00:00 So this one was one of a few stories
00:02 that we had looked at to develop.
00:04 But when you look at Lance's life
00:06 and who he was back at a time where, you know,
00:09 the tech industry was burgeoning.
00:13 And here he was this major player in that space,
00:17 you know, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist,
00:20 but also this really big ladies' man.
00:23 He was a local celebrity,
00:26 but he had his reputation for being a ladies' man
00:30 was as big as his reputation for being a businessman.
00:33 And to have been so brutally murdered,
00:36 it was one of those cases that shocked,
00:38 you know, Atlanta at the time.
00:40 - Trip is getting kind of suspicious about us
00:42 and he would kill you if he ever found out.
00:44 - Or his business partners.
00:45 - Millions slip from your fingers.
00:47 Now that Lance is dead, it's all yours again.
00:50 - And where were you last night?
00:51 Time is of the essence.
00:55 (upbeat music)
00:58 - So Mona, can you tell me something?
01:02 You're literally one of the most accomplished individuals
01:05 in the entertainment industry.
01:06 You've done so much.
01:08 - Thank you.
01:08 - And I just wanted to know at this point in your career,
01:11 how do you decide what to attach yourself to
01:13 and what endeavors to put your energy towards?
01:16 - Anything that is different than what I was doing before.
01:21 You know, I'm constantly trying to find areas,
01:23 not only to grow the business into,
01:25 but my own kind of personal skills and aspirations.
01:29 Scripted was that for me, moving from unscripted,
01:34 you know, prior to that,
01:35 going from music into television to begin with.
01:39 So for me, anything that allows me to flex, you know,
01:42 my skills and learn new things
01:44 and branch into different areas.
01:46 - And I know nowadays,
01:49 and it's been like that for a while too,
01:50 a lot of people, they want to be in front of the camera
01:53 or they want the spotlight.
01:55 You, on the other hand,
01:56 you've kind of made a career behind the scenes,
01:58 you know, in executive production, everything like that.
02:03 What do you attribute that character trait to?
02:04 Why were you always so,
02:06 why does pushing and highlighting other people
02:09 so fulfilling to you?
02:10 - You know, I think it comes from being a manager, right?
02:13 I learned early on that I had the ability
02:16 to put pieces together and to help, you know,
02:18 create full pictures or to bring projects to fruition.
02:23 And that is something that I enjoy doing.
02:26 I love seeing the finished product,
02:28 whether it's an album, a TV show, a movie.
02:32 And I am comfortable, like,
02:35 just being that person that helps the pieces come together.
02:39 I've also, you know, ventured in front of the camera
02:42 when it made sense.
02:43 It's nothing that I, you know,
02:44 kind of aspire to or nothing that I'm pursuing actively,
02:48 but it's the kind of thing where if an opportunity
02:51 presents itself, I'm down.
02:54 - So I want to go back to the management aspect
02:57 of your career, you know.
02:58 Your work you did with Violator
03:00 and, you know, your love and hip hop franchise.
03:03 I think that you've given so much to hip hop culture,
03:06 but with this year being the 50th anniversary of hip hop,
03:10 what do you think hip hop has given to you
03:12 and what does hip hop mean to you?
03:15 - Oh my God, I've talked about this so much.
03:17 It has been the most amazing ride for me, right?
03:21 To have been a part of the music,
03:25 a part of these incredible careers.
03:28 This year, you know, I kind of took a step back into it
03:32 when I started working with a young artist
03:35 by the name of Scarlet.
03:36 And so it has allowed me to kind of see the changes
03:40 that have happened, you know, over the course of time
03:43 since I was in it.
03:45 I still work with Missy this year.
03:47 She's being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
03:50 Busta, who I'm still very close to,
03:52 is enjoying this amazing renaissance in his career,
03:56 finally, you know,
03:57 having received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
03:59 So it's been gratifying to see, you know,
04:03 all of the celebrations,
04:04 all of the artists who have been celebrated
04:07 and to, you know, have an opportunity to help usher in
04:12 a new generation of talent with Scarlet.
04:16 So how do you feel about the representation
04:18 of Black women in hip hop today?
04:19 I mean, I think they're killing it, right?
04:22 If you look at it, they're stronger than ever.
04:24 There's so much camaraderie going on right now.
04:28 Glorilla brought Scarlet out on stage.
04:30 You know, Missy has been a champion, you know,
04:33 for female artists.
04:34 So we're seeing this group of empowered women
04:38 out there making music,
04:39 I think in numbers that we haven't seen in a very long time.
04:44 So I actually want to talk about your transition into film.
04:48 You've done so much in the television realm.
04:51 How do you feel?
04:52 Like, are you excited?
04:53 Is there pressure?
04:54 Is it anticipation?
04:56 How are you feeling about this new endeavor?
04:58 It's so funny 'cause I made this kind of conscious decision
05:03 to focus on expanding on our scripted content.
05:06 We put out a movie with BET+ called "B-Boy Blues"
05:11 that was kind of our first official project.
05:14 And then we developed this project for a number of years
05:18 with Swirl Films and with BET.
05:20 And this is what I hope will be a series
05:23 under the "Love and Murder" banner.
05:25 I've got another project that, you know,
05:28 we are in post-production finishing stage
05:31 with Jussie Smollett, Supermassive Media,
05:34 and Tressa, you know, who has a company called Megamind.
05:38 We are putting together this project.
05:41 So it's an exciting time.
05:42 It's an opportunity to, you know,
05:44 do something that is going to expand not only my business,
05:48 but like I said before, what I want to do personally,
05:51 but of course, did it right as, you know, the strike happened.
05:55 So it slowed down our efforts some,
05:58 mainly because we, you know, wanted to stand in solidarity
06:02 with the writers and the actors.
06:03 And so we've kind of halted our development,
06:06 but I'm excited to get the wheels turning again.
06:10 And look forward to hopefully having the opportunity
06:14 to make an impact in the scripted space,
06:16 like I was able to do in music and in television.
06:19 - So with that, your new film series, "Love and Murder."
06:22 - Yes.
06:23 - Can you actually talk to me about what was the process
06:26 in putting that together?
06:27 And what was it about the story of Lance Herndon
06:30 that intrigued you to make this?
06:31 - Larissa Bates at BET wanted to do something
06:36 in the passion thriller space, right?
06:38 Finding stories that were salacious
06:42 and that had the element of murder,
06:45 all of the topics that we know resonate, right?
06:48 Love and murder.
06:50 So this one was one of a few stories
06:52 that we had looked at to develop.
06:54 But when you look at Lance's life
06:56 and who he was back at a time where, you know,
06:59 the tech industry was burgeoning
07:03 and here he was this major player in that space,
07:07 you know, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist,
07:10 but also this really big ladies' man.
07:13 He was a local celebrity,
07:16 but he had his reputation for being a ladies' man
07:20 was as big as his reputation for being a businessman.
07:23 And to have been so brutally murdered,
07:26 it was one of those cases that shocked,
07:28 you know, Atlanta at the time.
07:30 And so in looking at the different stories,
07:33 that would just check so many boxes, right?
07:35 It was like Atlanta, which is an amazing backdrop, right?
07:38 The culture, the city of Atlanta.
07:41 It was, you know, this man who had all of these women,
07:44 any one of them could have done it.
07:46 And even though a lot of the elements of his story
07:48 were easily Google-able, right?
07:51 It still had this element of mystery about it
07:55 because who knows?
07:58 So we wanted to kind of dive into that, play with that,
08:03 walk the line between all of the elements
08:05 that were true to his life,
08:06 but making a compelling and entertaining, you know, project.
08:11 So broke it up into two parts,
08:13 but we're hoping that this is one in a series of many.
08:15 - So with all of these things and projects and endeavors
08:20 and accomplishments that you've had in your career
08:22 and your life, how has motherhood affected your journey,
08:27 your career, in your opinion?
08:29 - I mean, I always say it's the greatest accomplishment,
08:32 to see my son finding his way in life.
08:36 He's incredibly talented.
08:38 My daughter who is in college now,
08:41 who is, you know, probably next in line
08:46 to inherit the throne,
08:48 'cause she definitely is very strong-willed
08:50 when it comes to business.
08:51 It's for me, a source of tremendous pride
08:56 and it's a motivation.
08:58 That's the whole reason every day
09:00 to not only, you know, be able to set an example for them,
09:03 but to leave a legacy.
09:04 - Speaking of legacy, so what,
09:07 and this is actually my final question.
09:09 When you decide to end your career,
09:12 whatever that looks like for you,
09:14 - Yeah.
09:15 (laughs)
09:17 - What do you want the legacy of Mauda Scott Young to be?
09:20 - I mean, she lived, she was here, she made a difference.
09:23 She made an impact.
09:24 You know, I'd like to think that there were opportunities
09:29 that were afforded to, you know, many people
09:31 to then go forth and do whatever it is that, you know,
09:34 they felt they wanted to do it with,
09:35 but it's to be a stepping stone, right?
09:37 To be a bridge.
09:38 And I think when I look back on what I've done in music,
09:43 what I've done in television,
09:44 I'd like to think that I did that.
09:47 And so that's for me, the legacy, to be of service.
09:50 - Ramona, thank you so much.
09:53 I appreciate you.
09:54 That's all I have for you guys.
09:55 - Ah, thank you.
09:57 Thank you very much.
09:58 Don't forget to tell folks to tune in.
10:00 - Of course.
10:00 - Yeah, you know, this project is going up tomorrow,
10:04 part two, so hopefully folks enjoy it and tune in.
10:07 - All right, thank y'all.
10:08 I appreciate you.
10:09 (upbeat music)
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