the middle. It resulted in a total breakdown of Jim and Yandy’s professional relationship which we watched play out over the course of the season.
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Jim seems very disinterested in being interviewed by Mona. He’s long voiced his disdain for this reality show, claiming he only did the show to support Chrissy. He is very adamant that there is no going back with Yandy. Jim says he will never need a manager that puts his business on display. He is very vocal about not enjoying the drama of the show, and he promises to tune into watch season three, laughing smugly that he won’t be at the center of any conflict. Perhaps someone can remind Jim that Chrissy caused a lot of that drama!
Emily’s story is highlighted, and Mona cites her reason for doing the show was to get the attention of her boyfriend of eight years, Fabolous. She was tired of Fab pretending he wasn’t in a relationship because it didn’t suit his bad boy image as a rapper. The season opened with newbie Kimbella confessing that she had dated Fab not knowing of Emily’s existence when Emily was pregnant with Fab’s son. Party foul!
Emily claims that she met Kimbella at a party in Atlanta, which Kimbella vehemently denies. Emily does admit that she blames Fab for his indiscretions, but he has promised her that he never dated Kimbella. Apparently, one time a single sex act was performed (it wasn’t intercourse…thanks, Love & Hip Hop for making me type that!), but that was the extent of their relationship. Lovely. Emily assures Mona that she is a changed woman, while revealing she is still dating Fab.
Next in the hot seat is Kimbella. Mona is quick to point out that Kimbella’s boyfriend and baby daddy Juelz didn’t really want the pair’s relationship televised. He would film with Jim and with Yandy, but Mona reminds Kimbella that he was always hesitant to film with the woman who was supposed to be his one and only. Kimbella, who needs to quit it with these cat suits–seriously–announced that she was pregnant with her second child by Juelz on the season finale, but admits that the couple is now working on sorting through their relationship. The pair is no longer together, and Kimbella is prepared to be a single mother. However, she would love for him to man up and do the right thing. Basically, her advice to her ex is that he needs “to keep his *&$ in his pants.”
It’s time to go a round with Chrissy, who is being interviewed by executive producer Stefan Springman. Her refusal to sit down with Mona stems from Chrissy’s belief that she was being set-up by Mona, and placed into situations to create more drama. Duh Chrissy, you’re on a reality show! Chrissy cites the fact that the show’s producers wouldn’t let her enjoy Jim’s proposal, as less than 24 hours later, they put her in a room with Yandy knowing the bad blood between them. Stefan argues that it was a legitimate beef the producers needed to follow. Chrissy doesn’t understand why the show couldn’t have let some time pass before having the ladies film together.
As for her relationship with Jim, Chrissy admits that there were times when she thought things may not work out between them. However, she feels like they are on the right track now, and she was genuinely shocked by his proposal in Miami. Not that she had time to revel in it, as she nearly quit after the club fight with Yandy. Chrissy is quick to correct Stefan, saying she didn’t quit the show, just that situation. She also says she doesn’t know what would happen if she were to run into Yandy now.
Yandy takes to the couch with Mona, and her main regret from the season is that the fun and goofy side of her friendship with Jim wasn’t shown. She is quick to say that the pair never had a sexual relationship, which is why it was so hard to understand Chrissy’s issues with her. Both women are adamant that in the seven years they have known one another that they were never really friends, and they never hung out together by themselves. Yandy thought that while the two weren’t close, they were at least friendly acquaintances. Chrissy, on the other hand, thinks she was only around Yandy because the producers created those circumstances. She was fine with Yandy being brought on as Jim’s manager, but when Yandy’s role was expanded, Chrissy wasn’t on board. As far as Chrissy’s concerned, it’s her show. Yandy even reveals that Jim requested she quit the show due to Chrissy’s issues with her.
Next up is the “physychotic” Mama Jones. I love that she is fanning herself while sipping white wine. Mona questions Nancy about her Twitter war with Olivia. She asks if Olivia’s impersonations put her on Nancy’s list. Mama Jones replies that she just doesn’t like the girl, simple as that. The duo dances to Mama’s hit “Psychotic” and that’s all we get to see of Jim’s mom. Noooooooo! She needs more time!
Olivia isn’t very thrilled with how her story was portrayed. Mona discusses her reservations of filming such private people. Olivia believes that the show made her appear pathetic, and it was edited to make her relationship with her mother look much worse than it actually is. Mona also asks if Rich is in love with Olivia. Olivia says that the pair are the best of friends, but there is no romance between them. At Mona’s insistence, she wants Olivia to take a stand on the Yandy/Chrissy debacle. A laughing Olivia admits that after watching the entire season, she thinks Chrissy is clearly at fault. Olivia had better watch her back!
We get to finally see Somaya. She was such a presence on season one, but Mona expressed her concern that Somaya’s season two persona was so passive. Besides firing Maurice, Somaya’s storyline was lacking, causing her camera time to shrink. Things get heated in the interview, with Somaya calling Mona a b*tch. She insists she was not upset about the lack of air time, and she was happy with what was filmed. The two hug it out with Somaya apologizing for her harsh words.
Last, but not least, is the volatile Erica Mena, who spent a lot of time fondling herself. Her mid-season addition started with a smack down involving Kimbella. Mona brings up Erica taking to the blogs crying she was edited unfairly. After re-watching the unedited fight, Erica breaks down in tears, saying that she didn’t like how she acted. She says she’s not really that angry person… she wants to be more like Mona and less like her cast mates. Someone received some backlash, eh?
Mona ties up the season with a sweet little bow. Kimbella really wants to work on her relationship with Juelz, while Emily is setting boundaries and rules to ensure loyalty in her relationship with Fab. Olivia didn’t take the EMI record deal, but she hints that she got an even better offer. Chrissy admits that she would love to start a family with Jim. And of course, it’s the announcement we all knew was coming: Love & Hip Hop Hotlanta!
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE REUNION SPECIAL EPISODE? DO YOU THINK CHRISSY WAS BEING OVERLY DRAMATIC? WHO DO YOU THINK WILL RETURN FOR SEASON THREE? EXCITED ABOUT THE HOTLANTA SPIN-OFF?
