In a two-part special series of VH1’s Love & Hip-Hop, several stars took ancestry tests to find out where their families originated from. The special, aptly titled Love & Hip-Hop: Lineage to Legacy, aired earlier this month. Some participants included Remy Ma, Papoose, and Karlie Redd. These artists were able to participate in this special with the help of African Ancestry Co-Founder Dr. Gina Paige.
During the course of the show, Entrepreneur Yandy Smith-Harris found out her family is of Cameroonian ancestry, specifically from the Fulani tribe. Previously, she wondered if her children having multiple brand deals said something negative about her as a mother. However, finding out about her heritage has changed her perspective. “Cameroonians were marketers. Cameroonians were entrepreneurs,” she said. “So I’m going to continue to pass that along and nurture that in my babies.”
View this post on Instagram
Black Americans and Ethnicity
Black Americans have a complicated history with the concept of ethnicity as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. In the United States, slave owners attempted to strip enslaved people of their individual culture markers. From these experiences sprung a collective culture meant to unite the diaspora. However, this made it difficult for the dependents of the enslaved people to trace their ancestry. This task was especially difficult as slave owners separated families by selling them to other owners.
With Reconstruction, the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration following slavery, it’s been difficult for many Black Americans to reconcile the issue of their ethnicity. These events still impact Black Americans today and is a primary reason their ancestry can be hard to decipher. Papoose noted this experience as an “emotional” one because of what Black people have been through in this country. Given historical context, it’s not hard to see why this information would elicit a passionate response from the reality stars. Adorned in traditional African clothing, the stars also participated in a photoshoot. “This isn’t your normal Love and Hip Hop thing,” said Rich Dollarz. “This is more of an evolution of Love and Hip-Hop, and it couldn’t come at a better time than Black History Month.”
Written by Kimberly Stelley