Masika Kalysha Talks ‘Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood’ Return, Relationship With Fetty Wap And New Projects

Fans of “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” were shocked — and thrilled — when Masika Kalysha announced she would be on Season 3 of the VH1 show. The reality star, who welcomed her first child in March, had been constantly making headlines because of her rocky relationship with rapper Fetty Wap, and viewed re-joining the hit series as an opportunity to address the gossip about her.

On the first few episodes of Season 3 fans have watched as Masika tried — and sometimes failed — to get Fetty Wap onboard with her pregnancy. But Masika is also using the platform of the show to get back into her music career and launch new projects.

During a phone interview with International Business Times, Masika opened up about her new ventures, revealing that her makeup line, Khari Barbie Beauty, launches in October. According to the VH1 star, the line will start off with an array of lipsticks, lip glosses, lip liners and exfoliators.“It’s pretty moderately priced, I think,” she said, adding that eventually it will expand to include other makeup products.

To see what else Masika is up to, including how things are with Fetty Wap check out the Q&A below:

International Business Times: Can you give us an update on where you and Fetty Wap are now with co-parenting?

Masika Kalysha: He did come back after being on a hiatus … and made it very clear that he wanted to make things right, and we were at a really good place [while filming]. … It was a good space that we were in, but from then to now it’s just been up and down, back and forth. It’s been a rollercoaster ride. I don’t even know what to expect from him from one day to the next.

IBT: What do you think is the main issue between you two?

Masika: I just think he’s used to getting his way and calling the shots and controlling everyone in his life and I’m not somebody that you can control or pacify or appease. I actually require you to be an active father. I’m not a fan. I think a lot of people in his life are fans so he gets away with a lot of things that I don’t allow. My priority is my daughter and that’s it. So anything before that or after that doesn’t matter to me, I’m actually going to hold you accountable. If you ask me, that’s our main issue but I can’t speak for a grown man so who knows what he would say.

IBT: Even though there was a lot of drama with your pregnancy, what do you enjoy most about motherhood?

Masika: I mean, just having this little person that loves you no matter what. Her little gummy smile; just watching her learn and grow is really exciting. You know people say you don’t know love until you have a kid and you think you do but it’s so 100 percent true. I thought I knew what it was but I had no idea. She’s the best part of my day every day and it’s just really life changing.

IBT: It came as surprise that you were returning for Season 3 of “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.” Are you glad you made that decision?

Masika: Absolutely. At first, when I didn’t come back last year I felt a certain way about the way I was being portrayed. I got really upset, and I had time to really think about it and get over it because at the end of the day no one paid my bills but me. So I grew such a strong core, which I already had, but you know I think that a lot of times people who are really strong on the outside are really soft on the inside, but I think I got a little stronger on the inside as well. … I think ‘Love & Hip Hop’ is an amazing platform, I think it’s one of the most-watched reality television shows that’s out right now so I think I would have been a little foolish not to come back because I really feel like I owed it to my fans to let them know what really happened instead of leaving them with these blogs because people believe these blogs like it’s CNN.

IBT: I want to ask about your storyline this season. I know we see you with Fetty Wap, but is there anything else fans are going to see later on?

Masika: I mean there’s tons of things you’ll see this season. I think the main thing is me navigating through motherhood. … Me figuring things out; me getting back into the studio; me doing my shows; me performing. I’m working on my cosmetics line, Khari Barbie Beauty. I’m building it from the ground up, I’m funding it myself. I’m in the lab testing the products [and] picking out the colors so I’m really hands on with my business and I’m really hands on with my daughter so it’s just trying to find the balance between the two. And that’s pretty much what you can expect.

IBT: We know you did a song with Fetty Wap called “Andale” and you recently released “My Own,” can you tell us more about that?

Masika: “My Own” kind of talks about every woman. It’s not just about me. I feel like the majority of my journey being pregnant with my daughter, I’ve been on my own and I want women to know that it’s OK to be on your own and to reflect on what got you there. It’s more of like an empowerment record for women.

IBT: Is there anything else you’re working on, anything else you want your fans to know?

Masika: Yes! I want, especially the women, but the guys too, to follow my YouTube pages. I have a vlog page and a music page. I’ll be doing a series for my single mothers. I get so many messages from single mothers all over the world and in different countries and I can’t even go through them by myself because it’s so many so I’m going to be picking a different lady every week and doing something special for them.