First Episode Review: Love And Hip Hop New York Season 6

By
Simone Amelia

Love & Hip Hop: New York is back. According to industry rumors, the sixth season of the show’s first incarnation is supposed to be the one to start “cleaning things up.” It’s reportedly the producers’ attempt to balance the “ratchetry” with compelling and heart-tugging stories from real-life married couples Yandy and Mendeecees Harris and newcomers Remy Ma and Papoose.
“Act 1” of the season’s first episode kicks off with the new series’ biggest star Remy performing at Stage 48, one of the New York City’s remaining large-scale Hip-Hop clubs. With Pap looking on in adoration (rocking his “Black Love” fitted) he watches his wife tear the stage down with hits like “Whuteva” and “Lean Back.” Remy might’ve been gone for a number of years from the limelight, but you instantly feel the difference between her expertise and presence as a rapper in contradiction to the line-up of wannabes who are now LHH alumni.
“Life doesn’t always give you second chances, but this right here? This is mine,” says Remy in her opening lines about doing six years, four months and five days in jail for an assault charge. “I’ve seen the highest of highs that life can bring: records sold, fame and fortune. But one wrong mistake in my past and all those blessings was gone.”
Remy’s being introduced to the cast via Rashidah Ali, a random pop-up for numerous seasons now. Rah and Remy are seen hanging after the show (in different outfits) when Pap rocks up to tell Remy she can’t be out late, due to parole restrictions and her curfew. Pap speaks earnestly in his confessional about how his life fell apart when his wife was locked up, and why he’s so protective of her now (“The last thing I want is for Remy to be at the wrong place at the wrong time”).
We then skip over to Yandy and Mendeecees’ apartment in The Bronx’s comfortable Riverdale area, with the couple and their beautiful babies spending down time, chatting about finding a bigger house and Yandy getting back in the saddle when it comes to managing artists. The couple introduces Mendeecees’ ongoing legal woes with a conversation about him “signing a plea” (a deal for his conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine charges) and impatiently waiting to see what happens next with sentencing.
For the first “ohhhhh, laaaawd” moment of the show, Peter Gunz is seen waking up in bed (a mattress on the floor in a new apartment) with Tara Wallace. The same Tara who vowed to never take his cheating behind back. “Sometimes things just happen,” she says. They speak on their on-again, off-again relationship (Tara recently moved into the same building as Peter so he can be “close to their children”), with Peter still asking her to get back together. He then leaves Tara and heads back to…his apartment with Amina. In the same building. Yawn.
In Act 2 of the episode, we’re introduced to Bianca Dupree a.k.a. Young B, best known for doing the hook on Webstar‘s hit “Chicken Noodle Soup.” The Harlem artist has been struggling for almost 10 years to get her visibility back and is now managed by Yandy. “I’m not in the business of managing no one hit wonder” says Yandy (before anyone else can) sitting with an emotional Young B to find out more. They work out a situation where Young B will rock in an all-female “cipher” showcase hosted by DJ Self, one of New York’s biggest DJs.
We flip back to Rashidah, now managing a new duo called BBOD (Bad B*tches On Deck). Sexy Lexyy and Miss Moe Money are the self-described “next best thing out of Harlem.” Rashidah lets them know she’s putting them on the same showcase (*insert drama*) with fellow new acts Mariah Lynn and Young B, the latter to which Mo recalls beefing with in a previous physical altercation.
In Act 3, we’re shown more of Remy and Pap’s marital issues—which thankfully aren’t serious and come from love. “Your happiness is the most important part,” Pap says to his wife genuinely. Cut to DJ Self in the Power 105.1 studio promoting his “GwininFest” for female MCs. Mariah Lynn, a green-eyed, self-described “a bad b*tch from Jersey” is being interviewed, and she starts spitting for Self on the radio with a track that begins, “Once upon a time I was a hoe.” Fairy tales for 2015.
The final act begins with Remy and Pap celebrating the one-year anniversary of Remy being released from jail. Their love and friendship is evident, and they’re truly a welcome addition to the show. Pap shares a deep, personal want with Remy at dinner, and conversation then turns to her time away as a parent. Rap pundits may have clowned Papoose in the past (for no real reason) and this show will give the Brooklyn artist his well-deserved shine.
We then finish things off with GwininFest. Franchise player Rich Dollaz pops up (lawdamercy) with Yandy. The good thing here is the ladies can actually rap (we promise). Of course this scene can’t end without a fight, this time between Moe and Young B. Skipping to more mature themes, Papoose takes Remy to Oheka Castle—one of New York’s favorite wedding venues—to talk about their upcoming wedding, and we end with a conversation between Yandy and Mendeecees that’s as real as it gets. They talk about the length of time Mendeecees is set to go away for, and it’s extremely painful to watch.
No sign yet of who’s guaranteed to be the most talked-about new star, Cardi B, but we’re sure she’ll make quite the entrance. Aside from the storylines of the more seasoned players, Season 6 of Love & Hip Hop: New York especially showcases the young upstarts of the city. And they’re not just hungry, they’re ravenous.
Love & Hip Hop: New York Season 6 airs Monday, December 14, 2015 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
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