Next month, the Love & Hip Hop and Black Ink Crew franchises will link up for a two-part special in celebration of Black history and African ancestry.
The special, titled Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy, will mark the first time cast members from both shows are being brought together, with Dometi Pongo of MTV News hosting. Among those executive producing the event is Monami Productions founder and CEO Mona Scott-Young.
Franchise fans can expect to see Love & Hip Hop alum including Remy Ma, Yandy Smith-Harris, Rich Dollaz, Papoose, Tokyo Vanity, Karlie Redd, Paris Phillips, and Momma Dee sharing with viewers the experience of taking a DNA test that will reveal their respective African ethnic groups and country of origin. Joining the cast members is AfricanAncestry.com co-founder Dr. Gina Paige.
Meanwhile, Black Ink Crew cast members—including Ceaser Emanuel, Krystal Kill_lustrator, and Katrina ‘Kat Tat’ Jackson—will be crafting tattoo designs based on the ancestral history of the Love & Hip Hop stars. Viewers can also expect to see chef Chauncy Yarngo and singer Busiswa Gqulu.
The aim of the hit franchise-uniting special is to give viewers an expansive examination of the generations-spanning impact of slavery while at the same time standing as a celebration of the history of Africa ranging from music to food.
Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy premieres Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT via VH1. Mona Scott-Young is joined on the executive producer roster for the special by Michael Lang and Andrew Huang, also for Monami. Exec-producing for VH1 are Sitarah Pendelton-Eaglin and Phakiso Collins. Surrounding the premiere, fans can tap in from the comfort of home by using the #LHHLegacy hashtag, which will also be used across all official Love & Hip Hop channels.
