The REAL Reality of LHHA’s Mimi Faust

08 Jun, 2015

During the first explosive season of Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta we saw MiMi Faust’s relationship with Stevie J end in a fashion so dramatic its ratings solidified the show’s place in VH1 network history. The drama continued and the plot thickened with the start and ultimate demise of Faust’s latest relationship with Niko.  Fans again went along on a rollercoaster ride that included a music video shoot, a sex tape, a debate on who actually released the sex tape, book deal contract disputes and a hidden wife.

The Trending Report talked with Faust right after her appearance on The Rickey Smiley Morning show and she was candid about the irony of how her life has changed since reality television and what she’ll do differently in her next relationship.

TR: Your life has changed both good and in some ways not so good since being on Love and Hip Hop:Atlanta (LHHA).

MF:  It has changed for the better for me because so many doors has been opened and the window of opportunity has been so incredible. There’s no way I could’ve done this if I wasn’t on LHHA and had this platform.

The not so good would probably be the invasion of privacy and just the social media part of it.  People are just really, really, horrible on social media. That part is not so good.  Being judged by millions of people who don’t even know you is kind of crazy.

I had no idea that it would be this-no idea. When Stevie and I went down for the audition, I never in my wildest dreams thought we would get chosen and they chose us that day. So our lives changed just like that. I mean instantly.

TR: Why did you originally decide that you wanted to be a part of the show?

MF:  So my girlfriend, who is T.I.’s General Manager, sent me a text message, saying they’re casting for LLHH Atlanta. I’d seen Love and Hip Hop New York and I liked the show.  She suggested that Stevie and I go down and that’s all she said. I said I needed more information.  She said, mind you this was Monday, she said, “Wednesday, 4 o’clock, Mansion hotel.” That’s it.

I said, “Stevie do you want to go down to this casting for a show?” He said, “What show?” We kind of argued about it a little bit because we weren’t in a good place. He said he wasn’t doing it. I was like okay, whatever. I went down anyway. I went down there and do you know this man beat me there. He was already in the lobby. He was there! We had an argument right there in the lobby.

Mona’s assistant saw us and she said she didn’t think we were going to show up and asked us to follow her.  Stevie and I were so busy in our own argument we didn’t even know where we were going. She said follow me.  We followed her upstairs to an interview and they chose us immediately.

So I mean literally, it wasn’t a plan or preparation or anything like that. My girlfriend told me about it on a Monday, we went down on Wednesday and got the job. And here we are 4 seasons later.

TR:  Viewers saw your 15-year relationship with Stevie J end on television.  Things have now progressed so much that you and Stevie are now working together. How did you get to that point?

MF:  It was rough. It was really rough. I had to forgive him. I had to forgive him and that took a lot. It took a lot out of me. It took a long time. I was very upset. I was very angry for a very long time about one, how he chose to do it.  You chose to do this on public television. I thought that was so tackles and just selfish. I can use a host of other words.

But that wasn’t just us going through a breakup behind closed doors. You chose to do this and bring the girl that you were, your mistress on national television, I just thought…I just really did not like that man for a very long time. So it just took time and I had to forgive him before I could move on. Even being civil with him. We were not in a good place for a very long time.

TR:  How did you and Stevie J meet?

MF:  He stepped on my foot at a party in LA and the funny thing is…this is crazy. I’d gone to a concert in Chicago and he was performing. I saw him perform on stage at the ‘No Way Out Tour’ with Puff.  He was playing guitar and you know Stevie, he had to take his shirt off.  I said I have to meet him. I swear a week later I was in LA at a party and he stepped on my foot. And it went from there. We were off-and-on ever since that day.

TR:  After being with Stevie J for so long and really knowing him, what advice, if any, would you give Joseline?

MF:  Honestly, she’s such a horrible person to me I really don’t have any advice for her. She’s a horrible person. I’ve done nothing to that lady and she constantly wants to beat me up and fight me and I’m so clueless why. You’re ‘married’ to him and I’m using air-quotes for that- you guys live together, what is your problem? Why are you so mad and so angry? What did I do? She just said last night that she wanted to kick my ass and I’m like for what? Am I that much of a threat to you? It’s been 3 years. Why are you mad? She’s just not all there. I don’t have any advice for her. I’d be wasting my breath.

TR:  Is co-parenting an option?
MF:  Not at all. Like I said, she just said last night that she wants to kick my ass. For what? And you want to be around my kid? It’s just incredible. It doesn’t make sense. So no, co-parenting is not an option.

TR:  If you could do it over again, what would you do differently, if anything?

MF:  I would have not gone to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and ran back into Nikko. If I could do anything over I would’ve dodged that bullet.

TR:  What have you learned from your relationship with Nikko?

MF:  Not to be so trusting. To use my discernment. Because I didn’t. I really, really, didn’t. The signs were there and I ignored it. I pushed it to the back. I didn’t listen to my woman’s intuition, my gut, tell me that this is not cool. This is not okay. It’s not right.

TR:  First impression of Nikko’s wife?

MF:  I thought she was interesting. Until she opened her mouth then I thought you’re not that bright… so yeah.

TR:  When you’re ready for love again, what is it in a man that you’ll be looking for?
MF:  Honesty is number one. If you’re married, just say you’re married. He said,  “Oh we were separated we weren’t together.”  Okay I can deal with that but the fact that you just straight lied, I mean, why? You told me about all these other women you were dealing with but not your wife. If you’re married just say you’re married.

I think he thought that was going to ruin his chance to get to his end goal which was getting on tv and the fame and all of that. That was his end goal. He clearly had a motive from the start…him and his wife.

TR:  What do you want people to know about Mimi Faust?

MF:  I am not this angry, mean person that I’m portrayed to be on television. Like I’m so far from that. I get so stuck in that box and I think it’s horrible that that’s all people see. I get so many people who say after hanging out with me, “You’re not mean at all,” and I think why would you think that.  It’s from the show. I’m always yelling and screaming on the show but that’s the drama that they want to capture.  So I’m like oh okay, I get it.

TR: Switching gears, you have a new line of wigs and hair extensions in the works?

MF:  I’m getting started with that. I don’t want to talk about it until I sign but it’s on the table. My cleaning business ‘Keep It Clean’ is still up and running and I’m working on a home décor line. That’s what I really, really am so excited about. I just love decorating.  I shop more for furniture and things for the home than I do for clothes and shoes for myself.

I’m starting off on-line then we’ll go mainstream and hopefully end up in Target.  It will include affordable and cute comforters, throw rugs, pillows, decorative mirrors…things for your bathroom and bedroom.

TR: You’re working on a book that will be released in two parts. When is the first release date?

MF:  Well I’m having a little situation of course with that as you’ve seen on the show.  So I can’t tell you exactly when it’s going to be out but I’m working on that as we speak. We’ll say expected soon.

TR: What are your goals with your new company MF Management?

MF: I want to work with new up and coming artist. I want to work with people who aren’t established right now and help them with their craft and with whatever it is that they’re trying to do. I don’t want to necessarily stick with a certain genre, if they want to rap, if they want to do R&B, if they want to sing, country…I just love music period so I’m just looking for raw talent and I want to take them, and cultivate them and make them the best artist that they can be.

TR: The next few questions will be choice questions where you have to answer ‘this, that and why.’

Red or white wine?

MF: White wine definitely because red wine knocks me out. If I drink red wine I’m snoring. With white wine I can still have a good time and laugh. Red wine ,I’m going straight to sleep.

TR:  Scary movie or comedy?

MF:  Comedy. I love to laugh. Laughing is just the best thing ever. Give me a good laugh anyday. Comedy hands down.

TR: Cooking dinner or going out?

MF: Cooking dinner!  Cooking dinner. There’s no better thing to do for me to take my mind off of things than to cook. Now Eva wants to help and now I’m teaching her how to cook. There’s nothing better. Its good family time and its better for you. I don’t have a signature dish but I just like food. For me to be so slim I’m really a big girl at heart. I eat. I eat! Don’t take me to the restaurant and think I’m just going to eat a salad, no, I want the appetiser, salad, main course and dessert. I have a very healthy appetite.

TR:  90 R&B or today’s Rap?

MF:  90’s R&B. That was when music was good. I’m not saying today’s music is not but that’s when there was music in the music. They played instruments and music was music. I think people should get back to the music.

TR:  Heels or flats?

MF:  Now that’s tricky. That’s a combo question. I like heels because they make your legs look sexy and its just a sexy thing. I like a flat because I have a bunion and I can only do a heel for, I don’t know, maybe 4 or 5 hours tops then I have to take them off.  So I’ll say a heel-flat combo.

TR:  Red lip or nude lip?

MF: Red-nude lip combo! It depends on how you’re feeling and your mood. On some days red lip is just amazing then on other days nude lip is amazing so I have to do a combo on that one.

TR:  Tell me something no one knows about you.

MF:  I’m a real outdoors kind of girl. I like horseback riding, I like white water rafting. I’m an outdoorsy kind of girl. I like to hike. I like nature. I like to camp. I like outdoorsy living. Adventures. You know, I like washing my own car. I love that. I would get up and wash my own car in a heartbeat – wax it and the whole nine.  I love it. It’s so therapeutic and just for me to have it durty and see the end result after I’ve cleaned and waxed it. Im proud. Like damn, I did that.

B. Owusu

Image Mimi Faust Twitter

Mentioned In This Post: @MimiFaust,@LoveHipHopVH1