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On this week's episode, K. Michelle dishes on her new album and whether or not she's coming back to Love & Hip Hop, Mona Scott Young sounds off on criticism of LAHH and whether or not reality TV is really real, Angela Bassett reveals details behind h
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00:01Today on Essence Live, Kay Michelle is here and ready to take on your questions,
00:06more of the star-studded action from our Black Women in Hollywood event,
00:09and we're going to talk to the queen of reality TV, Miss Mona Scott Young.
00:13But right now, it's the hot list, the biggest stories you're buzzing about today.
00:20All right now, y'all, we love the Internet.
00:22I mean, seriously, when life has me low,
00:24there is nothing I love more than a good hashtag or a meme.
00:27And today's hashtag, white people invited us to the cookout,
00:30has given me all types of life.
00:32At Alyssa underscore Sibley said,
00:34Derrick from Cheetah Girls can come.
00:36Raven got to stay home, though.
00:38At Fats McGee wants one of the presidential candidates to come.
00:42She tweeted,
00:43My man Bernie earned his seat in the 60s.
00:45He been at the cookout.
00:47And even our favorite white people are getting in on the fun comedian Gary Owen said,
00:51I've been invited to so many cookouts.
00:53I don't think I could make them all.
00:57Now, they may not have nabbed Oscars yet,
01:00but you can score another win for film directors Ava DuVernay and Ryan Coogler.
01:04Their Justice for Flint rally raised $145,000 for the Flint water crisis.
01:09And if you missed the show, no worries.
01:11You can still give back through website actblue.com.
01:14All right now, the dispute between Melissa Harris Perry and MSNBC is getting ugly.
01:22Now that her show has been terminated, the TV host said she refuses to abide by the network's gag order.
01:27She told CNN Money,
01:29I told my team we can't allow our own show to go off air and then provide racial cover by having me continue to host the show.
01:35So people see the little black girl up there.
01:38She also unleashed a series of scathing tweets, which culminated in a gif of this.
01:42All right now, we finally have our first real look at Zoe Saldana in the upcoming Nina Simone biopic.
01:54And I'm just going to leave this one to Twitter.
01:56Here we go.
01:57At Terry J. Benton said,
01:58So every dark skinned black actress of reasonable talent was booked and unavailable.
02:03Every single one.
02:05And at Jelani Shot Disagreed.
02:07Man, they really got Zoe Saldana looking like melted clay for this Nina Simone movie.
02:12But it's Nina Simone's estate for the win.
02:14They tweeted at Zoe Saldana.
02:16Cool story.
02:17But please take Nina's name out of your mouth for the rest of your life.
02:20I guess they told her.
02:23But when it comes to black women and our images in the media, we are very particular.
02:27And nobody, we mean nobody, gets taken to task more for their depiction of black women than today's guests.
02:33Kay Michelle and Mona Scott Young are in our studio next to discuss the good, the bad, maybe not so ugly of reality TV.
02:40It's Thursday, March 3rd, and Essence Live starts now.
02:52Welcome, welcome, welcome.
02:53What's up to Essence Live?
02:54I'm your host, Dana Blair.
02:55We always ask you to chime in via social media, phone calls, emails, join our conversations.
03:00And this time you showed up and showed out.
03:03So today you are interviewing my first guest.
03:05That's right.
03:06She'll be answering all of your questions right here on Essence Live.
03:08And in case you want to follow along with your Twitter fingers, use the hashtag Essence Live.
03:12Or you can just go ahead and save our email address into your phone, Essence Live at Essence.com.
03:17All right.
03:18Let's get started.
03:19Her latest album is called More Issues Than Vogue.
03:21And she is known for discussing all her issues, love lives, Twitter beats, and more.
03:25Not one, but two.
03:27I said two hit reality shows.
03:28Please welcome my girl Kay Michelle.
03:30Hello.
03:31Hello.
03:32You're absolutely beautiful.
03:33I'm loving this due on you.
03:35How are you feeling?
03:36I'm great.
03:37Just working a lot.
03:38And that's a good thing.
03:39Yes.
03:40That's a good thing.
03:41A lot of passion projects.
03:42Are you ready to answer some of the questions from the fans?
03:43Yes.
03:44Let's answer them.
03:45I promise they're good ones.
03:46They're good ones.
03:47All right.
03:48So we have a phone caller.
03:49Caller, what's your name?
03:50And where are you calling from?
03:51Jarius and Stafford Virginia.
03:53Hi, Jarius.
03:54Thank you so much for calling in.
03:55What is your question for Kay Michelle?
03:57My question is, are you returning back to Love & Hip Hop Atlanta?
04:02Because these last two seasons have been born without you.
04:06Oh.
04:07Oh.
04:08All right.
04:09So you coming back to Love & Hip Hop ATL?
04:10I'm coming.
04:11I'll be like in and out.
04:13Okay.
04:14But no, like I've been like working.
04:16I've been doing the album.
04:17I've been on the road.
04:18So I haven't really been able to do a lot of filming.
04:21Do you keep seeing me pop in and out?
04:23Do you keep in touch with a lot of your cast mates in Atlanta?
04:26I speak with Jocelyn.
04:28I speak with Carly here and there.
04:31But that's about it.
04:32All right.
04:33Yeah.
04:34Okay.
04:35Well, we'll keep our eyes peeled for you.
04:36Thank you so much, caller, for coming in.
04:37All right.
04:38So we have some more questions.
04:39All right.
04:40So we have a couple that are going to pop up on our monitor here.
04:42Our first one is going to be a zoozy, I believe.
04:45At Crazy Queen Char, what is your favorite song on the new album?
04:49Ooh.
04:50I could say my favorite song on the new album is a song called I Love The Life I Chose.
04:56That's a powerful title.
04:57Yeah, it's just basically talking about like the different things I've gone through in
05:02my life and, you know, I'm not complaining about them.
05:05And, you know, I'm proud of these things.
05:07So just the musicality behind the record, the feel of the record, the lyrics.
05:11I could say that's my favorite record.
05:13Okay.
05:14Awesome.
05:15All right.
05:16At Chris 9-4, did your label let you do the kind of music you wanted to this time?
05:22Yes, I think they did.
05:24I, we kind of balanced a lot of things out.
05:28Um, I'm always writing and doing different things, different genres, different sounds,
05:33things like that.
05:34So I was able to, you know, blend a lot of different sounds.
05:38But also, I'm also putting out after this, like a country EP.
05:42Oh, wow.
05:43Okay.
05:44Well, that's something I've always wanted to do.
05:45But this album actually was like a great blend of what they wanted, the fans wanted,
05:51and just overall, just who I am as a musician.
05:54Do you feel sometimes that you're restricted because we know you for having such a strong
05:58voice that you're restricted just to a certain sound?
06:01I feel like African American women, period, in the music industry are restricted right
06:06now.
06:07You know, um, we're told, you know, we sing ballads, we're sent to Urban AC, and nothing's
06:13wrong with Urban AC, but that's a smaller, you know.
06:16Smaller market.
06:17Yeah, market of people hearing you, you know.
06:19But if others sing ballads, you know, they go to top 40.
06:23Mm-hmm.
06:24So, I feel like every African American woman, you know, who's singing soul or anything kind
06:30of meaning, it's kind of hot.
06:32It's pigeonholed.
06:33Yeah.
06:34All right.
06:35Our next fan question, Diva-licious 09.
06:36Okay, with the name Diva-licious.
06:38What would be your goals in music before you decide to retire?
06:42I would say my goal would be just to, you know, completely be free.
06:47I really think I've achieved that goal, this album, because I didn't really think much about,
06:54oh, you can't do this, or what are they going to think about this?
06:57I really was just singing.
06:58Mm-hmm.
06:59So, I think my ultimate goal is just, like, freedom and being in my artistry, and not
07:04allowing people to tell me what I should hear, what I should sing.
07:08That has been my ultimate goal, and I think I know I've achieved it, this album.
07:12That's awesome.
07:13Do you ever think about retiring?
07:14Yes.
07:15What that moment may look like for you?
07:17Yes.
07:18All the time, I'm like, this is my last album.
07:20You know, I'm going to do the country EP, but, like, my businesses and different things
07:26have really, they keep me really, really, really busy.
07:29Mm-hmm.
07:30And I love music.
07:31You know, Atlantic just gave me a label.
07:33Congratulations.
07:34So, I'm able to sign artists to Atlantic.
07:36So, you'll be hearing more about that.
07:38So, with all of that, it just, you know, it keeps you busy.
07:42My restaurant is opening up in Atlanta.
07:44I get it.
07:45Okay.
07:46I'm the first African American to have a Jack Daniels endorsement.
07:49I have my own drink coming out through them.
07:51It's just so much.
07:52Mm-hmm.
07:53So, I have a love for all of these things.
07:54Mm-hmm.
07:55So, you know, albums take up so much time because I'm not going to put out anything.
07:59Right.
08:00It has to be a great body of work.
08:01Mm-hmm.
08:02So, after this album, I'm probably going to take, you know, a little break because I have
08:06so much going on and I'm going to tour on this album.
08:09Mm-hmm.
08:10There'll be about four to five singles off of this album.
08:12Okay.
08:13So, the album will be out through the year.
08:15Okay.
08:16So, I'll probably take about, I don't know, about six, seven months off after that.
08:21All right.
08:22Well, y'all heard it here on the SMS Live.
08:23The KM Show got a takeover that's happening.
08:24Yes.
08:25So, more fan questions.
08:26Next up, we have Shea Hinton.
08:28Are you interested in doing movies?
08:30Yes, I am.
08:31I'm very interested in doing movies.
08:33I have some things coming up that we've been working on and you'll get to see that.
08:39Are you a comedian?
08:40A dramatic actress?
08:41What kind of actress?
08:42You know what?
08:43I'm great at comedy on accident.
08:46You are funny.
08:47You are funny.
08:48You know, the truth can be really funny.
08:51Mm-hmm.
08:52And people have to understand that.
08:54But also, I want to get into roles that people wouldn't necessarily think that I would do.
08:59Mm-hmm.
09:00So, when I've been with ICM, my agency, it's been more about, there's been, like, different things, you know, I won't read for and take.
09:06Because I really want to challenge myself and show other things that I can do.
09:11And everybody is running the acting and they're taking this thing here and this little thing here and doing it.
09:17It just has to be the right thing.
09:19I want to make a real statement, even with my first role.
09:22So, that's what's been going on with me now.
09:24All right.
09:25Awesome.
09:26So, now the fans want to get a little personal.
09:27Yeah.
09:28Here's our next one.
09:29Lynette Simmons, do you go to church and how often do you go?
09:32Oh, my God.
09:33I do believe in God and I go to church, but I'm never home.
09:36Okay.
09:37Always Sundays are my travel days.
09:41Mm-hmm.
09:42It's like when I'm traveling back, you know, to one of my homes.
09:45It's always that.
09:46So, I have to constantly, like in my purse, it's constantly this big white Bible in there.
09:51Mm-hmm.
09:52I keep that.
09:53You know, I try to watch church online when I can.
09:55Mm-hmm.
09:56But I'm traveling.
09:57There's really never been a Sunday, almost, in about two years that I wasn't traveling on a Sunday.
10:03All right.
10:04Next up.
10:05Yeah.
10:06Sylvia Grace.
10:07Are you afraid that your son may see and hear the things you say and do on your show?
10:10What will you tell him when he comes to you?
10:12Oh, my son is like my little friend.
10:15Like, he's very much aware, you know, he's very much aware of the things around him, like politics.
10:22I'm voting for a certain person.
10:24He feels like if he could vote, he would vote for a certain person.
10:27Mm-hmm.
10:28My son has a mind of his own.
10:29And I've always raised him to be very, you know, much open and aware of the issues in the world.
10:36Mm-hmm.
10:37As his mother, I don't advise him to go and do everything that I've done or take things like that.
10:44I do advise him to go and make smart decisions.
10:47Mm-hmm.
10:48So, when you have a relationship like that with your child, you're able to speak to them on another level.
10:54Another level, yeah.
10:55Like, you know, I keep him respectable.
10:56I let him know I'm the mother.
10:57Mm-hmm.
10:58But we do have a relationship that is, you know, very open.
11:02Like, he might not tell his grandmother something, but he always is going to tell me.
11:07He won't tell his father something, but...
11:09But that's okay.
11:10Yeah, but he will come and tell me.
11:12You know, he'll say, Mom, this is what happened.
11:15Mm-hmm.
11:16And that's really what I talk to him about.
11:18He's not even into my show, though, which is really crazy.
11:21Like, yeah, he's so, like, he tells his friends, that's my mom when he's trying to be cool.
11:26Mm-hmm.
11:27But other than that, he doesn't sit there and watch it.
11:29He's not into it.
11:30Okay, well, they say I have time for one more.
11:32Mm-hmm.
11:33Tiffany says, what would you name your daughter if you have one in the future?
11:37Oh, you guys are going to laugh.
11:40Um, if I had a daughter, I would name her Rainbow.
11:43Okay.
11:44Like on Black-ish.
11:45All right, and our last one, I'm sorry, is a quick comment that we have.
11:48Let's see what we got here at Essence Live.
11:50Envy Brooks says, okay, girl, you're the queen of shade.
11:53I live for your type of petty.
11:54Thank you for the laughs.
11:56Well, see, again, talking about that sense of humor.
11:58You know, they get so mad.
12:00Like, to me, it's fun.
12:02Like, it's really funny.
12:03I was that little girl, like, in Memphis, we crack jokes, like, the dozen and things like that.
12:08Uh-huh.
12:09So I was that little girl, like, in school, like, cracking the jokes and doing stuff.
12:14So with people, they might be in a full-fledged beef with me, but I'm really laughing.
12:18It's okay.
12:19It's okay.
12:20Like, I'm thinking it's hilarious because I'm just good at it and it's really fun.
12:23And so, I'm cracking jokes.
12:25I consider myself like a comedian when it comes to that.
12:28So it makes people laugh.
12:29I'm laughing and I'm like, girl, get over it.
12:31It's funny.
12:32That's all that matters.
12:33At Essence Festival, it's coming right around the corner.
12:35Fourth of July weekend.
12:36We just announced that we have Mariah Carey joining the lineup.
12:38Kendrick Lamar, they're also confirmed.
12:40Anybody looking forward to seeing this year and why?
12:42Um, I love Mariah.
12:44Like, you have to see Mariah.
12:46Like, Mariah's who you looked up to, you know, as a little girl.
12:49I just remember my first experience on the main stage at Essence.
12:53Um, it was just amazing.
12:55You know, Essence is a movement.
12:57Essence, the whole, you know, time there is about music and good food.
13:03So I'm there for the music, the food and Mariah.
13:06Yes.
13:07All right.
13:08Well, there you have it.
13:09Thank you so much for coming by.
13:11Anytime.
13:12Our time is way too short.
13:13I have so much I want to talk about.
13:15You go out and buy it.
13:16Coming up, we speak to her former Love & Hip Hop boss, Miss Mona Scott Young.
13:19Don't go anywhere.
13:20It's going to be juicy.
13:21But first, if you missed our Black Women in Hollywood event, you missed a lot.
13:25Check it out.
13:26What are we right now?
13:30My girl, Kiki Palmer.
13:31How are you?
13:32Oh my God, so good to see you.
13:33It is so good to see you.
13:34You look beautiful.
13:35I'm almost, I'm almost there.
13:36I'm almost there.
13:37Look at that.
13:38Look at that.
13:39You look absolutely fabulous.
13:40What's the hair change?
13:41You know, well, when I first cut my hair, I cut it when I did Cinderella.
13:45And I love, love, love the pixie.
13:47And then I just wanted to go one step further with that freedom I was feeling from cutting
13:50my hair off.
13:51You know, being an entertainer and all the hair, different choices that you're forced
13:54to do with your, with your acting.
13:56I just felt so relieved to be able to do something and make a choice on my own about
13:59what I want to look like.
14:00Do you think you're ever going to go all the way ballsy?
14:03I think I will actually.
14:04What?
14:05Yeah, I can definitely feel that coming on soon.
14:06Yes, for sure.
14:07Go ahead.
14:08Oh, I'm doing Dreamgirls on the West End in London.
14:11And my whole entire family is flying out there.
14:14I'm really excited.
14:15I'm flying out there.
14:16Yeah.
14:17I'm really excited.
14:18Tell me a little bit about this film you had at Sundance, right?
14:20Yeah.
14:21That like kicked butt and everybody's talking about filming on that.
14:23Oh man, South Side With You got, it just got bought by Miramax Roadside.
14:27That's amazing.
14:28So everybody's going to get to see it and I'm excited about that.
14:30John Legend's one of the producers and I'm a producer on it as well.
14:34And it's about the first date of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson.
14:37I love that.
14:38So you get to see all the conversations that might have taken place.
14:41A lot of it's pulled from public domain, but like, it's a love story.
14:45And I'm really excited for people to see it.
14:47Debbie's been a personal mentor of mine for the last almost 30 years.
14:50She paid for my senior year at Howard University.
14:52Wow.
14:53I'm the first recipient of the Debbie Allen Fellowship Scholarship.
14:56See, that's a great story.
14:57All of the work that she's done and the lives that she's changed.
15:01It's amazing.
15:02Especially mine.
15:03It's awesome.
15:04Now talk to us about some of your upcoming projects.
15:06I know I've seen you lately.
15:07Well, I'm doing a little bit of power.
15:09I'm like, I've seen you lately.
15:11Yes, power.
15:12Which I'm very, very excited about.
15:14It's a very different role for me.
15:15And so that'll start.
15:16When does the season start?
15:17June?
15:18July?
15:19July.
15:20So that'll start then.
15:21I'm in Roots.
15:22I'm playing Kizzy.
15:23And that will come out on Memorial Day, I think, in May.
15:26That's amazing.
15:27So excited.
15:28That's exciting.
15:29And I'm just, I'm purchasing rights to books and just trying to do some different things
15:34that come from another angle.
15:36I had actually auditioned for the role of Chris Darden.
15:39Out of the blue, I got a call asking me to play the role of AC.
15:43Hey, this is Malcolm and Jamal Warner, and you are watching Essence Live.
15:50You are watching Essence Live.
15:53I'm your host, Dana Blair.
15:54Joining me now is a woman whose television shows have been dominating your Monday nights
15:58for a few years now.
15:59Please welcome to Essence Live, love and hip hop creator, Mona Scott Young.
16:02Hi.
16:03I am in heaven right now.
16:06Are you really?
16:07I totally am.
16:08From a creative perspective, from a business perspective, you are someone I've wanted to
16:11sit down with for a long time.
16:12Welcome to Essence Live.
16:13Thank you so much.
16:14I'm so happy to be here.
16:15I have to jump right into it.
16:17You're a woman that many love to hate in terms of you're telling a story that some feel a
16:21certain way about it, but you have millions of people who are now addicted to all of your
16:26franchises.
16:27How do you feel about that?
16:29You know, you're right.
16:30Right.
16:31There is a love-hate relationship with the franchise.
16:33I hope it doesn't extend to the relationship with me, but I understand sometimes they shoot
16:37the messenger.
16:38Right.
16:39I think people are drawn to the show because they recognize the stories.
16:43They recognize the people.
16:45And sometimes what we're seeing is not always exactly how we'd like ourselves to be portrayed.
16:50And so it's easy enough to just say, ah, this is horrible, but I can't stop watching
16:55it.
16:56But it's real.
16:57It's real.
16:58I mean, you know, there's so much, I guess, questions, controversy around whether or not
17:03it is real, right?
17:04We're not making up anything that's happening in their lives.
17:07We're not making up any of the circumstances that you're seeing play out on the show.
17:11What we do is we put it within the construct of a production calendar, of a production schedule.
17:17You know, where in real life you might say, I'm never talking to you again.
17:20And then you can actually walk away and never talk to that person again.
17:23When you're shooting a show, you've signed on to be part of an ensemble cast.
17:27We're talking to them on Tuesday.
17:28Yeah, you got to come back and talk to them again on Tuesday.
17:30Exactly.
17:31So Peter Gunz has said before that, you know, maybe he and, say, Tara have had a conversation.
17:36Mm-hmm.
17:37The conversations were real, but you had them reenact or different things.
17:40Absolutely.
17:41Because everything that you see on the show is based on what they tell us.
17:44Got you.
17:45Right?
17:46So when the people go, you know, they made me do, well, I wouldn't have even known this
17:48was happening had you not shared this information with us.
17:51True.
17:52So we have a group of APs that are every day talking to the talent, especially after scenes.
17:56How do you feel about that?
17:57Mm-hmm.
17:58And when they give us information about certain things, like, you're not going to believe
18:01the conversation we had last night.
18:03Mm-hmm.
18:04Oh, we're like, well, we need that conversation because it's going to connect the dots for
18:06us on the story we've been telling.
18:08So we recreate the conversation.
18:10That's right.
18:11I always say, you know, we don't fabricate, but we do recreate.
18:14Has anyone ever said anything where you ever read a comment and it made you take pause,
18:19like step back, but it affected you and maybe your approach?
18:22Um, well, not necessarily my approach, but certainly has affected me.
18:26I'm human.
18:27Mm-hmm.
18:28The things that they say can be pretty, um, vile.
18:32You know, I've had people say things about my children and, you know, I have a 12-year-old
18:37daughter and my son is a teenager.
18:39You know, he's actually in college now.
18:41He's 18.
18:42But, you know, they read social media.
18:43They see the comments that are being made.
18:45Mm-hmm.
18:46You know, sometimes that stuff can be hurtful in the sense that I know that it may hurt
18:51someone that I care about.
18:52Right, right.
18:53Um, but I stopped taking it to heart a very long time ago, mainly because I know it doesn't
18:58reflect who I truly am.
18:59Do you feel there might be a double standard in the industry?
19:02And I say this because if you look at, say, a Bravo and Andy Cohen, some of their, um,
19:06I don't want to call them characters, castmates, if you will, for some of their franchises,
19:10find themselves in very similar situations, you know, whether it's physical altercation or
19:14back and forth spats, but they're, they're not necessarily painted in the same light
19:18as you.
19:19Yeah.
19:20Well, I mean, listen, we could talk about that all day because yes, absolutely.
19:23I feel that there's a different standard that I'm held to.
19:25And I understand and accept the role that I have, you know, as a black woman, but I'm
19:31also a black business woman and I'm doing business much like, you know, my counterparts
19:36who aren't held to those same, you know, strict standards, you know, but what I also say
19:40all the time is that when you're talking about love and hip hop in this very specific world,
19:44and the people who navigate this world, right, they have their experience who have shaped
19:48who they are.
19:49Right.
19:50And that determines how they react to situations, how they, you know, express themselves.
19:54Much different from a doctor, lawyer, Indian chief, right?
19:57Valid point.
19:58Very valid point.
19:59And so you have got to take it in the context of the world that they're navigating.
20:03It may not be the way you are, and I communicate the way we resolve, you know, tensions or conflicts,
20:09but there is a certain sense of judgment that I, you know, probably take the most offense
20:14to.
20:15When I think about the backlash or the criticisms of the show, it all comes from this very judgmental
20:20place.
20:21And I think that there are like, you know, I say it all the time until I'm blue in the
20:24face.
20:25I'm blue in the face.
20:26There are tons of shows that people can watch who depict, that depict different backdrops
20:30and different lifestyles, right?
20:31Love and hip hop is one.
20:32Leave them alone.
20:33This is, you know, the world that they know, the way that they navigate their world.
20:37They have every much right to be here as you and I do.
20:42Let's talk casting.
20:43Your love and hip hop.
20:44It seems that we're not seeing much love in terms of like stable relationships.
20:49Well, don't say that.
20:50We had two phenomenal weddings, two seasons in a row.
20:54Yandy and Mendeecy.
20:55That was a love story bar none.
20:58They're my new standard for love.
21:00Yeah.
21:01And Remy and Pap, that story just, you know, when I first met Remy, because I'd known
21:07Pap for quite some time when he was much younger, the circumstances surrounding their courtship
21:14and their subsequent marriage and having to get married over the phone while she was in jail.
21:19And listen, there are things that we didn't even have a chance, a chance to touch on in
21:23the story that I think speaks to tremendous love and sacrifice.
21:27He raised her child, her child that she had with another man.
21:31You know, I'm here on the show and just to see on camera as well as off, just their love
21:35and that connection they seem to have.
21:37It's like my new standard.
21:38Absolutely.
21:39So it's like I vehemently disagree when you say there's not much love, you know, absolutely wrong.
21:45I think there's a lot of love.
21:47I think that love comes in different packages for different people.
21:50And I think maybe there's not our, you know, standardized notion of what love is supposed to be.
21:57But again, I think you're talking about people who have had certain experiences to draw from.
22:03Has there ever been a circumstance, something that's come up where you said, you know what,
22:06we're not going to put this on on camera.
22:08This is I think this is too far.
22:09This is something you may regret later.
22:11Have you ever had to reel them back in, if you will?
22:14Well, what I'll say is that there's a fine line, right?
22:17Because there is the relationship that I have with them.
22:19And, you know, I love the fact that they feel like they can talk to me about, you know, most anything.
22:25But there's also a contract that we make in essence.
22:29And I'm not talking about the deal contract.
22:31I'm talking about the fact that it's like if you're going to do this and this all happens way before they sign the deal,
22:35I'm just like be very clear about whether or not this is something that you're prepared to do.
22:42One, because of how much of yourself is going to be expected.
22:46And then two, because of the judgment and the backlash and the critique that comes with being on reality television.
22:53Once, you know, that line is crossed, I think there's always this understanding on all sides that I committed to this.
23:00I agreed to do this.
23:01I've got to see it through to the end.
23:03Sure.
23:04There have been times where we've talked about like, whoa, I don't believe that this is what's going on right now.
23:09You know, but I think there's also the understanding that I have signed on to share my life.
23:16And this is part of my life and what's happening.
23:19And I'm being an open book.
23:20Being an open book.
23:21You know, what comes to mind is Mimi with the sex tape.
23:23Right.
23:24You know, we had a lot of conversation about that.
23:26Like, you do understand what and she was just like, I know what I signed up for.
23:31Did you know about it beforehand?
23:32The sex tape?
23:33I mean, I found out about the sex tape right as we were shooting.
23:35Wow.
23:36When we started getting, you know, the information.
23:38And that's, you know, when I had the conversation with her.
23:42But at that point, we're in production.
23:44She's already made the commitment to, you know, share and bear her life.
23:48Right.
23:49But it was more just talking through what that's going to mean.
23:52And, you know, she had a lot of trepidation because, of course, knowing that she has a daughter.
23:57Right.
23:58So it wasn't a publicity stunt from your point of view.
24:00Or was it?
24:01I don't know.
24:02It's hard.
24:03I'd be passing judgment now, wouldn't I?
24:04Okay.
24:05If I commented on that.
24:06Do you think you'll transition into scripted work or?
24:09Absolutely.
24:10What's next for Mona Scott?
24:11I mean, absolutely.
24:12There are so many things.
24:13What I did after leaving, you know, my management business and moving into this company was created
24:20a platform where I had the freedom to explore different parts of entertainment.
24:26It wasn't necessarily limited to television or to production.
24:30Okay.
24:31So, you know, the Love & Hip Hop franchise took off tremendously, but I have so many other things,
24:35so many other business ventures.
24:37Of course, Mixfusion's Masato, which, you know, everyone is familiar with, I hope.
24:42But it's doing extremely well.
24:43I have a jewelry collection coming out.
24:46I partnered with Simone Smith, Ella Colge's wife, and she has her sixth jewelry line.
24:52So we are doing an MSY collection, and at the center of that is, you know, the Empowering, which is, you know, the rings are always kind of my signature pieces.
25:01So we're doing that, and I've got, you know, a publishing entity where I'm trying to meld the worlds of social content and reading, so it becomes almost a social reading experience.
25:13You are a pretty woman.
25:14Well, you know, I have a lot of things that I want to do before I kick the bucket.
25:17My bucket's like a tub, and I've got a lot to check off.
25:20What's one piece of advice, if you will, a business tip that you may have for anyone in our Essence Live audience that's looking to maybe be an entrepreneur or step into, this seems to be your purpose.
25:32This seems to be what you're destined to do, step into what they feel they may be destined to do.
25:35It's interesting.
25:36The one piece of advice that I live by came from an American Airlines catalog on the plane, right?
25:44And I think his name is Howard Karras, but he is this businessman who does these seminars.
25:50Okay.
25:51And there was this quote that said, in life, you don't get what you deserve.
25:55You get what you negotiate.
25:57I love that.
25:58And I always followed that because I realized that a lot of times we go around with a sense of entitlement, and we go around feeling like we put in all this work.
26:07Why doesn't someone recognize that and compensate us for that?
26:10Well, that someone is you.
26:11And that point that you want to get compensated fairly comes when you're doing your deal, working out your salary, figuring out how you're going to be vested in the investment that you're making in this entity.
26:23And so it's something that always stuck with me.
26:26And it's my mantra that I live by.
26:29We heard from TMZ that either Miami or Houston will be the next Love & Hip Hop franchise markets.
26:36Can you confirm or deny said allegation?
26:38Confirm or deny said allegation.
26:40I will say that I am looking at another city.
26:44My partners and I and the network are looking at another city.
26:48Shout out to New Orleans because I love New Orleans passionately.
26:53I'm a Louisiana girl.
26:54I have been looking in New Orleans for a show.
26:57It's not Love & Hip Hop, at least not at this stage.
27:00But I do want to do something there.
27:02But there will be another city.
27:03I can confirm that.
27:04Okay.
27:05But you'll have to tune in and wait like the rest of the free world.
27:08Okay.
27:09We're going to talk about New Orleans a little bit later.
27:10Okay.
27:11So here's the game.
27:12I'm going to show you.
27:13It's going to appear on this fabulous screen behind me to my right.
27:15Different talent.
27:16And you say whether or not you have or have not spoken to them in regards to maybe joining Love & Hip Hop.
27:21This is not a yay or nay.
27:23This is a fact-finding mission.
27:25We're all obsessed.
27:26Let me tell you something.
27:27We are obsessed here.
27:28So this is kind of about personal needs.
27:30But okay.
27:31Let me show you the first one.
27:32All right.
27:33Let's see.
27:34Ricky Rose Day, Rob.
27:35Ricky Rose Day.
27:36Yay or nay.
27:37You know what?
27:38Well, Rick has been on the show a couple of times.
27:41You know, he represents Omar or he Omarion signs.
27:44Right.
27:45So we had him on there.
27:46And then there's actually another project that I have that his ex-lady Lira was on.
27:51So, you know, of course, I know Rick well.
27:53Shout out to Rick.
27:54But what is that?
27:56A confirm or deny?
27:57I have spoken to him.
27:58We just speaking out.
27:59Oh, look at that.
28:00Yeah.
28:01She was on there number two.
28:02So, not for Love & Hip Hop.
28:03I can absolutely confirm.
28:04Okay.
28:05Yes.
28:06Okay.
28:07Next one.
28:08Paul.
28:09Wow.
28:10What did you do?
28:11Well, I'm desperately seeking you.
28:12You know, like no.
28:13Paul.
28:14Call Monica.
28:15Call me.
28:16Yes.
28:17Absolutely.
28:18You better pick up the phone.
28:19All right.
28:20My next one.
28:21Flo Rida.
28:22Give me sequin top.
28:23Yay or nay.
28:24That's a cool top.
28:25Listen, I have, I have wanted to be in touch.
28:30Notice how I choose.
28:31I know.
28:32I was like, you saw me lean in.
28:33I gave you to Oprah Lee.
28:34Absolutely.
28:35Everyone on, everyone who's anyone in the culture.
28:38Okay.
28:39Of course.
28:40Yeah.
28:41So, the question is exactly what again?
28:43That sounds like a yes.
28:44What is the question?
28:45You're in touch to possibly work with him on one of your franchises.
28:50Okay.
28:51No.
28:52Okay.
28:53Next.
28:54Oh, that's my boy.
28:56I just love Khaled.
28:57Okay.
28:58You know, Khaled is a friend to the room, a friend to the building.
29:01Everything I've ever needed, Khaled has been there for.
29:03So, shout out to Khaled.
29:04I love him today.
29:05Day or nay.
29:06Khaled is on my speed dial for everything I ever need in life.
29:08Gotcha.
29:09In life.
29:10In life.
29:11In life.
29:12Listen, when he was doing his song, I was like, Khaled, I need to mix
29:15Moscato in there.
29:16He throws it in there.
29:17If we're looking to do something with the show, Khaled is just amazing.
29:19Okay.
29:20So, much love for Khaled.
29:21Next.
29:22Trina.
29:23I love Trina.
29:24The baddest.
29:25Yes.
29:26Yes.
29:27You know what?
29:28Again, you know why this is hard for me?
29:30Every single, or at least I'd like to think that most of the people on this list I consider
29:35friends, right?
29:36In the Rolodex, I was in hip hop way before I started doing love and hip hop.
29:41So, I talk to all these people all the time about different things.
29:45Might I mention?
29:46Maybe.
29:47I don't know.
29:48I don't know.
29:49Okay.
29:50Let's see.
29:51There's like a zip lip emoji.
29:52I think I have one more or two more.
29:54Who else do we have?
29:55Let's see.
29:56Trick Daddy.
29:57Ah, Tricky D.
29:58Nay or nay.
29:59Again, I plead the fifth.
30:02Okay.
30:03I think it's time for me to start pleading the fifth.
30:05Oh, you plead the fifth.
30:06Let me go real quickly then.
30:07Plies?
30:08Oh, I could absolutely.
30:09I plead the fifth.
30:10How about that?
30:11I think there's something about tuning in and not knowing who's going to be on there.
30:17So, Bushwickville, the original Fetty Wap?
30:19You heard the original Fetty Wap.
30:20That is absolutely hysterical.
30:22I think enough is enough.
30:24Okay, enough is enough.
30:25We have to leave something to give the imagination.
30:27You've given me some tea.
30:28I feel good.
30:29Do you feel satiated?
30:30I feel satiated.
30:31Can you adopt me?
30:32Absolutely.
30:33I love a good, strong black woman.
30:35I'm trying to make it happen.
30:36Let's go.
30:37Yes!
30:38Thank you so very much, Mona, for joining us.
30:40It's an honor and a pleasure.
30:41You have to come back.
30:42Oh, thank you.
30:43I'm going to assume that people know that Being Mona Scott Young airs on Centric this
30:47Saturday, 10 p.m.
30:49Yes, they do.
30:509 p.m. Central.
30:51My pleasure.
30:52I'm going to mention it.
30:53I'm going to mention it.
30:54Thank you so much for joining us.
30:55As I read my prompts, you can learn more about Mona Scott Young and the docu-series
30:58Being, which airs March 5th on Centric.
31:00Coming up, we've got more news from our recent Black Women in Hollywood event in Los Angeles.
31:04But first, more from my interview with Angela Bassett, where she discusses her new film,
31:08London Has Fallen, and why she is pro-Hillary in 2016.
31:11In this film, you play another strong female lead.
31:17Can you tell us a little bit about your character?
31:19Well, I continue with Lynn Jacobs.
31:21She's the head of the Social Security.
31:24No, the Secret Service.
31:26The head of the Secret Service.
31:29That's who I was last time.
31:31And she's Mike Banning's boss.
31:33Mike is our hero.
31:34He's like the best in the business.
31:38He's my go-to guy.
31:39He's the one I trust.
31:40He's troubled.
31:41He's had his issues, you know, with coming back to the force with, you know, something
31:46going down in Olympus on his watch.
31:49Right.
31:50And, of course, me being the First Lady of the Secret Service, you can imagine, you know,
31:55who Lynn might be coming up, the focus and determination that she had to have to, you know, get to this high office.
32:02This boys club.
32:04Exactly.
32:05And it was interesting when we did Olympus this fall, there had never been a woman as head of the Secret Service.
32:10And about a year after, you know, we completed and, you know, the movie was in the theaters, one was appointed.
32:16Our president appointed one.
32:18So that was a case of life imitating art.
32:21And speaking of female firsts, Hillary Clinton's running for president.
32:25Yes.
32:26What are your thoughts on there possibly being our first female president here in the U.S.?
32:30That would be so first world.
32:33Mm-hmm.
32:34So exciting.
32:35You know, it's almost, you know, unbelievable that it is the first.
32:40But we still have some hurdles in this country to, you know, jump over.
32:44And that would, she certainly, for me, she is more than qualified for the job.
32:49Mm-hmm.
32:50Male, female, whatever, more than qualified for the job.
32:53Is that why you're supporting her?
32:54Because we saw, of course, on your social media that you've put it out there, I support Hillary.
32:57Yeah, absolutely.
32:59You know, I, you know, I supported her, you know, the last time she ran.
33:04But there was someone else who energized and galvanized me.
33:08Mm-hmm.
33:09Me even more, you know, our president.
33:12But, yeah.
33:13And he's almost on his way out.
33:14I just got a little melancholy for a moment.
33:16I apologize.
33:17I was like, I know.
33:18I just lost focus.
33:19Sorry about that.
33:20Yeah, yeah.
33:21And she did a wonderful job for him.
33:22You know, they were able to, you know, shake hands.
33:24To work both together.
33:25Yeah.
33:26Able to go to Secretary of State and do a wonderful, you know, a wonderful job.
33:30So many.
33:31It's such a wide and varied perspective.
33:33I think, uh, I think she'd be fantastic.
33:37I mean, the long list.
33:44The Creed movie.
33:45Michael B. Jordan.
33:46Total snub.
33:47Idris Elba did a phenomenal job in Beast of No Nation.
33:51He should have gotten it.
33:52Absolutely.
33:53Maybe he's too thug, as they once said, but whatever.
33:57White people say a lot of things.
33:58Straight Outta Compton.
33:59Straight Outta Compton.
34:00Straight Outta Compton.
34:01Straight Outta Compton.
34:02Straight Outta Compton was just such a monumental movie.
34:06Somebody from that movie should have been nominated for something.
34:08Is nominated for Best Screenplay, but at the same time, none of the actors were even
34:12invited to the Oscar.
34:13It's like, okay, first you don't nominate me.
34:15Alright, that's one thing.
34:16But then you nominate the movie that I'm in and I don't get no invite?
34:18Rude.
34:19That is so rude.
34:20I was expecting it to be one of those films where you're like, was this filmed on an iPhone?
34:25You know, like, sorry, call me a hater.
34:27But I went and the acting was superb.
34:29It was really what we wanted Notorious for me.
34:31Notorious was terrible.
34:33I loved Biggie.
34:34Everybody else, goodbye and goodnight.
34:36But Straight Outta Compton, from beginning to end, it was perfect.
34:40It did such an outstanding job of taking a previous real-life event and connecting it
34:47to current issues that still take place today.
34:49That really should have taken home movie of the year.
34:51Like, hands down.
34:53And I'm just, I'm really hurt that that didn't happen.
34:55I'm sad that they didn't get the shine they deserve.
35:05You are watching Essence Live.
35:06I'm your host, Dana Blair.
35:07And it is time for our Black Girl Magic Moment of the Week.
35:10This one comes from Boris Kojo, who told us how he plans to affirm and support his daughter's esteem.
35:17Boris, what does that mean to you?
35:18I mean, you're a gentleman.
35:19You're the father of daughter.
35:20You have a daughter.
35:21What does that mean to you, Black Girl Magic?
35:23It means to fortify her spirit and her confidence every single day.
35:28She watches her mother.
35:30Her mother is her model.
35:32How to move around, how to move around in the world.
35:34And I am the model to show her how to love a Black woman so that she gets used to that.
35:40And that would be her standard when she meets somebody.
35:42Definitely.
35:43She's never going to meet anybody, though.
35:47Amen to that.
35:48Boris, you seem pretty serious.
35:49Hmm.
35:50All right, now, thank you so much to K. Michelle and Mona Scott Young for coming by the show today.
35:54If you missed it, of course, you can see it again right here on Essence.com.
35:57And, of course, to our wonderful viewers who wrote in with all of their questions, we love you.
36:02I'm your host, Dana Blair, and I'll see you next week.
36:04Bye-bye.
36:12Bye-bye.
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