As of 2022, Bianca Bonnie, formerly known as Young B, is known for her 2006 smash hit litefeet jingle, “Chicken Noodle Soup,” and reality television stardom as a former cast member of VH1’s Love and Hip-Hop. Before her stint with reality television, Bianca was often recognized as the young teenage lady who harmonized the canorous lyrics, “And let it rain and clear it out,” who ultimately contributed to the mold of the litefeet movement. With vagueness surrounding her happenings between the hit song and reality television, Young B is still referenced in the minds of many. However, today avowed as Bianca Bonnie, the Harlem native, is seeking evolution from their prime time as a matured young woman.
“I used to make a lot of dance records ’cause I was a kid, and that is all I used to do,” said Bianca. “I grew up, got on Love and Hip-Hop, and a bunch of other tv shows, and I started to develop as a person and grow up as an adult. I don’t want to be called Young B anymore. I want to be Bianca Bonnie.”
Bianca is her birth first name, and Bonnie, another recognizable first name, is her alter ego. Thus, the moniker Bianca Bonnie is a concoction of both personalities.
Urban music genres, including hip-hop, went through many changes in the early to mid millennium years. During this time, dance trends saw a phenomenon and made way for several movements, including the lite feet movement, where “Chicken Noodle Soup” occupies a relevant impact. The babies of the early ’90s were entering their mid-adolescence and retained their ability to call shots on the times’ respective trends.
A sub dance genre of breaking, the lite feet movement includes lightweight or weightless, floaty, foot bound dances tapped against dance and hip-hop songs. Popular dance moves; Rev-Up, Bad One, Tone Wop, and Chicken Noodle Soup, dominated the era, bringing a profound dance crave among the “urban” audience.
In 2006, written and performed by Young B, the song “Chicken Noodle Soup” by DJ Webstar featuring The Young Voice of Harlem became an instant hit, peaking at number 45 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and number 15 on Billboard’s US Hot Rap Songs. The dance of the same name became the first of litefeet to reach the mainstream plateau.
“Chicken Noodle Soup is a hit record, but that is because it was pushed through a major label; it gets that push. It gets that machine. It gets around the world,” said Bianca.
Too young to compute its success, Young B embraced the fun of creating such a song that ended up going international. The song’s impact in litefeet has lasted beyond decades and remains an often referenced melody. Recently, in 2019, South Korean artist J-Hope of popular boy band BTS and singer Becky G collaborated to remake the song, where it reached number one on Billboard’s US World Digital Songs. J-Hope also initiated a viral TikTok challenge, encouraging fans to attempt their K-pop dance routine.
Despite the success of “Chicken Noodle Soup,” Bianca Bonnie has not been signed to any label. Nor has she gone the independent route.
“When you have a label, they push certain songs, and they push certain things,” said Bianca. “Or when you have a major backing it gets worldwide. I have never been signed to anything else since that situation.”
A little over a decade later, Young B’s next major appearance was on VH1’s Love and Hip-Hop, the infamous reality television show renowned for showcasing hip-hop-bound relations and dramatic slant. Many observers of Young B were clueless about her whereabouts since the litefeet era. There was no knowledge of what that little voice was up to now. However, now known as Bianca Bonnie, Love and Hip-Hop was her opportunity to make that resurgence.
“Love and Hip Hop was a platform for me to get back out there in the world because no one knew what I was doing or where I was at after ‘Chicken Noodle Soup.'”
Most, if not all of the relationships in Bianca’s storyline were rooted in hostility. Two of the most infamous beefs Moe Money of female rap group BBOD and rapper Brittney Taylor, both of whom Bianca has an unpleasant history. The beefs are among her most memorable moments on the show, leading to Bianca being boxed into the negative stereotype that often hovers reality television stars. Nevertheless, she amassed a significant social media following and has managed to take advantage of the current role of a social media influencer.
“In that whole show, I’m the only person that didn’t have a real family on there and no friends that I grew up with,” said Bianca.
Viewers got a chance to witness a sincere case of female camaraderie in hip-hop and Remy Ma as a mentor in her newly found prime era. One storyline was rooted in genuine friendship, Bianca Bonnie’s mentorship under Remy Ma. Before Remy’s eight-year prison sentence, Bianca’s relationship with the new battle rap league owner runs deep.
“Remy had me running around with her before she went to jail,” shared Bianca. “Had me at video shoots with her. Had me driving around, studio sessions, taking me everywhere with her.”
The Remy Ma storyline is one Bianca had hoped to be highlighted the most; however, viewers did not see the two affiliates interact until Bianca’s last season on the show. She also shared the Love and Hip Hop screen with Cardi B, who she developed a friendship with a year before the show.
“When she first got on the show, they didn’t even put me and her in the same scenes. They put me and her in scenes in the last season that I was on with her.”
Since Love and Hip Hop, Bianca has appeared on additional reality shows, including Marriage Bootcamp, and has now entered motherhood. While motherhood has recently dominated her endeavors, she has been busy getting “full-fledged” back to the music. She has officially evolved out of her one-hit-wonder teenage image and is now seeking to overshadow her reality television persona as Bianca Bonnie.
“Now I have the opportunity. I have the team and the means and the relationships I’ve built over the years to do that.”
