Chrissy Monroe is the newest member to the Love and Hip Hop cast and she fits like a glove. She’s sweet as pie but has a fierceness and street savvy that has made her a season five favorite. AllHipHop caught up with her at the “40z & Waffles Brunch” during All-Star Weekend and she dished on how she has been dealing with her new found fame and her relationship with Chinx Santana.
The Baltimore native says that she joined the show to “bring something new” to the cast and has had no complaints since bringing her life onto the small screen.
“I don’t know why reality TV gets such a bad rep,” Chrissy told All Hip Hop. “It’s been a very positive experience for me personally.”
The show’s creator Mona Scott-Young has gotten backlash from some cast members who felt that they were exploited, set up for fights and portrayed in a negative light. Chrissy says Mona isn’t the blame and that producers/editors can only edit what is given to them.
“So if I wanna come on and act ratchet that’s on me! They can only use what I give them. If I choose to conduct myself as a classy woman then they’re gonna use that. Actually, they focus more on our relationships. They don’t condone violence whatsoever on the show contrary to what a lot of people think. They actually don’t want us fighting. It’s Love and Hip Hop. It’s supposed to be about love and out our relationships so I don’t know how some people take it left.”
Her relationship with her boyfriend, producer Chinx Santana, has had its ups and downs on the show and took a turn for the worst when she revealed to him that she stopped taking her birth control without telling him. The lovebirds later reconciled and agreed to work on having a baby, but last week’s episode showed that Chinx’s family was not willing to support his new love. A convo with his brother revealed that his father and the rest of his family were not willing to accept any other woman in his life accept his wife, who Chinx is separated from.
When asked about the resistance from Chinx’s family, Chrissy called their reaction “wack” and said they could either take her or leave her.
“I remain myself and I don’t take no s###… It’ll play out when you guys watch. I think I’m a wonderful person so we’ll see what happens. My whole take on that topic is that I’m with Chinx. I’m not laid up with his family. Yes, it would be nice if they accept me but if they don’t I’m not losing any sleep at night either. I’m dating one man not the whole family. Can’t please everybody.”
Chrissy isn’t just a reality star, though. She also runs a model management company, Le Jeu, and has been using the show as a platform to become involved in charitable causes. Before our chat she had attended a Celebrity Cat Walk event with her beloved dog Marge Tiffany, which benefits local pet rescues, and says that she wants to continue to give back and not only focus on helping our furry friends but inner city women as well.
“So many people come on this show and it’s all about them. You’d be a fool not to go on and give back and make differences in other people’s lives…I can reach so many people and teach them about things that they may want to get involved in or where they can donate money, time and resources to help save animals or whatever other causes. I’d like to work with inner city women and youth and encourage them to follow their dreams. A lot of these ladies don’t have any mentors or anyone to look up to just to teach them the basic things in life.”
Chrissy says she would also like to become an author, penning an autobiography and a book about relationships. Someone who could probably take a page from the book about love is her cast mate Rich Dollaz, who Chrissy wishes could find that special someone.
“He really goes through it with the women,” she said about Rich. “He needs one good girl and I think his life would be complete. He’s not a bad dude and he really treats his women nice. He’s a classy guy but he just can’t seem to find the right chick.”
Besides enjoying the New York seasons of Love and Hip Hop, Ms. Monroe says she loves watching the Atlanta cast, specifically Joseline Hernandez.
“I love Joseline and Stevie J. She is just so over the top. I love her. She’s so real and I love the way she dresses. I love her ‘I don’t give a f###’ attitude. I think they really struck gold when they casted her.”
Tune into Love and Hip-Hop on Mondays at 8 p.m EST on VH1.