It’s Time to Relax, Relate & Release: An Open Letter to K. Michelle

Dear K. Michelle,

From the first time I watched you on “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta,” I was enamored with your realness and your absurdly clever catch phrases. I knew that the way you handled the Karile Redd situation wasn’t the classiest interaction ever, but I found the whole thing too hilarious to get upset. I watched your live vocal performances and I was impressed with your undeniable talent and creativity. (That song about Mimi and her madness was spot on!)

Then I got the back story. I learned how your career was jeopardized by the mismanagement of funds; and as if that wasn’t enough, there was the abusive relationship. Lord. I just couldn’t help but root for you. You had been through so much. Because of all of this turmoil, you had a bit of a spazz out a few years back and it virtually ruined your reputation in the industry. I could sympathize. When you’re faced with the prospect of losing your dreams, especially because of someone else’s reckless actions, I could see how that would cause anyone to act a fool.

But baby girl, there comes a time when you have to let it go and move on. As that record exec told you, there’s this notion that you’re a bit “crazy.” In order to prove people wrong and get them to talk more about your talent and less about your tantrums, you’ve got to start acting, for lack of a better phrase, hella sane. For the record that means, this pettiness with Rasheeda, the pettiness with Toya and even the [hilarious] pettiness between Karlie Redd must end.

I’m inclined to believe that Memphitz did put his hands on you and that’s wrong as rain. No one is going to argue that. There’s also nothing wrong with you talking about it either. People fail to realize how common domestic violence is, so recounting these painful occurrences is important. But now that you’ve said your piece, it’s time to move on. Let people make their own judgments about Memphitz and his character. What’s the point of attacking his current wife? For better or worse, she’s going to defend her husband, as she should. If she doesn’t know the same abusive man you knew, then why do you expect her to slander his name too? And if he is still abusive, it will certainly come to light. This business of you threatening to smack her up is just foolish. How is you putting your hands on Toya any better than Memphitz beating you? Your gender is not a license to assault other women in the street. It’s time to move forward. Step into the light, boo. And just so we’re clear, this also applies to the side Twitter beef you’ve got going on with Rasheeda.

Right now, it’s time to be on that “grown woman with a goal” grind, which means that you can’t afford to be hampered by your past any longer. At this point, you’ve spent more time talking about what’s happened to you years ago and not what you’re working on right now. That reality show money is good but at this point, if you are sincere about rebuilding your music career, throwing shade, beefing and talking slick to the confessional camera, is not going to make people take you seriously. You may recall that Tiffany Pollard, aka “New York” was an aspiring actress who clowned for the camera. Vh1 was stuffing her pockets with follow up shows and all; but when the dust settled and people grew tired of her antics, she practically disappeared. I can’t tell you what “New York” is doing these days.

You don’t want to end up like that and we don’t want you to end up like that. I, for one, am really trying to hear your music but when I Google you, one of the first images that pops up is of Memphitz and Toya. That’s telling.

K. Michelle, I’m sincerely hoping that you can begin to focus on the right things. The things that will yield longevity and respect in this industry: your talent. Because I’m afraid if you don’t and your career doesn’t go where you want it to this time around, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.

– Veronica