Yandy Smith Chats Her Career, Beefs On 'Love & Hip Hop 2'

Yandy Smith, who is currently the president of Monami Entertainment, alongside founder, Mona Scott Young, and manager of Jim Jones, is transitioning from behind the camera to the front of the lens as the sixth cast member of Love & Hip Hop 2. Check out snippets from VIBE Vixen’s exclusive interview where she opens up about her career, beef on Love & Hip-Hop and more.

On Working With Jim Jones

I met Jim on a private jet. Russell Simmons was going to Detroit for a hip-hop summit, and I was doctored in. I was an ambassador for Dr. Ben Chavis to help get young people to vote. Jim happened to be the person I was sitting next to on the jet, and we started talking about how he wanted to break into the hip-hop world as far as being an artist goes but he had been managing The Diplomats and he was trying to put an album out. This was right when Pro-Tools just came out, and he was talking about the system and the possible addition of a booth at home. We exchanged information, and I let him know I worked at this managing firm and I let him know I was down to help him. I gave him my number, but I didn’t know that would lead to a call everyday about needing DVDs or help elsewhere. It got to a point where I told him, ‘You’re going to need to pay me, if you want me to do this at my job.’ That’s how the ball really got rolling. I was helping Mona out with the clients at Violator, but I was also doing work for Jim during or after work as well.

Joining the Show

Originally, the show came about through an idea I pitched to VH1 called Keeping up with the Joneses about Jim. We shot a pilot for it, and it was great. VH1 wanted to see more, but, after a while, there were issues going on within the camp which didn’t allow for Jim to give what the network wanted. Stack Bundles got killed and Max B got arrested. When you’re taping a show, it’s not just the cameras are on you, you have to be at certain places at certain times to follow up with various storylines. At that point, Jim had too much going on in his life. I went to Mona for help because I didn’t want to lose the show at VH1. She had another show she was pitching to another network about the women behind the men in hip-hop. So I asked her if she work Jim, Chrissy and Jim’s mother into the mix. She came up with the idea of finding women who were in the hip-hop industry and sprinkle them around Jim so he’s not that overwhelmed and it could be a great show.

Kimbella dating Fab

As far as the Fab situation, everyone has a past. There was a time when we all have been single and, I don’t think that should matter if we were single. It wasn’t even worth bringing up. Even if [Kimbella] did date [Fab], that’s not a bad thing. He’s a good-looking dude. I don’t see the hurt or harm, especially if she didn’t know he had a prior situation. As far as if someone attacking her, that would be hard for any friend to see or deal with, and of course you’d want to protect your friend. I’m just a peacemaker all around. I hate drama, cattiness and foolishness, so being in the middle of it, I’m like, Oh my gosh. I have to stop this. I have to make this right. That’s the part where I get caught up in the show.