Posted by | Ray Cornelius
WEtv hosted a special Atlanta screening of its hugely popular series “Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta” Tuesday night. The invitation only event took place at the Rich Auditorium of the Woodruff Arts Center.
“Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta” star Bow Wow introduced the episode to a jam-packed house which also included his co-stars Reginae Carter, Zonnique Pullins, Brandon Barnes, Shaniah Mauldin and Ayana Fite. Supporting them were some of the show’s other cast members—Jermaine Dupri, Deb Antney, Da Brat and newcomer singer Jhonni Blaze, who appeared as a guest on season one.
Atlanta celebrities in attendance included WEtv stars Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson and her mother “Mama” June Shannon; Towanda and Trina Braxton; and “LA Hair” star Gocha Hawkins; along with “Real Housewives of Atlanta” stars Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore; super-producer Bangledash, actors Demetria McKinney and Brad James (from SyFy’s “Superstition”); singers Damion Hall (Guy) and Daron Jones (112) and more.
Following the screening the “Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta” cast gave the audience insight into the upcoming season with a Q&A, moderated by Gary with Da Tea from the Rickey Smiley Morning Show. While avoiding any spoilers, the cast revealed that Season 2 is all about their growth as individuals, particularly for Reginae and Shaniah establishing themselves beyond their famous parents’ careers; and professionally, with Bow Wow and Zonnique working on new music; Brandon developing two new R&B groups; and Ayana developing her clothing line. The cast also hinted at a focus on exploring past issues between Bow Wow and mentor Jermaine Dupri; and Zonnique and Reginae, who are working to recreate the bond they once shared.
After the screening, the “Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta” stars and their guests headed to new Atlanta nightspot Revel, where they recreated a vibe worthy of JD’s hit “Welcome to Atlanta” with music by DJ Infamous. The near-capacity party crowd included a few more recognizable faces with “Love & Hip–Hop: Atlanta” stars Erica Dixon and Estelita; producer Mr. Hanky; rapper Silento and more coming out to celebrate the show’s new season.
See more photos below:
Photo Credits: Paras Griffin for GettyImages/WETV