Real Talk with Jhonni of Love and Hip Hop

how are you doing? You look beautiful? And forgive me because I look a little crunchy today. I wish that I was more familous. Tell me where are you located right now? I'm in between l A and Atlanta. WI. Do you like more l A because it's more R and B. I feel like R and B is more out in Atlanta for me, and then also like it's just love at like the buildings and the scenery is

really really dope. Well, for those that may not know of you, I hate when people ask me this, But for those that is the first time that they're hearing you, Um, can you, you know, let them in a little bit on who Johnny is okay, So my name is Johnny. Um. I am German and Black descent. I was born on Moody Air Force days, but also Georgia, so I'm a

Georgia baby. Um. I play six instruments, I sing, I write, produce. UM. I've done love in hip hop, growing up in hip hop, and now I'm past the reality TV and I'm working on two movies and also a show UM that's on Stars. So I'm just uh, just re revance my whole look awesome. My bird wants to interview too. It's okay, no worries, no worries, you know what. This is part of our new lifestyle or new norms. You know, it's okay. We were actually even more personal into your life. So it's

all good. Out of all the things that you do, which one do you feel that you enjoy the most. Music is more of my thing, Like it's just I don't know. I get up, I want to record, I want to perform, I want to do features, I want to do It's just a love for a passion. I've been doing classical piano since I was like six, so it's like it's kind of a thing for me. It's not even a job. It's just a thing. It's my thing. So why Johnny Blaze? But now with this whole new

revamp is just Johnny um, Johnny Blaze. I got tired of people that didn't know that I can really really sing. They were like, so wrap something for me and I'm like, huh, I'm like, okay, let me just well my label. Actually Green Team was like, you know, maybe you should delete the Blaze. So now they're working on like my social media handles, like changing them and it does sound much better. It's like, you know, Johnny, like that's more r and b isshue for me. And then Blaze is like my

past I feel and I've grown so much. So it's just like multiple reasons. Why. So if you have to describe herselfing three, what would you say? I would say misunderstood, but I don't give a damn um kind and determined. Um. I feel like a lot of people they tend to. Why I say determined is because people, Um, you'll have a talent or something that you're really great at, and people will tear you down to the point that you

won't even believe in yourself. And it's like I have a determination to win for myself, but also just like it's that more of a like how I told you so, like I knew, no, it wasn't gonna be my last answer. Um, kind is just I'm just a sweet person. And I don't think nobody knows that. Like, I'm really non confrontational now, like I'm not. I will care in your ass. I will seriously call the police, and I don't feel bad about it. I will lower up. I'm gonna suiting you

for defamation. Like I don't deal with drama or violence. You know. So I'm really kind, so um, some people tend to take that for a weakness. So that and then, um, the talented thing is just I'm just I'm gifted. Um, I'm misunderstanding gifted and just really really a sweet person. What about if you had to describe yourself as an artist? Oh that bitch. Okay, the ugly they call each chunky, they call me whatever. They But what you back gonna

take from me. And that's what people tend to want to take from you, your energy and your faith in yourself. It is telling you that you're not something. And you're just not going to tell me that I'm not gifted, that I'm not talented. So yeah, okay, well she's that bitch. Um. But you know, even though that we say, you know I'm that bitch deep down inside. Have you ever had those moments where some of those comments may have actually gotten to you because me, like, I'm a boss, bitch,

I'm I'm all these things. I'm in the spotlight, people always looking at me, and I get all those things right, that's great, But as on that they try to be there are moments where it could just be that day, like today, I woke up that I'm not with it and one person's comment, I will say, we'll kill my whole day, but it will it will make me feel like I'm not necessarily that bit for like for like seconds. Yeah, So so are there those moments for you? Um, it's

always those moments. It's it's more of it. It's not from strangers. Sometimes it's from people that you think that's close to you. Um, it comes from them more than because I really don't care about the comments, like it's more of a family member or a friend affecting me

with what they say. And then then no longer my friend, I'm not as close to the family member, So it does it does affect me, but I've become so spiritual since like October fourteen of two thousand twenty one, where I just like read the Bible every day like a scripture, and I'm more into myself to the point the confidence level has went up, and I just ignore, you know what people say. But it does it does bother me.

It does affect me. Um, I do cry because it hurts more when it's somebody that's your friend or family rather than a random person. And it's just like difficult. But I've I've grown to ignore it and just move forward and kind of distance myself from stuff like that. Like I'm very big on energy, but like meditation, like I don't like to go outside and feel that my energy I need to put some bad energy into somebody. Like my hopes is to just give energy to somebody.

Somebody might be on their last limb, and because I smile, they'll ask them how are they? How are they doing? Um, it affected them in a good way. So yes, it does affect me, but I tend to find other things. Me making other people happy actually gets me out of that space when people are negative in me. So now this is completely random, but I had seen you on social media. I hadn't really gotten to know you as a person per se. This is like the furthest we've

actually going into talking. Do you feel and judgment free zone? But do you feel that people sometimes may misjudge you based off your looks, based off your social media? From the woman that I'm talking to right now this scene, you know, you sound very sweet, you sound very genuine, you sound very polite, very kind of all those things.

But when I see you at first, right, the first thing I'm getting is based off your social media alone, right, or just the wather you're naturally you know, set up physically. Do you feel that people judge you and there's like a misguidance there? Um? Okay, So with me, I feel like this guy puts you on earth even though you came out of your mom and your daddy. You feel me, I'm so country you want to put on this earth for everybody to like you or to understand you. Like

Nobody knows how this big change happened for me. Five months ago, I just really started just being focused on myself and showing people what I want to and I feel that people um to get that social media. It's like whatever you post out there, whatever you put it's your fault you put it out there. So if you want the narrative to change, change it. So I started showing more of my personality and skits, start showing people like this goopy sac because this is me all day.

I'm very clumsy, and people are either gonna gravitate to the person that you're becoming for the better you or they're not. And I do think that even though I'm a much happier person if you see it on my social media now, I think people look at my body and just like, oh, she has to be a bit she has. Okay, and let me break it down for those that obviously can't see you. Right, So she is very curvy. She is you know, she let me just

bring it down. She got them fastest this, she got the booty, she got small waists, and well, shoot, I want TV. I was like, yo, where'd y'all find that person from? Like okay, so but okay, but then you know, then I went through a whole body transformation and good, yes, yes,

and and I love my body now. But but she's very, very curvy, and obviously on social media, she does, you know, accentuate the fact that you know, she embraces her body and she wears, you know, a lot of sexy stuff or whatever, and automatically, just based off seeing it, I wouldn't. I would sometimes we can be very judgmental as a society, and you know, I would think something else. But then now talking to you, I'm like, oh my gosh, she's so sweet, she's so nice. I would never match. Let

me tell yourself, I'm like the most. If you see me in person, you're going to crack a left. And first of all, people think I'm six feet. I am five one. Okay, Okay, I'm lying. I just put the one so I don't. I don't feel so bad. I'm five feet, but the point is five feet. I look, look this interview. I'm gonna keep you so real. Look the other side of me. I don't nightclothes. Okay, y'all just seeing this, I'm being a professional, but really I'm like this okay, And I'm just I've got to a point.

You know, my grandmother had passed away. I've been through human trafficking. People don't know why I had that guard up of being the mean girl and wanting to fight because I was protecting how I am now. So I had to get my mental in my space, in a right space for not just me, but for my music, my career. And now people when they see me, they're like, Okay, I see it, but it's it's it's going faster than

what I thought. Because now when people see they're like, yo, she's super cool, and I do get it does hurt my feelings a little bit that people think I'm just like this baby grinch and I'm like, I'm friendly. Hugged me. I must see you just heard something that was very sensitive. I don't know you if you would be willing to talk a little bit more into that and how, um, how that affected your you know what, what exactly happened

when you said human traffic? Yeah, I I from my mother sent me away when I was fourteen, um um, and I ended up in New York, and I took an ad on a computer, um, and I thought it was for kids, you know, I was fourteen, about to be fifteen. I took at that thought it was for photos, you know. And I went to this house and I'm Philly and it wasn't that. Um. I didn't have barely no money to even go back. So it was basically like a house for underage um kids to prostitute and

and and sell yourself and you really can't leave. So the girl that was with me felt extra extra um bad for me. I gave me a drink um. It definitely wasn't a normal liquor because I became like very just energetic, very hyper. I couldn't even tell you what was in the cup. And I just stayed and it just I kind of I was into it, like I got into it because the guy that was over that home, he was like, you know, y'a, I gotta make some money.

Like it's kind of like um Players Club but for kids, which is so sickening to say, but it's like you got to make the money. And I just kind of fell into the drugs and the drinking at a young age because I was rebellious. My mother sent me away because I was molested when I was fourteen by my stepfather. So I was already having a disconnect of if if that can happen, then it's like nobody really like cares,

nobody um loves me or supports me. I was just like becoming a rebel because I was so angry, like why is this happening to me, So I wanted to make some money. I'm like, okay, I'm young. I could get some pictures, but it was not that. I went from about fifteen to seventeen in that for years, and then I was actually lacking in school and UM had to go to summer school to graduate because my dad wasn't having it. He wasn't like trying to figure me

out because I wouldn't let him in. Um, and it just I got out only because I was always the singing girl. I was always the girl that sung, and UM, he was like, you don't even belong here, like at least go to the strip club. And that's kind of how I got introduced to the strip club. Somebody actually we brought me there and they were more popular in Philly. To let the person that have me at the house, let them know, like don't don't bother her no more like she's here now. So I ended up and I

ended up stripping at the age of eighteen. So, um, it was it was a lot for me because I don't think people know and people are like, you're easy to talk about the story, like it's just so normal, and it's not that it's normal. It's just I don't want to be a sad story. I want to tell people my life and hopefully it changes or helps them somewhere somewhere or somehow, you know. And I never want to be looked at as something that's like, oh poor baby, Like no, like look at me now on bossed up.

I didn't let it affect me, And yeah it was I've been through some stuff and to see how I am now, and then how people first time even talking to me and I get this a lot, They're like, you're very happy. And that's why I think that sometimes people can be very judgmental. That's why I was getting into that space of like, um, we can judge someone without really getting to know the story. Or I had no idea that you had gone through those things. Um, I didn't know that you know that you got you

were an exotic right exotic dancer at one point. Um. But at the same time, we don't really know. And a lot of people we go to these clubs, we go to these environments just judging like, oh, she wants this, this is the life that she chose, the da da da or whatever, without truly knowing what may have cost, what's the background. What's the true story behind every single

girl that's up there dancing? For those people that are judgmental towards them, you know you were there, Um, what would you say to those people that go to these places judge these girls without really knowing the backstory. I actually feel bad for them, not for us that the women that have went through it or girls that have went through it. I feel bad for them because I

know for a fact, everybody on earth, because sin is real. Um, everybody has done something or secretly done something, and they'll take to their great that they've not they're not proud of or either did a mistake or something. So it's like, you judge this person or me, but what have you done? I would never judge you, like I don't think. I don't think I ever really judged somebody because it's like

I don't have a really position to do that. Um. I think it's pretty sad because you can meet some pretty great people, even if they used to be exotic dancers, if they, you know, UM, went through something that people might not look look down on supposedly. Um, some of these people are amazing people. You know what I'm saying. I have a friend that's been through way worse than me, got our own businesses car wash and nurse and got kids, a husband, And I'm just like, people don't believe in

people changing. People don't believe in uh people growing and

uh being successful throughout whatever they've been through. And I think that's more of a jealousy thing people have towards people that do come from that, and they do succeed, so majority succeeds, but some are not successful and they end up still dancing and stuff, and so those are looked bad upon and it's like it makes everything look bad and I'm like, no, they're the same as the person that came from that that's successful, it just might take them a little bit more time. So I think

it's a judging thing and people not understand. I think it's kind of sad because it's like, why would you judge? You're not God. So it's like, and then how was that transition for you, Like, after all those things that you had been through and then from there go to being on one of the most watched reality shows like Love and Hip Hop. I ended up being on TV because of that. I was the girl that I'm not

trying to date nobody just because they're popular. I'm not trying to click it with girls just because and then the next week we're fighting about we wore the same hair or the same outfit. Like I was never that girl. I was just me and me being me. I was like the hood, I guess celebrity, like I'm in Walmart, I'm getting tampons, which you're getting something too, Okay, you're

in the week aligned me too? Like I was. I made people feel comfortable and it got to the point where love and hip hop was like who is that? Because around that time when I was dancing, it was like popular for the strippers of the exotic dancers to be dating somebody or they're just popping. So I was one of the popping girls coming from Houston as a dancer, and they were like okay, well, and I used to live in New York and they're like the springer on there.

So it was really just a shocker. I didn't know how what I was doing. I didn't know I didn't read scripts. I didn't listen to scripts if it was given to me. I was just TV material basically for them. Did you feel like there was one because there's a difference in between once you were, um, being out of the TV world, Um, then being in the exotic entertainment world, and then from there you are in reality TV. Do you feel that there was any state that you feel

like you meant really weren't you know? Uh, healed, prepared, bounds out to be able to deal with all the drama the TV brings because people people don't really understand that part as well. All the drama that happens on these reality shows are very much so real for most of us. Some people I've heard that you know, they come up, they you know, they finessed the fund. But for those like myself that the drama has been very real. Um, did it ever really affect your mental your mental health,

your mental state. I came in there mentally just kind of out of the earth, So it wasn't like it was just like, um, you know, it was so much like it. I didn't know people was doing stuff behind my back. First of all, I never got paid, and that would be the last time somebody and never not paid me and I give them them type of ratings that I gave them and wasn't a cast member, never

got paid. Uh uh that's crazy. Um. And then it was just the drinking, the not my boyfriend hold on, even though you didn't get paid, Do you think this was a good opportunity, a good platform to be seen. Did your life change somewhat after that? No? No, I'm not trying to send cocky nothing. But I've always been that girl like I've always been. When I say that girl, that's like for anybody to feel like that, I've always

been that girl. I've always I was already popular, like extremely, like I was just the the Houston was the place where all the popping dancers were, and it was that error where I was in just so happened to be in. So I was already No, I didn't care if I was on TV or off TV. I was drinking, doing all types of stuff where I just didn't care. It was what it was. They was like, you want to do it short? Where's my checks that still waiting for?

That never got checked. So it was just like this is just like stripping, you going to club, all eyes on you. It's like a TV and from different countries and different cities people coming, they're watching everything that you do. So I didn't think I benefited from it because people would always say like I don't think love and hip Hop helped you. The only thing it probably helped is what a couple more million people that was already gonna eventually see me because I'm talented and have been. If

you don't get your stuff right, you failed yourself. So I knew I was gonna get my stuff right. I just didn't know when you know so. And I'm not trying to discredit love and hip hop. It's just I you couldn't give me twenty million dollars to go back because it's like, so you wouldn't consider loving hip hop to have been a good experience for you. Maybe, girl, I think I think you the first person I told baby, I'm on P Valley. I got two movies under my belt P Valley, and I'm getting my own show. So

it's like on God's time. You know what I'm saying, on God's time is when it's not on loving hip hop time. So no, they could not pay me, and it's no disrespect. I love them that I think they're cool. They're cool for somebody else, not for me, because I'm not about You're not about to play. When you let people control or feel they can control you and control your narrative of your life. That's when it fails. And

I felt like I let them control. You know, you have drinks out on the table and thinking that you know, go ahead and spike up her attitude with this drink. I know this is gonna make her. Man. You don't do that when you see people have talent, especially in the black community, if you know somebody has a gift at least, and you see they're not being guided. Right, there's not a lot of people that guide people the right way. And I wasn't guided the right way. You

know what I'm saying. You like, it's like they knew. And I don't blame other people. It's more of just it's both. It's me and them. I blame both. So no, they couldn't pay me to come back to that, honey. So you pay five instruments. And when did you start? Because you know, thinking about like the past and and now the negative you know which which all the negative things that you went through build and made the woman that you are today. And thanks to somewhat those things,

you are you know, in a in a happier place. Now. If you don't know the bad, you'll never know the good. So so now you know how it feels to be in this happy place. But part of that is, um going back into your music, going back into what you love. And part of that as well is the fact that you play all these instruments. How did you start? What motivated you? Which is your favorite? Do you do it is a hobby or do you actually really be at the crib plane? You know, I get only people nerves, Honey,

I get on the nerves. Well, no, I don't get on there because that they just be like, now we know who you are because I've been there, Like it's your name Johnny. I'm like, no, my name is Jappelle because that's my real name, Jappelle von Krishna. And they were like all right. So then all of a sudden they kept coming back. I'm like, my name is Johnny. So my next time, neighbors know who I am. They know I played piano, but I've been playing this since

I was six, the violin, acoustic guitar, electric drums, piano. Um, it's just a passion. I don't know everything that I was telling you that I've been through. I just put it into my music, the anger, the pain, and then I realized that r and B is really for me. I was trying to figure out my genre, and I could do every genre. It's just more of That's where it um. People see or understand my pain the most. So this is like my lifeline. Every time I went

through something, I was always known as whatever. I was that girl that does that, but she sings, And then it got better the more I healed. It was the upper that could sing with the bad attitude that likes to fight, the she's not a stripper no more, with the attitude that likes to fight. Oh she doesn't fight no more. Now, No, she just has a bad attitude, the attitude with the mental problem. Now the mental problem with the singing. Now it's just now she sings like

that's her own look. She's sings, so it's like levels. So it's my passion, you know. I just had to grow into myself. I was in my own way. I was letting other people control what my destiny is. And I didn't like that, you know, right, And the same

thing goes for your songwriting. When you write, Um, when you write these songs, do you mainly write about the hurt and the bad and and and that's just the bad because whatever like, we've seen a lot of artists have made, you know, lots of money and and have won many awards, all talking about their own personal experiences. But what do you mainly write about? What truly inspires you? When it comes to songwriting, people myself and people I know.

I have good people around me, but they go through some ship and they're all like, for example, I have a person that's in computers and Microsoft. I have a person it's a lawyer, but she's going through I'm like, what, how do you even have time to go through? So I'm writing from other people's experiences and um, writing what I know the world. Probably there's people that's going through that. I don't want it to just be about me. So sometimes I have to step outside of myself and have

writers come in, like what do people go through? Or what do people think about? And I write it because you just don't want it to be about yourself. Those can touch people too, but I also want songs that other people can relate to. Two psycho Off of that, I'm an analyzer. I'll analyze people. I'll listen to conversations and I'm like, hmmm, so this person slept with your sister. But you're okay with it now y'all live together and your kids is cool with that, and like this is

the type of ship that I'd be hearing. Let me write that down, okay, yeah, or like let me go, or like those crazy books that people write and they sell out like number one sellers where it's like the pastor is talking to So I look at this and I'm like, maybe that's why we have the Isasy Brothers and these people that write stories in their in their songs, and I'm like, okay, time to be creative. So it really comes from just people in myself. It has to,

you know what. I honestly love the fact that today I was given an opportunity to get to know a different Johnny, not the one that you just see on social media, but also just getting to know you the person. Um I I want to give you, you know, your your flowers for being a strong woman because you went through so you went through so much. Like I said before, a lot of us, UM didn't know, a lot of

people may not know. And if you are this flower and bubbly and happy person is because you've come into a space that you are healed somewhat right, Because I don't. I don't know if you completely heal a percent neede, but but but just that seventy pcent that you did heal um was very important for you to be the woman that you that you are today. And that's why I want people to follow you work and they go follow you on social media. On your social media platforms

Johnny Blaze. Johnny Blaze does gonna change soon, but for now is Johnny Blaze, j H O N N I B L A z E d U H and then everything else you just put Johnny Blaze you can find. And then also I got a couple of singles out which is Somebody that you just interviewed featuring Trina So into you Um, then Toxic Feature and in Eli Chopper, and then my newest single is all Right. I'm so

grateful to have you on Exactly a Mata. Thank you so much Johnny for coming in today, and guys you already know, thank you for joining me every Thursday on exactly a Mada. Go follow exactly a Mata and Michael through the podcast on Instagram and also on Twitter. Check us out on YouTube. Go to the search bar right exactly a Mata or a Mada Negra and remember that this is a production of I Heart Radio's Michael through

the pod Cast Network. For more podcasts from my Heart, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you like to listen to your favorite podcast. You already know what it is. This is your girl, Madela Negra, and you just heard exactly a mat