Since its series premiere in 2011, VH1 original reality series Love and Hip Hop has taken music fans all over the country, making stops in New York City, Miami, Atlanta, and Hollywood to explore a day in the life of some of the industry’s most famous faces. In a brand new special, the series is putting aside the drama that it’s most known for in order to do some important cultural introspection that transports its stars back to where it all began: the motherland.
On Tuesday, January 25, the entertainment network released the first look at Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy. The two-part special, set to air on February 7, will see some of the franchise’s usual suspects gather for an educational and emotional experience in which they learn about their unique ties to Africa. Under the guidance of MTV News’ Dometi Pongo and DNA authority Dr. Gina Paige, the group will trace their respective roots through DNA tests — all the way down to the specific ethnic groups of their ancestors.
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The first look at Lineage to Legacy shows cast members Remy Ma, Papoose, Yandy Smith-Harris, Rich Dollaz, Tokyo Vanity, Paris Phillips, Karlie Redd and Momma Dee learning more about the history that was stolen from them due to slavery and colonialization. Discovering the truth about their lineage is serious heart work, so naturally, there will be tears. However, the journey back home is equally as joyful, allowing the stars to participate in many of the same rich traditions that generations before them passed down, like food, music, fashion, and spirituality. Plus, with this group, shenanigans are pretty much guaranteed. (This is Love & Hip Hop after all.)
Even a month after the celebration of “Detty December,” which saw much of the diaspora flocking to Nigeria and Ghana for the holidays, it’s obvious that the culture still has the continent on the brain. From the growing public interest in Afrobeats music and African television/film to celebrities finding solace in the homeland, Black people all over the world are tapping into their roots and reclaiming a history that has always been theirs, white supremacy be damned. Through education and connection, the gap between us is being bridged — and it’s about time.
Love and Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy premieres on February 7, only on VH1.