Source: TLC

If you were a fan of TLC’s latest reality show, Starter Wives Confidential, you’ll be saddened to know that the network has decided to pull the plug on the rest of the season. While the exact reason why the show has been canceled hasn’t been revealed, it’s quite obvious that the exes of some of the ladies who appear on the show weren’t exactly thrilled about their dirty laundry being aired out once a week on national television. Not to fret though, the remaining episodes will be available on TLC’s website. The announcement was made by Funkmaster Flex’s ex-wife, Monica Joseph-Taylor via her blog, Mommy’s Dirty Little Secret. Check out her full statement below.

If you want to watch the remainder of episodes of Starter Wives Confidential you will have to go online to TLC.com.

Ask me why? ::Long pause::

Is it ratings? Is it a change in network direction…or all the outside drama?!

It’s no secret Starter Wives Confidential was plagued by legal inquiries and possible lawsuits from the beginning. Starting with Shanequa Tompkins being missing from all the episodes, her ex 50 cent allegedly had an agreement or contract with her of some sort that either prevented or made it difficult for her to partake in the show. I know before taping even began I was questioned about my posts relating to anyone connected with Lamar Odom. Luckily TLC had no control over what I do or can post so it became a non-issue. I never did find out who was putting pressure on them. Cut to the Lil Kim situation, one which I’m still confused about and can’t even confirm if there is a law suit.

Bringing a show with women of color to TLC we always knew was a challenge and I love that they believed in our stories and gave us a voice. A voice, honesty, love, a lot of drama, and a bit of ratchetness. (Usually required for any good reality show.)
I can only imagine there were a lot of people who were afraid what would come out on Starter Wives Confidential and as you saw from the first few episodes, the ladies were NOT holding back! Trust me it gets better and much juicier. But I digress. (I always wanted to say that in a post.)

I want to say that from the very bottom of my soul the support and love from viewers was more amazing then I imagined. Even the haters felt our show was genuine. I love that personally I got to not only bond with 5 amazing women but was allowed to show that not all celebrity wives sit home, model, or are simpletons. For the first time people got to know who I really am, if even just a little bit.

So it SUCKS that you have to watch episodes online but it beeeez like that sometimes. But make sure you still log onto http://www.mommysdirtylittlesecret.com everyday for the latest news, gossip, and info (c’mon y’all know me by now, why pretend anymore #endlesspromotion #bossb**ch #keepitmovin #letmefinish)

P.S. I realize I didn’t answer why we are not being aired anymore…you will just have to judge for yourself. ::Closes the shades carefully as she writes and presses send::
- Monica Taylor

While many will probably be relieved to hear the news that another ratchet reality show has been booted off of the air, I can’t help but feel a bit sad for a cast member  like Tashera Simmons, who avoided drama and was just utilizing the show as a means of supporting her children.

What do you think of the show being pulled off of the air?

Jazmine Denise is a news writer for Madame Noire. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise.

In case you were in need of another reality show to add to your rotation, TLC recently dropped a trailer for its upcoming reality show Starter Wives Confidential. If you recall, back in September we told you guys that the production of a show starring the exes of some entertainers whom most of us were quite familiar with was in the works. The show’s cast was said to include:

Zakia Baum: Ex-girlfriend of Jermaine “Maino” Coleman and mother of his son.

Cheryl Caruso: Ex-wife of mobster Phillip Caruso and mother of his two daughters.

Josie Harris: Ex-girlfriend of Floyd Mayweather and mother of his three children.

Monica Joseph-Taylor: soon to be ex-wife of Aston “Funkmaster Flex” Taylor and mother to his two children.

Tashera Simmons: Ex-wife of Earl “DMX” Simmons and mother of four of his children.

Liza Morales: Ex-girlfriend of Lamar Odom and mother of his three children.

Shaniqua Tompkins: Ex-girlfriend of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and mother of his son.

The trailer depicts the women forming some sort of emotional support group as they bond over the struggles of single motherhood. Many seemed somewhat opposed to the show for pretty obvious and understandable reasons. We all realize that we don’t need another show depicting women in a negative light. Call me an optimist, but judging by the trailer, the show doesn’t look like it will necessarily fit into the drink-throwing, ratchet reality television mold that we’re used to. There appears to be a teeny tiny chance that it may go in a different direction.

Somewhere deep down inside, I’m hoping that this particular show will rise above current reality television standard and bring forth something positive. I’m hoping that instead of resorting to cattiness and bickering with one another after a couple of episodes, the ladies will rally around each other and positively represent single mothers. But again, this is reality television we’re talking about and I could be overly optimistic.

The show will premiere Tuesday, January 29th at 10 pm EST.

Check out the trailer on the next page and judge for yourselves. Will Starter Wives Confidential just be another ratchet reality show that negatively depicts Black women?

2 Chainz. Those shoes! Image: FayesVision/WENN.com

Nicki Minaj rapped about Mitt Romney. Shyne recently slammed President Obama. Killer Mike called out Obama on his latest CD. So has hip hop abandoned Obama?

In 2008, many people  believed one of the main reasons Barack Obama prevailed was because the hip hop community put their full weight—money, endorsement, promoting the vote and the man (such as P. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign) — behind the then-presidential candidate. There is even a school of thought that theorizes that young white voters, especially college kids, backed Obama because they are of the hip-hop generation. That they were more comfortable with the thought of a black president because through hip hop they have embraced black culture. At the time, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, said, “The early results of the presidential election verifies that the hip-hop generation is a responsible and caring generation. Hip-hop artists and icons, male and female, all worked hard to make sure the issues and the interests of young people were represented. President Elect Obama now has a serious mandate from the hip-hop generation. Hip-hop transcends race and will continue to be a force for change, not only in America, but also throughout the world.”

This time around, hip hop is once again coming to Obama’s aide. On October 27 in Teaneck, NJ,  Lenny “The Barber” Hansen closes out the 2012 presidential election with the “Respect My Vote/Fright Night Concert.” Hip hop stars Machine Gun Kelly, Meek Mill, legend Ice T, Funk Master Flex, DJ Wallah and others will make the “Respect My Vote / Fright Night Concert.”  

For the event, Lenny the Barber and his Carefree Nation team partnered with 2 Chainz and the Hip Hop Caucus, to bring together some of the biggest names in hip hop and American politics all in an effort to get young people to exercise their vote.

Other rappers are pulling for Obama with independent acts of support. Even though the President once called Kanye a “jackass,”the rapper has been hitting the streets to encourage people to vote for Obama even it has been reported missing girlfriend Kims birthday in lieu of campaigning for Obama. Jay Z and Beyonce recently hosted a mega bucks, star-studded fundraiser for Obama. BET also recently followed hip hop veterans like Treach, Snoop Lion, RZA, DJ Kay Gee, and Ice Cube speak on personal experiences showing their support for President Obama.

Still, the passion and drive doesn’t seem to be there as it was in 2008. Maybe because it’s a re-election? What do you think?

Tashera Simmons is destined to become a reality TV repeat offender because according to The Huffington Post she has been added to the cast of a new show on TLC about the exes of famous men that we told you a little bit about last week.

Earlier this year, we saw Tashera trying to work through her issues with her rapper husband DMX on VH1′s “Couples Therapy.” Now since things didn’t work out and Earl Simmons is now her soon-to-be ex-husband, it’s only right she get on another reality show about life after DMX, right?

Apparently that’s the plan and from my view, “Starter Wives,” the name of TLC’s new series, is clearly going to be the hood version of “Hollywood Exes” if the line-up the Post is reporting is accurate. According to the site, these are the leading ladies who will be joining Lamar Odom and 50 Cent’s exes, which we mentioned last week.

Zakia Baum: Ex-girlfriend of Jermaine “Maino” Coleman and mother of his son.

Cheryl Caruso: Ex-wife of mobster Phillip Caruso and mother of his two daughters.

Josie Harris: Ex-girlfriend of Floyd Mayweather and mother of his three children.

Monica Joseph-Taylor: soon to be ex-wife of Aston “Funkmaster Flex” Taylor and mother to his two children.

Tashera Simmons: Ex-wife of Earl “DMX” Simmons and mother of four of his children.

Liza Morales: Ex-girlfriend of Lamar Odom and mother of his three children.

Shaniqua Tompkins: Ex-girlfriend of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and mother of his son.

I’m not trying to knock anyone’s hustle, but most of these women we’ve never even heard of — and the men they were with are nowhere near on the same level as the guys the ladies of “Hollywood Exes” were married to. But then again, the entire cast of “Love & Hip Hop” were unknowns at some point and 3.5 million viewers still tuned in faithfully to their drama every Monday night. I just don’t want this to be another hood booger, my ex-man ain’t ish type of show because if you’re not with him anymore, why is he still relevant to your life? And if it’s because you have children together, you need to think about whether it’s really beneficial to speak ill of their father on national TV.

Regardless of my speculation on that note, it’s clear The Learning Channel (TLC) is interested in transitioning into the semi-ratchet channel and getting in on some of that VH1 cash money with a show like this that doesn’t just include black rapper wives but a mobster too. TLC is an equal opportunity exploiter though considering the success of their “Toddlers and Tiaras” pageant spin off ”Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” I just hope these women can keep the fighting to a minimum.

What’s your take on “Starter Wives?”

More on Madame Noire!

• Starlets, Unsung: 7 Stories Of Lesser Known Black Women
• There’s Just Something About R. Kelly: Can We Hate The Sin, And Not The Sinner?
• Fear And Other Things: 14 Unhealthy Reasons To Stay In A Relationship
• Forget Bandz! 7 Things That Will REALLY Make Her Dance”
• We Love You Essence, But We’re Going To Need You To Get Some New Cover Subjects
• Catty! Nicki Minaj Cusses Mariah Carey Out On American Idol Set
• Caught Up In College: A Cuffing Season Tale

I’m sure you’ve heard all the sayings about haters in your years: “Make your haters your motivators,” “Haters gonna hate,” “Let the haters hate,” and who could forget the catchy song, “Hi hater”? Nicki Minaj even sent love to her haters in her hit song, “Moment 4 Life” when she said, Shoutout to my haters, sorry that you couldn’t phase me. But as we know as of late, a few of her haters got under the rapper and her bosses’ skin so much that she backed out of performing at Hot 97′s Summer Jam concert this past weekend.

DJ Peter Rosenberg got on stage during Summer Jam before the femmeC’s scheduled performance and declared that her song “Starships” (not Nicki Minaj as a whole) was “wack” and panned it as not being “real hip-hop.” Rosenberg has talked many times on his show, “The Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg Show,” about being one of those old-fogy, take-’em-back-to-the-old-days-of-hip-hop heads and has made his feelings vocal about “Starships” for a while. Once those comments were known to Lil Wayne and his team, he told Nicki that she shouldn’t take the stage. She and the YMCMB camp didn’t stand down from their choice, and through a barrage of Tweets from Roman Zolanski and her camp, she let folks know that while she will ride with her fans until the end, R-E-S-P-E-C-T was most important in this situation. She also reiterated that point in her interview with Funkmaster Flex yesterday.

After doing some thinking, I will say that I don’t disagree with Nicki’s anger and some of the comments she’s made. There is honestly something jacked up about a radio station making money off of you and then turning around and having one of its biggest representatives say you made a wack song, publicly, before you’re slated to hit the stage for them. Doing so before her performance could have fostered negative energy amongst the crowd, and that’s not cool. In everyday terms, that’s like someone asking you to help them cook for Thanksgiving, you get ready to slave over the stove, and then a family member tells Auntie Jackie and ‘nem that a dish you made before was the wackest thing they ever tasted. I’m sure you would feel some sort of way about bringing the plate of dressing after the fact. A random example, but I’m sure you understand. However, DJ Peter Rosenberg isn’t an influential fan who could make or break her, he was a random guy with an opinion. That’s it. Why get so bent out of shape that you let this man cheat your fans out of their chance to see you?

This is not only about hip-hop, but this situation reminds me of the confusion people have between individuals being haters and having an opinion. An opinion with some truth to it that they’re not ready to face. Sure, DJ Rosenberg expressed his opinions at an unnecessary time, but these weren’t new opinions he was expressing, nor was it an opinion that I’m sure she hadn’t heard before. He didn’t say that as a whole, Nicki Minaj wasn’t real hip-hop or that she was a wack musician all around, but that her song “Starships” isn’t real hip hop. And, uh, HELLO, I’m sure even she knows that it’s not. But why care so much when you were the same person saying on the radio that you weren’t worried about pleasing old hip-hop fans anymore anyway?

Source:inflexwetrust.com

There were a lot of mixed feelings about Nicki Minaj pulling out, or being pulled out rather, of her Summer Jam performance an hour before the show because of a comment made by Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg. He said Nicki shouldn’t perform that ”wack A$$ Starships” track. We about that real hip-hop, not ‘Starships,’” and Weezy quickly pulled the plug on the show which had many wondering why Nicki was suddenly turning into a YMCMB puppet.

Last night the rapper who’s been increasingly turning into a pop artist rather than a hip-hop one, called into Funkmaster Flex’s Hot 97 Radio Show to not necessarily clear the air, but basically state her position, and it’s a good thing these two go way back because the convo definitely got heated, especially since Flex didn’t understand any part of Young Money’s stance and basically said Nicki wasn’t her own woman anymore. Here’s how the exchange went:

Nicki: “My fans at Summer Jam didn’t appreciate his comments, nor did my fans watching the live stream appreciate those comments. This wasn’t just about the 2000 people there. This was being live streamed to the world.”

Flex: “I get it. Maybe that wasn’t the best time to make that comment before you touch the stage. But that is what Rosenberg said and that’s his opinion.”

Nicki: “It’s not about his opinion. I have opinions about DJs about Hot 97 and Hot 97. But I would never come on your stage about your fans before. I’ve traveled all around the world and people come with 1 agenda–and that’s to have a good time. Not to have their favorite artist be ridiculed. When you invite someone to their home you treat them with respect.”

Some assumed that Nicki was really scared to go on stage after Rosenberg dissed her music and that’s why they put up this whole disrespect front, and that’s pretty much when Nicki lost it.

“I am not a quitter,” she screamed.  “I don’t back down from anything–including when people talk about me. Wayne gave me a valuable lesson last night about knowing their worth. After that disrespect, after a man goes on stage and disrespects me and calls my music bulls*** and says this isn’t real hip hop–I still was going on stage. SHAME ON ME. Wayne Tweeted before he called me and said Nic, we not doing that.”

Flex said the diss wasn’t about women and she should have performed anyway and Nicki, suggesting she’s lost a little of her independence and she said:

“I don’t go against the president of my label. before I had you or radio, I had Wayne. When Wayne says we as a Team ain’t going on that stage, then I’m not going on that stage. I stand behind his decision. Because as a woman, it doesn’t matter what people say about you, but when you put in work–I put in my work–those jokes shouldn’t have been said…..Why aren’t you addressing Wayne?”

Nicki barely gave Flex room to talk in the midst of her rant about the disrespect and flatly asked Flex at one point if he was out of his mind. It probably didn’t help that he followed that up with a comment saying:

“You always were independent and used to come up to the stations years ago. I’ve never known you to be a person to move under Lil Wayne. Why couldn’t we resolve this from 4pm when this first started to 9pm–in 5 hours? That’s the first time we’ve ever talked and Wayne over ruled you.”

Nicki responded: “For [Rosenberg] to single out the only female on the bill? That was some b**** a** s***. If you a man, then go up there and talk about a man. If all you do is take shots at women…First of all you don’t know me.”

“I’m not saying you went at me because I was a woman, I’m saying you shouldn’t have dissed me BECAUSE I’m a woman. I’m the only female representing on the Summer Jam Stage. You don’t see the big difference?”

I actually don’t. Well, I do see her point that men often feel like they can bully a female because she’s not as tough as as a man. She obviously thinks Rosenberg only had the guts to diss her because she’s a woman, but I actually think it had nothing to do with Rosenberg feeling tough enough to diss her because she’s a girl, I think he really thinks “Starships” is a corny pop track like most people who have heard it. I’m not sure she’s going to win the feminist argument on this one, but regardless she feels how she feels and that’s the issue for her, not being scared. She made her point one final time when she told Flex:

“Do you know where I’ve performed at?  Where I used to perform 4 nights a week. I had 200 people rolling with me.  There isn’t a b**** alive who God has created on this earth who could scare me out of performing.  I get money!”

Alright. Check out the audio here. What do you think about Nicki’s argument. Was she really only dissed because she’s a woman?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

• What’s Black Enough For You?
• Grieving Over a Girlfriend: 7 Ways to Move on After a Break-up…Between Friends
• Bet You Didn’t Know: Secrets Behind the Making of “Poetic Justice”
• Am I The Problem? Finding Accountability Within
• Don’t Look Back: Are You Spending Too Much Time Obsessing Over Your Past?
• Where Are They Now? 10 Black Actresses Who Should Have Blown Up Big…
• What About Ciara? Knicks Star Amar’e Stoudemire Proposes To Mother of His Children