Image via Complex Original
While Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta has sparked no shortage of conversation and controversy about its portrayal of a group of women and the men they love, Mona Scott-Young's popular program has propelled a number of artists and personalities into the spotlight who might otherwise not have such opportunities. The music industry is fickle, and the fates of artists are often only loosely tied to the quality of the art they produce. With Love & Hip-Hop, a number of former stars have become stars again.
As a result, a bunch of artists who had been known primarily for their contributions to music are now known for their personalities on a television show. America's cultural memory—despite all of our "remember the '90s" nostalgia—isn't that strong. It's easy to forgot how profound were, say, Stevie J's contributions to hip-hop, or how big Rasheeda really was, or how far back Benzino's career really goes. Here are ten things you probably didn't know about the cast of Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta.
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Momma Dee found out Scrappy knew about her illegal business when he patronized it.
"Scrappy didn't let me know [he knew about the pimping and drug dealing] until he got grown that he was getting head from some of my girls and I was like, 'You messing up my money! How you gonna tease on my paper like that?'" [Via]
Benzino has been rapping a LONG time. His first release was "The Greatest Show On Earth" with Almighty RSO in 1986.
That same year, the group won the ICA B-Town Rap Battle in Boston. They would cause considerable controversy in the 1990s when Benzino's friend David Mays—a co-founder of The Source—published a feature on the group in the magazine without the knowledge of the magazine's other editors. At the time, Benzino was known as Raydog. [Via]
Kirk Frost was behind "Shawty Swing My Way."
KP of KP and Envyi would go on to be in a group with Rasheeda in the late '90s called Da Kaperz.
One of Lil Scrappy's biggest songs was produced by Isaac Hayes' son.
Lil Scrappy first made his name with a single called "Headbussa," and was promptly signed after entertainment attorney Vincent P. Phillips and Lil Jon saw Scrappy perform it to a high school audience. According to Scrappy biography on ArtistDirect.com, "Over 2000 students chanted, 'We some head bussas! We some head bussas! We’ll knock a hater out! We some head bussas,' while simultaneously punching their right fists in the palms of their left." He was signed to BME soon after.
"No Problem" was his national breakthrough single the next year, in 2004; In 2006, "Money In the Bank" became his third hit, peaking at No. 28 on the pop charts. "Money In the Bank" was produced by none other than the soul legend's son Isaac Hayes III. [Via]
Stevie J produced an entire catalog of hip-hop classics.
There can be no denying it: from 112's "Only You" to Mariah Carey's "Honey," Biggie's "Mo Money Mo Problems" to Puffy's "Victory," and so on and so on. His contributions to hip-hop are vast and undeniable.
Mimi appeared in Pharrell's "Frontin'" video.
[Via]
Rasheeda's "Do It" was a major crunk anthem.
She would continue to record after the single as a solo artist throughout the 2000s.
Mimi Faust's mother worked for Scientology's "secret service."
According to research compiled by the Village Voice, Olaiya Odufunke, passed away in 2003. But up until that point, she had worked for Scientology's Sea Org, in the Office of Special Affairs—"the church's intelligence, public relations, and covert operations wing." [Via]
Kalenna Harper once wrote a hit song for Aretha Franklin.
In the mid 2000s, Kalenna Harper was a songewriter, crafting hits for everyone from Christina Milian ("Peanut Butter & Jelly") to Aretha Franklin ("Put You Up On Game") to million-selling pop singer Charlotte Church ("Moodswings (To Come At Me Like That)"). She was also singing as a solo artist, recording tracks with L&HH costar Rasheeda ("Pack Ya Bags") and her own response to Usher's "Confessions" Intro. [Via]
