Shay Johnson’s first foray intoreality TVwas not onLove and Hip Hop, but another series that focused on the love life of one rapper, or rather, famous hype-man.She was one of many women vying for the love of Flavor Flav on VH1’sFlavor of Love, and was bestowed the nicknameBuckeey.She’s definitely come a long way since then and sat down with Carlos Kingrecently to chat about her life and experiences. Shay appeared on Carlos’s podcast,Reality With the King, and she talked about what it was like to date Flavor Flav, as well as her journey toLove and Hip Hop.

Shay’s time onLove & Hip Hophas been fraught with drama from the jump, thanks to Scrappy bringing Erica Dixon onto the serieswhile he was still in a relationship with Shay, leading to a love triangle storyline almost immediately.Shay was blindsided by the move, as she shared during her interview with Carlos King that she brought Scrappy onto the show thinking that they’d appear together as a couple.She had no idea Erica or his mother, Momma Dee, onto the show as well.She shared that she only found out about Erica joining the show after seeing the release and was naturally furious.Despite his initial betrayal when joiningtheLove and Hip Hopcast, Shay has much love for Scrappy due to their prior friendship and another piece of information that she shared with Carlos.

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Love & Hip Hop

As bold, edgy, gorgeous, and diverse as the city it’s set in, meet the movers and shakers turning up the heat and making the 305 the place to be.

Before ‘Love & Hip Hop.’ Scrappy Saved Shay Johnson From an Abusive Relationship

Shay shared with Carlos that she and Scrappyhad been longtime platonic friendsbefore things got romantic between the two of them. She said, “We were friends for years. No sex, no nothing. He was just my best friend… I could tell him anything, and it didn’t go anywhere [it stayed] between us. I would travel with him. We went out the country together; there was no sex. We went to London, Switzerland, Amsterdam… We were always together all the time.”

She also shared that it was their friendship that ultimately got her out of an abusive relationship. She shared, “I was in an abusive relationship.Scrappy helped me out of it.A lot of people don’t know that that man is in jail for the rest of his life right now, but not for beating me; for another situation. I care not to talk about [it] but he used to beat me all the time. So, Scrappy helped me out of it. I had to literally move out my house… He helped me move. He just helped me out of it… financially and everything he helped. He helped me with everything.” She also shared that theirrelationship began shortly after, which is what led to her inviting him ontoLove and Hip Hop.

Shay Johnson and Momma Dee posing for a photo together seated

Shay said, “Scrappy did not get onLove Hip Hopuntil I asked him to come on the show with me. I am the one that got Scrappy onLove Hip Hop. Mona [Scott-Young] did not call Scrappy and say, ‘Hey, you want to do this show?’” All of which led to the storyline that started it all.

Love & Hip Hop can be streamed on Paramount+.

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