Yandy Smith From Love & Hip-Hop

I really love the character Yandy Smith on Love & Hip-Hop. I say character because a lot of people seem to think she's acting. According to Chrissy Lampkin "she has a battery in her back". I call it ambitious, and accomplished. I love Yandy Smith because of her humble beginnings and how she finally portrays something different on the show. Someone strong whose not really wrapped up in any body's validation of themselves except the fact that they are a business woman. Below Yandy Smith talks to Vibe Vixen about her new role and how she began.

How did you originally get involved with the music industry?
When I graduated from Howard [University], I thought I was going to get into Entertainment Law, but then I got an internship with Violator Management, just to see what it was all about. I fell in love with hip-hop, as cliché as that sounds, and I opted not to pursue my law degree and go full speed ahead into management.

One of your main clients happens to be Jim Jones, your castmate Chrissy’s significant other. When did your business relationship begin?
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.

Now, how did you get onboard for Love & Hip Hop?
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 story lines. 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.

Did you face any difficult moments being the new girl?
I never felt like the new girl because I fit in with any and everybody. I’m comfortable in own skin, so if you say, ‘No, we don’t know you,’ I’m still like, ‘Okay, cool.’ So being new didn’t bother me at all. I got reacquainted with Olivia. We used to manage her at Violator when she was in the group, and I never got the chance to peel back the layers to get to know who she really was as a person. Working closely with her now on the show, she’s a beautiful person, driven and focused on coming out and being a superstar. I think she’ll make it.

Hard work has surely paid off for Yandy Smith and has show how consistent hustle does pay off if you are driven and willing to start from scratch. I hope to see more of her as the show develops.