Last night’s premiere of Love and Hip Hop 3 went off with a bang and didn’t disappoint with the drama in its first episode. Our industry vet Joe Budden reunites with his ex flame the fiery ‘Dominican booty’— I mean beauty, Tahiry, who doesn’t wait to explode on Joe in the first scene for saying she doesn’t do anything for anyone else. Next we see Erica Mena‘s and Rich Dollaz relationship blossoming to something else that Olivia later attempts to dissect.Next we meet Yandy’s baby daddy, Mendeeces, who’d prefer to hang out with Vado then carry stupid gifts home for his own baby. After a failed game of ‘Truth or Truth’, Raqi Thunda and Tahiry rip at each other’s throat hurling insults causing Tahiry to hurl her drink at Raqi.
Below Slaughterhouse-member-turned-Monday-night-reality-star Joe Budden talks about everything from his newfound sobriety, the star of the new season, to what makes his new girlfriend, Kaylin better than most.
So Joe, you said you’re never embarrassed about your actions or revealing anything on TV. Does it have anything to do with how open you are with your music?
Yeah, it’s the same mentality for me, just as transparent as I am in music is the way I’m going to be on television. It was no dilemma or no qualms with me. That’s my trademark…honesty. Now how people take to it may be a totally different subject, but yeah I’m going to be honest every chance I get.
What do you expect your hardcore fans to say about you appearing on Love and Hip Hop 3?
My hardcore fans rock with me, because they appreciate that realness and that honesty and sincerity that comes with Joe Budden. Then you got some fans that are like; “Oh Joe Budden sold out, he’s on TV.” Probably aren’t my fans in the first place. There’s absolutely nothing that’s happening on TV that my fans haven’t heard me speak about in detail, which is women and drugs. So they have preconceived notions and already have their minds made up on how the show is going to be, but the people that know me know— I’m going to always be me.
This past year you’ve introduced us to your new girlfriend via sexy pics on Instagram. What will the world think about Kaylin when they finally get to hear her speak?
Well I don’t know, she has a beautiful spirit. Naturally she’s very young, so she has a lot of learning to do, but we all do. But I think people will take a liking to that warm heart that she has, Its just warmer than most.
What makes your new girlfriend Kaylin different from the other girls you’ve been with?
She has absolutely no apprehension about being who she is, she embraces it all, shortcomings, flaws, character defects. She’s constantly looking to improve and evolve, she accesses herself very well and she takes criticism very well—me and her are alike in that way. That’s why we’re able to take the pictures that we take. That’s why we’re able to receive the backlash and take it in stride. Me and her are like the two ones in eleven.
What made you tackle sobriety in the show?
I spent the majority of my career without drinking or any drugs. I just happened to run into a really wild summer, and some new drugs came out that I felt I needed to experiment with and it threw me off. It threw me off my thing, threw off—the entire functionality of my brain was different and how I reacted to things. I was different. I was a different Joe, and I loved myself too much to meet a new Joe at this point in my life.
Does your love life, music and surrounding drama give people a pre-conceived notion of who Joe Budden is?
Fuck yeah. Most of the people that claim to hate me, they only make those claims from what they know of me, which would be from social media. It plays into the music as well. The music is happening in real time and now for people to have somewhat of an idea of what goes on in my life, it kind of correlates to the music.
Was there a particular incident that made that the last straw?
Nah, I got a tremendous support group. My family is amazing, my friends are amazing, my group is amazing, I’m just surrounded by people I’m in awe of and they helped me. It was nothing I was able to do on my own. But there was no particular incident; there was a series of events that led up to that decision.
What do you think about the critics labeling these shows ‘Ratchet TV’?
I don’t. I don’t think anything of their opinion. Everyone has an opinion. I just try to control what I can control and that would be me. I’m responsible for my behavior and the way I behave, that would never be ratchet.
Who do you think will be a fan favorite?
I’m not sure. I think a large group of women will be able to relate to Tahiry’s story, I think every woman has an ex that their closest with with that they rock with. And I happen to be that for her, so I think that’s very relatable, as far as everybody else I can’t really say because I don’t know what everyone else has got going on.
Tomorrow the Source chats with the very vocal Tahiry and find out what started the beef between her and her nemesis Raqi!
Love and Hip Hop airs Monday nights on VH1 at 8pm or log on to www. vh1.com
-Courtney Brown (@CourtneyBrown)
