Growing up Hip Hop and Money.Power.Respect are two of the most popular reality series on television today. Whether seen on screen or stream, both offer inside looks and interesting insights into the entertainment industry’s glamorous work, hard work, troubled times, and luxurious lifestyle, racking up million of viewers worldwide in the process. Yesterday in New York, media maven Angela Yee hosted a Q&A session, private screening, and after party at the W Hotel in Times Square in celebration of exciting new seasons from the WEtv network shows.
Written by ToneSwep
Curated by Eve Chen
Interviews by Nathacha Gaudin
Images by Ivan K. McCartney
DOPE MAG hung out on the red carpet with several of the star cast members, including Cymphonique, Romeo, and Master P Miller; Kristinia DeBarge, Boogie Dash, Egypt Criss, Dana Whitfield, Ed Woods, Kendell Renee Kelly, Nakia Thomas, Andre King, Tiffany Ballard, media mogul Mona Scott-Young, and many others. Our east coast creative director Eve Chen curated the evening’s celebrity engagements as style and entertainment blogger Nathacha Gaudin conducted interviews. Check out the cool Q&A and hot images below.
(Nathacha Gaudin: Nathacha) Is this your first time filming a Reality TV show?
(Ed Woods of Money.Power.Respect) No, I was actually on a show about five years ago called “Son of a Gun” and Nick Cannon painted me as the big bad wolf that was causing all these problems. But that was different, just a guest appearance. This is more a of a cast member role for me. So I never really had a problem with TV, I’ve been on documentaries. I’ve done a lot of public speaking, so I enjoy it. It allows you to show a different side of doing what we do everyday anyway. Its just the entertainment business.
(Nathacha) How was your experience filming Money.Power.Respect versus the other TV shows you’ve been on?
(Ed) Well, I believe WEtv actually focused on something that I thought was important, it showed the human side. It kind of humanizes what attorneys do by allowing us to be flexible in how we wanted to be perceived and really taps into the personalities. You can’t get around that as an attorney. Every attorney has a certain style no matter what they try to emulate when they actually practice law. So that’s why you have certain lawyers that are good in the court room, certain lawyers that are good from a negotiating stand point, litigators, or just actually being good drafters. So that comes out in any situation when you put that many personalities together. Money.Power.Respect has very strong personalities. These women are very in tune to what they want to do in life and I’m just going for the ride. They brought me along to have a little fun.
(Nathacha) Have you learned anything this season while filming?
(Ed) I actually learned a lot, but you need to tune into the show cause you will see what I learned. But I learned that dealing with people and dealing with that many personalities can become kind of exciting in good and bad ways, but you take the good with the bad.
(Nathacha) What should your fans expect from you this season?
(Cymphonique Miller of Growing Up Hip Hop) This is going to be an exciting season. You get to see three new songs, you get to see the behind the scenes of my music video “Been Through It All”, and you get to see me in the studio, too. And you just get to see me grow. So I feel like I’m at a really sensitive stage right now where I’m finding myself and finding my signature and I’m just getting comfortable with myself. So I think it’s a blessing that I get to, like, document all of this. It’s just really intimate. That’s one of the cool things about Reality, you’re not playing any role. It’s just people seeing you living your everyday life.
(Nathacha) Do you have any other exciting projects coming up?
(Cymphonique) Honestly its never just the songs and videos. There’s so many steps. You get to see me working with Shane Sparks which is like a super, super blessing. He’s one of the best choreographers. And, I mean, just to make a music video there’s got to be rehearsals. You’ve got to come up with story lines, all this stuff. So the main project is my next mixtape which is called “Passion”. And I’m excited to share that with everyone.
(Nathacha) I want to know what your fans should look forward to from you this season?
(Egypt Criss of Growing Up Hip Hop) Definitely, you should see me working really hard trying to make a big name for myself. Not just being known as you Treach and Pepa’s daughter, but as Egypt Criss. Really focusing on my dreams and following my heart.
(Nathacha) Do you have any upcoming project aside from the show?
(Egypt) I went into the studio and recorded a song called “Our Time”. I’m still figuring out a release date, but just look out for it. It’s really DOPE. It’s about trying to get to where you are and finally getting to be there.
(Nathacha) What should your fans look forward to this season?
(Andre King of Growing Up Hip Hop) The fans should look forward to just realness. Tears, heart, pain. Like, just my realness. Just so much love, parties, events, the lifestyle. Everything.
(Nathacha) Do you have any exciting projects coming up aside from the show?
(Andre) Oh man! So many projects. Literally! I’m working on a clothing line, jewelry line, I have movie projects. I have so many great things. Literally! I’m so blessed to be able to wake up and live a dream, do my dream, have a passion and just be rocking out. I’m so blessed.
(Nathacha) How does it feel to have raised such successful, talented children?
(Master P of Growing Up Hip Hop) It feels good, because with my kids I feel like they have seen a lot, they understand the importance of this and they never changed with it. They never got caught up into what’s going on. They always stayed focused and we put God first, family, then education. Education plays a big role, so all my kids are educated. I want them to be better than me.
(Nathacha) If you could give any advice to any up and coming artist, one who aspires to be like you, what would that be?
(Master P) Don’t chase money. Chase your dreams.
