Lil Scrappy Talks Pitfalls Of Maintaining A Rap Career While On Reality TV

The "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" star admitted that he agreed to do the show because he didn't really have a Rap career at the time.

BYErika Marie
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Nearly 10 years ago, Lil Scrappy joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and has been a staple on the series ever since. The ATL native released his Tha Gru$tle album back in 2012, the same year he kicked off his reality television career with VH1, but he hasn't really dished out new music at the same rate as his fellow rappers. He has shared a few mixtapes and another record, but within the last nine years, fans have primarily seen Lil Scrappy on the Love & Hip Hop franchise and its spin-off series.

The rapper sat down with Big Facts Podcast where he spoke openly about his career, including his longrunning stint on VH1. The hosts wanted to know if a rapper moving to reality television is "signing a death certificate" to their career in music. "Yeah, I've seen it happen," said Scrap. "Before I even got into it, I was looking at [it], I was like, 'Damn.'"

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"But I thought about, I was like, ‘Sh*t, I ain’t even got a Rap career right now, so, you know what I’m saying, I don’t even give a f*ck,'" he added with a laugh. "I didn't even give a f*ck. And then for real, like, when I say I’m connected with the god that created me, like, he put something in me. He was just—like Bank said man—‘Just keep that sh*t gangster, be yourself, my n*gga.’”

He added that he was told early on that production wouldn't be following him around all day, every day because they initially only wanted to highlight the ups and downs of his love life. "Even if that, if you not careful, it'll f*ck your whole love life up. And it done f*cked every last one of mine up. Just destroyed it."

He was once engaged to Erica Dixon, who is also the mother of his daughter Emani. He moved on to Shay, his longtime friend, who he was secretly seeing and reportedly cheating on Erica. Then, after those relationships imploded, Scrappy dated Bambi, his current wife and mother of his two youngest children. There has been conflict between Erica and Bambi as well, and on VH1's recent family reunion series, Scrappy wouldn't even be in the same room as his ex. 

Check out his interview with Big Facts Podcast below.

[via]


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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.