Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood

Development

Rumors of a Los Angeles-based spin-off of Love & Hip Hop began circulating in September 2013. Creator Mona Scott Young confirmed the concept was being considered, along with possible spin-offs in Houston and New Orleans. In October 2013, producers reportedly approached Tyga, Blac Chyna, Karrueche Tran, LoLa Monroe, Miss Joie, and Jas Prince to star. Ray J was offered a role as both lead and co-producer, with Yung Berg, Teairra Marí, and Princess Love rounding out the cast; Cassie was offered a supporting role.

Tran reportedly backed out after her then-boyfriend Chris Brown objected to producers' talks with Jasmine Sanders. By January 2014, casting difficulties arose due to Ray J's contractual obligations to Bad Girls All-Star Battle. The cast at that time reportedly included Hazel-E, Brooke Valentine, Yesi Ortiz, and Bria Myles. Filming began on March 31, 2014, with Ray J, Teairra Marí, Princess Love, Yung Berg, Miss Joie, Yesi Ortiz, Morgan Hardman, Omarion, and Apryl Jones confirmed.

Soulja Boy joined the cast in August 2014. Berg later stated that he filmed scenes with Joie as a couple before she was fired three months into taping, and his subsequent storyline with Hazel-E was contrived. VH1 announced the series premiere date of September 15, 2014, on August 18, 2014.

Series synopsis

Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood follows R&B singers and rappers navigating their careers and personal lives in Los Angeles. Its first season featured Ray J, Soulja Boy, Omarion and Apryl Jones, Lil' Fizz and Moniece Slaughter, Teairra Marí, and Hazel-E, with supporting players like Morgan Hardman, Nia Riley, Amanda Secor, Yung Berg, Yesi Ortiz, Sincere Show, Nikki Mudarris, Masika Kalysha, and Omarion's mother Leslie Burrell.

The reunion special included a domestic violence public service announcement. For season two, all main cast members returned, and Princess Love joined the supporting cast alongside Rich Dollaz, Miles Brock, Milan Christopher, Amber Laura, Brandi Boyd, Max Lux, Willie Taylor, Shanda Denyce, and others. Miles and Milan were the franchise's first openly gay couple, and several episodes aired public service announcements about sexual identity.

Reception

Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood has largely escaped the controversy and criticism that has plagued the franchise. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called the show a great soap opera with little connection to modern music-making. Writer Michael Arceneaux praised the show for its portrayal of LGBT issues and for being the only franchise installment to continue providing a ratchet good time. The franchise is often criticized for fabricating storylines, though Scott-Young has denied this, stating that the cast's experiences are real and only framed within a production schedule.

The Love & Hip Hop franchise is one of the highest-rated in cable television history, and The New York Times reported it was the most popular show in the black belt. The second series premiere garnered 3.6 million viewers. President Barack Obama referenced the show during a 2016 campaign rally, comparing the presidential race to reality television.

Broadcast history

The second season premiered on September 7, 2015. The third season began on August 15, 2016. The fourth season premiered on July 24, 2017.

On October 19, 2015, VH1 aired Love & Hip Hop: Out in Hip Hop, a round-table discussion moderated by T. J. Holmes about being openly LGBT in hip-hop, which coincided with an episode where bisexual cast member Miles comes out. The special ranked #1 among women 18-49 in its time period. On July 3, 2017, VH1 aired Dirty Little Secrets, a special featuring unseen footage and deleted scenes from the first three seasons along with cast and producer interviews.