Rapper and reality star Safaree joins ‘The Jason Lee Show,’ where he tells host Jason Lee about his latest moves, his viral moments, like his beef with Meek Mill, his plans to vote for Donald Trump, and his past relationships, like with rapper Nicki Minaj, and his short-lived marriage with reality star and children’s mother Erica Mena. In the interview, Safaree, born Safaree Samuels, also talks about the rumors claiming he was Nicki Minaj’s ghostwriter and he debunks a few ‘Love & Hip Hop‘ storylines involving him.
As the interview begins, host Jason Lee and Safaree get right into reflecting on his relationship with Nicki Minaj, which began in 2000 and ended in 2014. The conversation begins with the ‘Love & Hip Hop‘ star silencing the rumors claiming he wrote for the Queens rapper. He says he “NEVER” wrote her raps, and instead insists that he was more of an A&R and hypeman to her. He says he was her boyfriend and was there to help boost creativity and energy; he wasn’t caught up in the business side of things.
He claims the business was so out of focus for him as her boyfriend that he didn’t even push and demand any credit initially, despite always being in the studio with her. He does note that he did receive credit at first on her initial releases, including her 2010 debut album ‘Pink Friday‘ and 2012’s ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded‘ but not for individual records. To note: Safaree also sued Nicki Minaj in 2016 over her 2014 album ‘The Pinkprint.’ He alleged that Minaj didn’t credit him on the album, which fans believe was inspired by the end of their relationship.
Safaree also addresses the instances of domestic violence in his relationship with Nicki Minaj. In August 2018, Safaree alleged violent domestic abuse against Minaj and claimed she even once stabbed him, all of which she denied. Speaking on his claims of being stabbed and rumors of Nicki Minaj chasing him with a knife, Safaree attempts to clarify things.
He further explains that when it comes to his relationships and the public, he lets people think whatever, he never gives details because he doesn’t want to appear “pressed.” He adds, “Everybody in relationships go through stuff.” He claims he’s been in so many situations where women pick things up to throw, but he’s older now and understands why the women reacted how they did.
Safaree also speaks on a viral interview clip where he appears to hint at missing Nicki Minaj. He ends up telling host Jason Lee that he was just trolling fans; the same fans that continue to drag him into things to this day, despite their relationship ending 10 years ago. Safaree also speaks on Nicki Minaj dating Nas and marrying Kenneth Petty, with whom she shares a son.
While discussing Petty, Safaree speaks briefly about him threatening Cardi B‘s husband and former Migos rapper Offset. Regardless of whatever beefs there are, Safaree says he just wants the people who he once “spent time with” in his life to be healthy and happy. He further notes that he “NEVER” looks back and thinks, “That should be us,” when he sees Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty.
Safaree also addresses Nicki Minaj’s beef with female rappers Lil’ Kim and Megan Thee Stallion. When it comes to Minaj and Kim, the two New York femcees have been pitted against each other on several occasions. For years, critics have accused Minaj and her early team of shaping her to become a new version of Lil’ Kim. From her flow, hairstyles, outfit choices, poses, and more, critics have claimed Minaj is a Kim clone.
However, Safaree, who was present early on, doesn’t believe Nicki Minaj stole Lil’ Kim’s style. He says Kim wasn’t the blueprint, no one was; no one was ever presented for Nicki Minaj to emulate. Safaree also speaks on Nicki Minaj’s Megan Thee Stallion diss track “Big Foot,” which is a jab at the Houston rapper’s 2020 shooting. Safaree says he understood the meaning behind the title and the song and says he gets Minaj’s sense of humor, there’s nothing more to it.
Speaking on his past beef with Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill, host Jason Lee recalls being with Safaree the day he was jumped by the rapper. The July 2017 incident, which was also leaked on video, went down in West Hollywood and saw Meek Mill and his crew ambushing Safaree. In December 2018, Safaree said the beef was dead and buried, and he further revealed that although he didn’t speak directly with Meek Mill, only through mutual people, they both squashed things.
Safaree tells host Jason Lee that he and Meek Mill are good now and that at the end of the day, their beef was never about anything real, just based on who they both had dated: Nicki Minaj. Safaree also recalls Kanye West wanting a threesome with Nicki Minaj and his then-girlfriend Amber Rose. In a recent interview, Ye recalled his old wish and while speaking with Jason Lee, Safaree confirmed that Ye wasn’t lying and how surprised he was that the Chicago rapper even remembered it.
Safaree called it “pretty interesting,” explaining that they were in Hawaii playing basketball with Ye and that at some point, Ye started “schmoozing him,” trying to pull an “ooh-wap,” to get Nicki Minaj in the bed with him and Amber Rose.
Later in the interview, Safaree speaks on his own trysts that never actually happened. While speaking of his time on ‘Love & Hip Hop‘ — further noting that he’s the only cast member to appear on all four franchises: New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami — Safaree reveals for the first time that he never slept with ‘Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood‘ co-star Lyrica Anderson. He admits he lied about sleeping together as a fake storyline, which arrived as Anderson battled relationship troubles with her then-husband and son’s father A1, now known as SprngBrk.
RELATED: Erica Mena Reportedly Tried To Serve Safaree Samuels Legal Papers During Atlanta Party
As with his fake storyline with Lyrica Anderson, Safaree also says that his TV and social media-presented relationship with Latin singer Amara La Negra was also fake. He confesses as he recalls how mad his then-wife Erica Mena got when he attended a party celebrating the first birthday of La Negra’s twin girls. At the event, which was filmed for ‘Love & Hip Hop: Miami,’ Safaree gifted the 1-year-old twins Rolexes.
Safaree says after his grand gesture with Amara La Negra, his then-wife and children’s mother Erica Mena was “PISSED.” He also says that while all of the drama was real, his relationship with La Negra was not, further claiming they never had sex.
Speaking of Safaree and his ex-wife Erica Mena, host Jason Lee explains that he is no longer friends with her because he leaked that she was pregnant on Hollywood Unlocked. Lee and Mena weren’t on the best of terms and he learned that on the day of her maternity shoot, she was allegedly rude to someone on her glam squad, who then sent footage from the shoot to the Hollywood Unlocked founder and CEO, who then leaked it online via his platform.
The move left Erica Mena furious, in turn fully ending her friendship with Jason Lee. In the interview, Safaree defends his ex-wife and children’s mother’s reaction and says he too was mad at Lee for leaking their big happy moment. Moving past the incident, Safaree speaks on his split from Erica Mena, and her claiming he never loved her. He says that’s not true and that when women are going through emotional things, they sometimes say things that don’t necessarily make sense.
RELATED: Aww! Safaree Samuels Gifts Amara La Negra’s Twins With Rolex Watches
He notes that people don’t get married and have children with someone they don’t love, further insisting that he still loves his children’s mother to this day. He says it sucks that they didn’t make it because no one gets married to get a divorce; however, he did note that when he and Mena married it didn’t just change their relationship from boyfriend and girlfriend to husband and wife, but it changed other things that would affect their marriage.
While addressing the reason why decided to leave the marriage, Safaree notes that his ex-wife is the one who filed for divorce and he just obliged. He says he knows that she didn’t mean it, and only wanted the filing to scare him straight, but it didn’t work because he didn’t put up a fight. He says, mentally, he was not feeling like himself in the marriage. He also says he wasn’t mentally happy living in Atlanta, claiming it’s not a happy place to live.
Regardless of how things ended with his ex-wife, Safaree insists that he loves the mother of kids no matter what and believes that one day they may fully reconcile and be together again, especially for the sake of their children, whom he co-parents with joint custody. Safaree also notes that although he and his ex don’t see eye to eye, she is a great mother and he too wants to be the greatest father he can be; even if it means laying low on social media and just focusing on him and his children. Speaking of fatherhood, Safaree says it totally changed him and to this day he can’t believe that he has children because in his head he is still a young spirit.
While on the topic of Erica Mena, Safaree also speaks on her viral moment with Jamaican Dancehall star Spice. Mena was ultimately fired from ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta‘ last year when she got into a huge heated debate with Spice and ended up calling her a “blue monkey.” The phrase was deemed “racist” and led to the VH1 executives terminating Mena and cutting her out of future episodes.
Safaree says he wishes the incident never happened, noting that it was a rough time for their family because they had two young children and so much drama going on around their mother. Defending his ex-wife, Safaree says there is “NO way” that Erica Mena is a racist. He instead insists that just has a mouth on her, which is not a secret. Despite this, however, he admits that the situation did change the dynamic of their relationship a bit and that he is still good friends with Spice.
Safaree, who is a rapper and has a new song out with Amara La Negra called “Safari,” also reveals why he still continues to do reality TV. He simply considers it free money as he gets to take up, be himself, have fun, and make money while doing it.
He also reveals that he has a new show on the way, a dating show that will premiere on Ray J‘s network, the Tronix Network. While speaking on his new venture, which will see him living in a house with 10 girls fighting for his love, Safaree also admits that he’s been celibate for the past four months. He also shares one of his biggest misconceptions is that he’s a womanizer. He instead insists that he’s not and is very respectful when it comes to women.
Elsewhere in the interview, Safaree talks about being slammed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for wearing animal fur. He recalls the time when he received a large check in exchange for wearing a fox fur coat and speaking to a crowd in New York amid anti-fur protests. He says thousands of people erupted and tried to throw things at him. Safaree also briefly speaks about the 2024 presidential election, which most likely will be another head-to-head battle between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. On who he will likely vote for, Safaree boasts Trump, claiming, he will for sure win.
#Socialites, be sure to check out the full episode below, then leave us your thoughts in a comment after!