<P> Jones' manager, Yandy Smith, approached Mona Scott - Young, her former employer at Violator, to retool the show . The concept was tweaked to include Jim's girlfriend Chrissy Lampkin and her circle of friends, influenced by the female ensemble - driven reality shows of the time . The original cast consisted of Lampkin, Olivia Longott, Swizz Beatz's ex-wife Mashonda Tifrere and Misa Hylton - Brim, the mother of Puffy Daddy's eldest son, pitched as a "black version of Sex and the City". Hylton was eventually replaced with stylist Emily Bustamante, the mother of Fabolous's son . Mashonda was downgraded to a supporting role per her request . Aspiring rapper Somaya Reece was brought on late into production to replace her . Reece's ex Joe Budden was approached to appear in the first season, but declined . </P> <P> The series was first announced in VH1's programming development report in April 2010, under the title Diary of a Hip Hop Girlfriend . On January 4, 2011, VH1 announced that Love & Hip Hop would debut on March 6, 2011 . </P> <P> Love & Hip Hop: New York revolves around the everyday lives of women working in the male - dominated world of hip hop . The first two seasons focus on the personal and professional struggles of four women, two of which are girlfriends of famous rappers, and two are aspiring recording artists . Subsequent seasons expanded to include talent managers and producers, DJs and radio personalities, stylists, video vixens, glamour models and groupies . The show has a sprawling supporting cast, consisting mostly of men in the industry, who (in most cases) share the same amount of screen time and storyline focus as the show's leads . </P> <P> The first season starred Jim Jones' girlfriend Chrissy Lampkin, Fabolous's girlfriend Emily Bustamante, Olivia Longott and aspiring rapper Somaya Reece, with Jim Jones, his mother Nancy Jones, Somaya's manager Maurice Aguilar and Olivia's manager Rich Dollaz in supporting roles . Swiss Beatz's ex-wife Mashonda would appear in a minor supporting role . </P>

What episodes is cardi b in love and hip hop