{"id":74233,"date":"2016-01-07T14:51:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T14:51:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2016\/01\/07\/talking-with-the-cast-of-wes-growing-up-hip-hop-romeo-miller-kristinia-debarge-and-boogie-dash\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T03:34:16","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T03:34:16","slug":"talking-with-the-cast-of-wes-growing-up-hip-hop-romeo-miller-kristinia-debarge-and-boogie-dash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/talking-with-the-cast-of-wes-growing-up-hip-hop-romeo-miller-kristinia-debarge-and-boogie-dash\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking With The Cast Of WE’s Growing Up Hip Hop – Romeo Miller, Kristinia DeBarge, and Boogie Dash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talking With The Cast Of WE’s Growing Up Hip Hop<\/strong>by Brad Balfour<\/p>\n

January 7, 2016<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been more than 35 years since the first hip hop singles emerged on the New York streets; those singles such as \u201cRapper\u2019s Delight\u201d were able to spread the experience of the live deejays and rappers who appeared in the Bronx and Brooklyn starting late in the \u201870s. What appeared to be a fad to some has not only become a lucrative institution, but it has also spawned various movements and permutations \u2014 old school, gangsta and more \u2014 as well as a whole generation of stars who have sired a new crew of hip hop royalty.<\/p>\n

These \u201ckids\u201d are now producing creative work of their own and though they may not have \u201cstreet\u201d experience, it\u2019s fascinating to see what several stars of hip hop and rap accented R&B have wrought.<\/p>\n

Somewhere along the way, a light bulb went off and someone thought, \u201cWhy not make a reality series that offers a look into this new generation who all know each, and interact with each other. Why not give audiences a chance to have an inside look.\u201d What a fascinating idea.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

So Music legends Damon Dash, Rev. Run, Russell Simmons, Master P, El DeBarge <\/strong>and Pepa<\/strong> \u2014 key players for many year \u2014 engaged their kids to further the concept. They christened the show, Growing Up Hip Hop<\/strong>, pulled together Egypt Criss, T.J. Mizell, Angela Simmons, Romeo Miller, Kristinia DeBarge<\/strong>, and Boogie Dash<\/strong> to show the dynamic between this group of well-known hip hop legends and their next generation for an insider view.<\/p>\n

“Growing Up Hip Hop” premieres Thursday, January 7 at 10PM ET\/PT on WE tv.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The series follows the next generation of hip hop royalty as they attempt to step out from the shadow of their famous families.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

Formerly known as Lil\u2019 Romeo, musician\/actor Romeo Miller<\/strong> is not only son of Master P, he\u2019s on track to take over the music empire his father built. Along the way, he leans on close friend Angela Simmons<\/strong> \u2014 the daughter of rap pioneer Rev. Run<\/strong> and niece of Russell Simmons<\/strong> \u2014 for guidance and support. A hip hop socialite, model and fashion designer of Foofi, her own line, Angela hopes to translate her fashion success into a career independent of her father\u2019s fortunes.<\/p>\n

Namesake of his father, Roc-A-Fella co-founder and media mogul Damon Dash<\/strong>, the younger Damon \u201cBoogie\u201d Dash<\/strong> is like father like son. But \u201cBoogie\u201d is also an entrepreneur having co-founded Chipz Cookies as well as a record label and NYC art gallery.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

Kristinia DeBarge<\/strong> is the daughter of James DeBarge<\/strong> from the legendary yet troubled group DeBarge<\/strong>, and a singer\/songwriter in her own right. With her father currently in prison, Kristinia leans on her uncle, hip hop legend El DeBarge<\/strong>, as she grapples with family and fame.<\/p>\n

Daughter of two rap icons \u2014 Salt-N-Pepa\u2019s Sandra \u201cPepa\u201d Denton<\/strong> and Naughty By Nature\u2019s Treach<\/strong> \u2014 Egypt Criss<\/strong> is actively pursuing a solo music career.<\/p>\n

Stepping into his father\u2019s shoes as a DJ, TJ Mizell<\/strong> \u2014 son of the late Run D.M.C<\/strong>. DJ, Jam Master Jay<\/strong> \u2014 spins at events and venues around the world, yet is haunted by his father\u2019s mysterious and still unsolved murder.<\/p>\n

With their work lives intertwined with their overprotective families always nearby, these friends each face challenging and sometimes surprising situations as they strive for independent success.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

In two different sessions \u2014 one with Egypt Criss, T.J. Mizell and Angela Simmons \u2014 and another with the other three, Romeo Miller, Kristinia DeBarge, Boogie Dash, it felt like being in an episode of the series which included \u201cthe conversation with the interviewer.\u201d Maybe it will become a reality in a future taping but for now here, is the actual conversation before you. These sessions took place at the London Hotel near the year\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

What did you learn of the music\u2019s history — was it just by being there or did you actually grill your parents and go, \u201cCome on, I\u2019ve heard about this, tell me the inside story.\u201d Or did you go, \u201cWait a minute, I don\u2019t know anything about this, why don\u2019t you tell me about what you saw?\u201d or they didn\u2019t want to talk about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

Romeo Miller:<\/strong> For me, it\u2019s always funny because you get the inside scoop on those stories. When I was watching the NWA movie, and my pops was right there, \u201cThis is what it really went down\u2026\u201d He was like, \u201cI walked in the room five minutes after, and this is how it went down with me.\u201d So you get to see this cool inside scoop that other people don\u2019t know, [when] all these legendary people were around.<\/p>\n

My dad has stories about 2Pac, one of his famous stories, people don\u2019t understand — my dad from the South, and it was all about the East coast and west coast back in the day, and when he went on tour \u2014 he was on tour with 2Pac \u2014 they announced him as a country singer, like you\u2019re from the South, so you must be a country singer, right?<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

So, they announced him the first time as, \u201cCountry singer Master P\u201d and nobody was really cheering for him or nothing, and my dad said there was just one fan who was just \u2018bout it, \u2018bout it, and that just inspired him from there. So, it\u2019s kind of cool to get those insights that other people, they have no idea.<\/p>\n

Kristinia DeBarge:<\/strong> Um, man, I\u2019ve heard tons of great stories from my dad.<\/p>\n

So they do tell the stories?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Yes, they do. My dad told me some really great stories of him and Michael [Jackson], they were very close at one point. Yes, he said that they used to dress up as each other and go out in really, really ugly cars, like a Pinto or something, and drive around town and dress in costume and incognito and just have fun, and that they were like brothers. They would play basketball.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

Boogie Dash:<\/strong> We should do that!<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Yeah, we should!<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> You want to dress like her?<\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> No, I\u2019m going to dress like you, man. Nah, come on.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> When you said, \u201cWe,\u201d I was like\u2026. That\u2019s a two-people thing.<\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> My dad told me a lot about a lot of people, but mainly who sticks out right now is Biggie Smalls. They used to have a lot of fun. They were homies, for real, for real. And it was kind of touching to watch the movie and then like — apparently, he was my homie.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

When I was a baby, when I used to run around, he was like, \u201cOh, Boogie, yo come here.\u201d I didn\u2019t know that. And I was like, \u201cDamn, I wish I had remembered that.\u201d Because, that\u2019s a legendary moment. But then the other stories I can\u2019t talk about on here. You can put that down. There\u2019s a lot, a lot of stories, but good times.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Off the record, we\u2019ll get on those.<\/p>\n

Were there situations where you\u2019ve seen pictures and there you are, as little babies and you\u2019re photographed. Was there one scene where one of you was in a video \u2014 there\u2019s the little baby, and it\u2019s you. Has anybody ever told you, \u201cOh we saw you in\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> My dad said that I was in a lot of sessions with him and DJ Quik, him and — he said 2Pac, we have a picture together when I was a baby. He was like, \u201cEverybody knew you, Janet\u2019s family loved you; everybody knew you as a little baby.\u201d So I was like, \u201cOkay, cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> It\u2019s kind of cool, you go back to some of my dad\u2019s legendary videos, one of his biggest ones \u2014 \u201c\u2018Bout It, \u2018Bout it\u201d \u2014 I was a little kid in there with a baseball bat, imitating my dad. So, it\u2019s cool to go back and enjoy that moment, relive it.<\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> It\u2019s always funny, when I go outside, and this happens literally every time I go outside, somebody comes up to me like, \u201cOh, you\u2019re Damon\u2019s son, I remember you when you were this big.\u201d I still don\u2019t know how to respond to that, \u201cOh yeah, now I\u2019m this big, it\u2019s what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

In talking to the other three of you, it\u2019s clear this isn\u2019t one those \u201cHousewives of Beverly Hills\u201d reality shows where everyone fights with each other. It\u2019s more about reinforcing a community where everybody gets deep with each other in a way that they didn\u2019t expect.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I think our show is introducing this generation to the past history. You know, we live in a generation where I feel it lacks respect, and a lot of the kids, they don\u2019t want to know about the history, it\u2019s about now, you know? You see Vine kids, they\u2019re becoming famous, YouTubers for doing crazy things. And back in the day like, our families are a big part of hip hop, you know.<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Real talents.<\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Everybody on this show, they got real talent, it\u2019s something. And we\u2019re here to make our imprint on the world and I think it\u2019s cool to just see the whole family dynamics of everything and all the situations we go through. I think that\u2019s what makes this show a lot different from the other ones.<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Absolutely, and we all support each other. You know, we all are here to help each other out and you know, me and Boogie, I won\u2019t get into spoiling everything, but we did…we definitely — he has his own cookie company, so we do some stuff together on the show you\u2019ll see, and then Rom and I do a lot of stuff together too on the show. So, we\u2019re all just — it\u2019s like a community, you know, it\u2019s like a family. We all help each other out, we\u2019re all supportive. It\u2019s not supposed to be about drama.<\/p>\n

\"Boogie<\/a><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> Did you tell him about our marriage on the show? Nah, I\u2019m playin\u2019.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Don\u2019t spoil everything!<\/p>\n

I thought you were coming up with a new cookie recipe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> Yeah! [Laughs]\n

Have your parents supported you or have been surprised to see that you\u2019re cooking, or that she\u2019s doing fashion? Are your parents telling him to come over and cook for them [laughs]? How does bringing in your own insights and direction add to the mix of what your parents have done; and what didn\u2019t they know about you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Growing<\/a><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> This is a great opportunity for all of us, and me personally, I never wanted to do what my dad did, and I told him that, \u201cI don\u2019t want to do what you did, I want to do something different,\u201d because I\u2019m just different like that. So I started the cookie company with my partner, and he was all for it. And you know, he\u2019s a diabetic, so it kind of worked out for him. If his sugar\u2019s low, he eats some cookies. He\u2019s the biggest supporter. He eats the cookies all the time, and he\u2019s not fat.<\/p>\n

So you\u2019ve got a good role model to demonstrate. And how about for yourself? Your father was such a mellifluous singer and a little different from some of the others here, so he brings in a whole different aspect. So, have you been alike or been different from him?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"debarge\"<\/a><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Well, we\u2019re both pop. We love pop music and rhythmic and R&B. My dad and I, we\u2019re a lot alike as people in general. I have the same genetics as him, there are times when my mom is like, \u201cOh my God, you are such your father\u2019s child.\u201d<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Stubborn. I always get that one. No, but I would say that how we\u2019re different is–well, first of all, I\u2019m a female. So, you know, a lot of things are different in that aspect, but we just–my dad lived a very hard life growing, and I didn\u2019t live a very hard life growing up. You know, I was on welfare at one point with my mom.<\/p>\n

Really?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"kristina<\/a><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Yes, but it wasn\u2019t like, very hard. There wasn\u2019t a time where she couldn\u2019t feed me meat. At one point, my dad was eating bread for like, a week straight when he was a kid, and wore the same shoes for years, got in fights all the time.<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, they literally went from rags to riches. So, with me gradually, they started to\u2026 My mom started to make more and more money as she and I grew together. I\u2019m grateful for the opportunities that he\u2019s put in my life, that the people that have believed in me. I was signed to Babyface at 14 years old, so I worked with him up until I was 20, and he actually helped me put out my first album with Elliott Reed on Island Def Jam. I had a lot of help from my dad and my uncles. They went through a lot to get to where they needed to be. So, it definitely wasn\u2019t an overnight success for either of us.<\/p>\n

\"Romeo-Miller-5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I think that the biggest misconception that a lot of people from the outside looking in with celebrity families, I think they think that the parents force the kids to want to follow in their footsteps, and I think it\u2019s actually the opposite. The parents actually give you more freedom to kind of whatever you want to do. And sometimes they don\u2019t want you to take that same exact route, because this business is a vicious business full of sharks, a lot of monsters in there.<\/p>\n

Especially when they know you\u2019re the kids of… do they go, \u201cOh, you think you\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Exactly, people want to look at you to see what they can get from you. You know, when our parent started, it was more of a passion, people who worked with them, it was for passion, they believed that they could do it.<\/p>\n

\"GHH<\/a><\/p>\n

So, when people want to work with us because they\u2019re like, what could they get out of us, I think that\u2019s the thing that sucks. But for me, you always want to make your own name as well. That\u2019s the thing when you\u2019re in the shadow of that family name, that legacy, you want to make your own name. The cool thing with this cast, like all of these kids are making their own name. Whether it\u2019s the business side, music, acting, you know, I just finished filming seven films, so I\u2019m making my name in the acting world.<\/p>\n

What were the films? You can plug them here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> [Laughs] Yeah\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Damon<\/a><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> Some of them are on TV already!<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Yeah, I\u2019ve got a film with Megan Goode called Grace, I just did The Royal Family, that was on TV, one of the highest-rated movies on TV, we\u2019ve got Jarhead 3 coming to theaters next year, a horror movie called Little Dead Riding Hood.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the horror version of the fairytale that everybody knows. Let me tell y\u2019all, in my contract, I\u2019m the black guy who survives in my movies [laughs]. That\u2019s in my contract. We are changing this old saying. We switched it up.<\/p>\n

\"cast-show-of-GUHH\"<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s one thing you learn from the past, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> That\u2019s the thing that\u2019s cool, though, because my pops encouraged me to just go out and make movies. He\u2019s the big music mogul, but I\u2019m making a name in acting as well, and he encouraged that.<\/p>\n

Do you find you are all collaborating in one way or another? Obviously there\u2019s been some collaboration before this thing happened, but now you\u2019re collaborating even more, and is it encouraging that, are we going to have a movie about your cookies, you can star in the video, and you\u2019ll sing the music?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Debarge\"<\/a><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> He actually also produces music too.<\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> I think we need to collaborate a little more, to be honest. That\u2019s just how I feel.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> With time, you know as things go, you\u2019re going to see a lot of what\u2019s mixed in to all of our talents.<\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> And the spinoff.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re being put under this label, which really isn\u2019t entirely true because of course you\u2019ve got an R&B singing tradition, and you have an entrepreneurial nature as much a part of your history as it is hip hop. You could be growing up entrepreneurial instead of hip hop. Do people ask you to define hip hop or what you think is hip hop because you\u2019re having this label put on you? Or do you feel you have an idea what it is and what you would call it. How do you react to that question?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Boogie<\/a><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> I don\u2019t get that question too often. People know what I do, and they don\u2019t really associate me with hip hop. Nobody said nothing, but when people acknowledge me in the street, they\u2019re like, \u201cOh, you\u2019re that cookie!\u201d or, \u201cYou\u2019re that DJ!\u201d and it\u2019s just like, yeah, that\u2019s me.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I think for me, it\u2019s self-explanatory. People know who my father is, they know the imprint that he left on music, so it\u2019s like, I never really go that question where they\u2019re like, \u201cYo, what is hip hop to you?\u201d You know, all I say is: We are hip hop. You know?<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> I would just say it\u2019s a form of expression\u2026 It\u2019s a genre, a lifestyle, an outlet \u2014 it\u2019s us.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> We\u2019re the new generation of hip hop.<\/p>\n

But you\u2019re really beyond hip hop in a way.<\/strong><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Yeah, that\u2019s not just all we are.<\/p>\n

Well, if we could call it \u201cBeyond Hip Hop,\u201d too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I like that.<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> Okay, Season two. \u201cBeyond Hip Hop\u201d.<\/p>\n

You were talking about collaborating. Are there things that you\u2019re thinking about? You have an opportunity to do so \u2014 is this inspiring you to do something together, maybe more in the fashion world? Or maybe you\u2019ll take up cooking, or designing. Is this something that\u2019s already there or is this experience encouraging you to go further?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> I think that we\u2019re all building our own empires and as we go further, we can discover what it is we need from one another. As of right, there\u2019s a couple different projects we\u2019re all working on. So, we\u2019re trying to find a way to integrate one another in them, but it\u2019s just we all have crazy schedules, we all live in different cities, but I\u2019m more than positive that we all will be working together very closely.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I think that\u2019s the cool thing with us. It\u2019s like, everybody has their vision, their dream, and everybody\u2019s chasing that and they\u2019re doing their best to take it to the next level. Just because Boogie makin\u2019 cookies, I\u2019m not like, \u201cI need to get in the cookie business.\u201d I might be like, \u201cI need some cookies,\u201d but it\u2019s cool to see everybody on their journey.<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> You know, for your foundation, you know what I mean.<\/p>\n

You could have it in the movie.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> Yeah, exactly.<\/p>\n

Product placement, come on!<\/strong><\/p>\n

BD:<\/strong> Yeah, come on man.<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> We\u2019ll all utilize each other\u2019s relationship.<\/p>\n

RM:<\/strong> I\u2019m actually working on a new project, it\u2019s called Fighting Monsters, it\u2019s coming out January 7th as well. I may need to get you on the hook. You a genius man, making it all happen, I see what you doing here!<\/p>\n

KD:<\/strong> We\u2019re both putting EPs out on January 7th.<\/p>\n