Kumari Shreya
MTV’s ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta‘ is a spinoff series of the well-known ‘Love & Hip Hop‘ franchise that focuses on talented hip-hop musicians within the city of Atlanta, Georgia. The lives of the various cast members allow viewers to experience a variety of emotions as the drama unfolds. Obviously, given the nature of the reality show, which first aired in 2012, there is plenty of music to keep you entertained as well. However, the dramatic nature of the series has led people to wonder just how legitimate the show is. Are the events seen on the screen as real as one might expect? Well, here is what we know about the same!
Is Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Real or Fake?
Considering several factors, we believe that ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ might indeed be scripted. Since the show’s debut, it has remained under scrutiny by the public, who are highly motivated to doubt the authenticity of the series. The speculations regarding the show’s nature likely started due to people’s mistrust of the ‘Love & Hip Hop’ franchise as a whole. However, there have been instances where the Atlanta-based show, in particular, has been considered as inauthentic by many.
One of the biggest arguments against the show’s legitimacy comes from Joseline Hernandez. In 2015, the musician had to testify in a court of law when she was being sued by Althea Eaton in regard to charges of physical assault. During the deposition for the same, Joseline shared that she and the rest of the cast members have to follow a script. Given the seriousness of the situation when Joseline made this claim, it is one strong piece of evidence that the series is indeed scripted. “Well, with reality TV, it’s mostly — it’s called ‘reality,’ but it’s a lot of acting in the reality world,” she stated.
Executive Producer Mona Scott-Young, who is one of the biggest names in the reality television world, has refuted the claims of the show being scripted. She has stated that while there is a certain schedule followed by the production, the struggles in the lives of the featured artists are not fabricated. That being said, Mona has confirmed that there are certain on-screen events that are recreations of things that have already happened.
For example, the scene where Joseline Hernandez takes a pregnancy test was not the first time the musician did so. Her first attempt was apparently too early in the morning to be filmed. However, Mona remained firm on the fact that Joseline had not seen the result of the first test, and her reaction to the second one was apparently “real.”
Another major argument against the show’s authenticity is likely the fact that Mimi Faust has herself admitted that the “leak” of her sex tape was planned from the very beginning. In the show, we learn that she and Nikko London had filmed a sex tape that somehow became public without their knowledge. However, Mimi has since stated that Nikko wanted the video to become public from the very beginning, and the story we were told at the start was apparently a lie.
“Every time I would go to Nikko’s place, there would be a camera and a tripod in front of the bed at all times,” Mimi told US Weekly in 2015. “You know how you get that gut feeling? I didn’t listen to my gut instinct. I kind of just shoved it to the side.” That being said, the musician did confirm that the story of their sex tape being stolen was actually something she had hidden from everyone, including her friends.
Overall, it seems like “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ may indeed be scripted to some extent. There are numerous instances where it seems like cast members are being instructed to follow a certain plot. The reports of Adrien Broner leaving when asked to be romantic with Karlie Redd have only added fuel to the fire. Additionally, some of the featured artists, like Rasheeda and her husband, Kirk Frost, have often been accused of creating fake scenarios. Given so many strong arguments, it is not hard to see why one might doubt the show being true to real life.
Read More: Where is Love & Hip Hop Atlanta Filmed?
